You Are Part Of An Organizational Team For Three Years

You Are Part Of An Organizational Team For The Three Years Prior To A

You are part of an organizational team. For the three years prior to a new member joining the team, performance was high. In the year after the new member joined, performance has gone down. The new team member has a slower than usual growth curve. A few months after being employed, the existence of a minor medical issue made it possible for the new team member to avoid some responsibilities. Since that time, the team’s workload has also increased. It would seem as though the team is overworked at this point, and it is starting to take its toll on the team’s overall performance and motivation. For the first paragraph of your post, address any one of the following bullet points. What stage of team performance would you consider this team to be currently in? Why? What should be done to move the team to the next stage of development or to a healthier stage of development? Looking at this situation, explain what intrinsic and extrinsic motivations may be influencing the change in team performance? Describe what is happening at the individual level within the team. What are some of the task and relational dynamics affecting the team?

Paper For Above instruction

The current state of this team suggests that they are likely in the "Storming" or early "Norming" stage of team development, based on Tuckman's model. High performance in the initial years indicates that the team was functioning well during the "Performing" stage, but the subsequent decline after the new team member's arrival points to conflict or adjustment issues characteristic of the storming phase. Typically, teams in the storming stage experience role confusion, conflicts over responsibilities, and divergence of opinions, which seem to be evident here given the new member's slower growth curve and the increased workload influencing performance (Butterfield, 2017). To move to a healthier or more mature stage—ideally the "Performing" stage—leadership needs to focus on building trust, clarifying roles, and fostering open communication. Promoting collaborative problem-solving and emphasizing shared goals can facilitate team cohesion. Additionally, providing support for the new member—including mentorship and clear expectations—can reduce uncertainties and accelerate their integration into the team’s workflow. Addressing workload issues and ensuring equitable distribution of responsibilities are critical to prevent burnout and sustain motivation (Butterfield, 2017).

From a motivational perspective, intrinsic motivators such as a sense of accomplishment, mastery, and purpose are likely diminished due to increased workload and the new member's slower integration. Extrinsic motivators, like recognition, rewards, and job security, might also be impacting performance, especially if team members feel overworked and undervalued. The extra responsibilities and the medical issue can create feelings of unfairness or frustration, further demotivating team members (Deci & Ryan, 2000). At the individual level, team members may experience stress, decreased morale, or withdrawal, which can escalate the conflict and hinder team cohesion. Task dynamics are impacted by the uneven workload distribution and role ambiguity, while relational dynamics are strained by frustration, lack of trust, or poor communication. These factors create a cycle that exacerbates performance issues, fostering feelings of disengagement and reduced collaboration (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015).

If I were the team leader, I would prioritize implementing mechanisms for open communication and role clarification. Conducting team-building activities to restore trust and cohesion would be essential, along with providing support for the new member’s integration. Solicitating input from team members would be highly beneficial, as it fosters empowerment, increases buy-in, and uncovers innovative solutions that are aligned with team needs. However, there are potential dangers—such as conflicts arising from differing opinions or decision paralysis if the team becomes overwhelmed with suggestions. To mitigate these risks, the leader should facilitate constructive dialogue and focus on actionable solutions. The ongoing decrease in performance and motivation poses serious risks, including decreased productivity, higher turnover, and diminished team morale, which can ultimately threaten the team's capacity to meet organizational goals (Butterfield, 2017). The leader’s role is crucial in setting a positive tone, mediating conflicts, and ensuring that the team maintains focus on shared objectives, promoting a healthy environment where trust and motivation can be rebuilt.

In conclusion, understanding the team’s current stage of development and addressing intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors are essential steps in reversing performance decline. Leaders must be proactive in facilitating open communication, clarifying roles, and fostering trust to ensure team cohesion and productivity. Addressing workload and motivation issues early can prevent further deterioration, supporting a transition back to high-performance phases.

References

• Butterfield, J. (2017). Teamwork and team building (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.
• Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business Review Press.
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