Is team behaviour predictable? Although an overarching model predicting team behaviour is (yet) lacking, team dynamics can indeed be influenced and therefor predicted, as Eddie van der Wereld convincingly shows in the highly interactive session ‘Team Dynamics’. Student Ellen Stouten: “The session is a valuable addition to the MBA-curriculum as it bridges theoretical knowledge with practical applications of leadership insights. Focusing on personal reflection and group dynamics results in a deeper understanding that goes beyond knowledge transfer.”

The Team Dynamics session is part of the On-Campus MBA module Managing Organisations in Times of Change and falls under the topic Business Contexts, HRM & Organisational Behaviour. Host of the session is Eddie van der Wereld, a graduate of the MaastrichtMBA programme. Eddie is a senior facilitator and executive coach, working in 20+ countries with leadership teams in corporate organisations. His expertise lies in culture change, sustainable leadership, wellbeing and creative strategic support. He is the author of Achieving Goals for Dummies (2010, Dutch) and The Power of Fear (2009, Dutch). He also brings 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur, is the founder of INSEYD and is an associate with COURIUS. Eddie’s passion lies in developing the Intuitive Intelligence of leaders by challenging their moral compass, connecting head and heart and supporting the development of future leadership. His facilitation style consists of experiential learning, a solution-focused approach and underlying scientific models.

Four models

Seemingly mysterious things can happen when individuals act in a group. Individual and group performance may increase or decrease, depending on the leader or manager and the way in which team members interact and influence each other. By using a dynamic experimental learning activity Eddy, shows how this works. Before starting the activity, Eddie explains team dynamics by means of four models. Richard Beckard’s GRPI model states that goals, roles, processes and interpersonal relationships (GPRI) determine how a team works together. The core of this model is that a team can only be successful if there is clarity on these four themes. The Johari Window model provides a framework for looking at human behaviour. The four quadrants (open, blind, hidden, unknown) indicate the (un)awareness of behaviour, feelings and motives. Only if you know about certain behaviour, you can do something about it.

The third model is Tuckman’s model, describing the development of a team using the concepts of forming – storming – norming and performing. According to Tuckman, to be successful, a team must have gone through all the phases. Last but not least, Lencioni’s Pyramid emphasises team cooperation. Lencioni states that a successful team meets five characteristics: mutual trust, constructive handling of conflicts, shared goals, members taking responsibility and achieving results together. Lencioni’s pyramid gives a team the tools to understand team dynamics and discuss areas for improvement.

Dynamic learning experiment

In the following learning experiment, two groups of each 12 student are formed. Everyone leaves the room to receive instructions in the room next door. Eddy explains that the goal is to set the fastest time without incidents and the rules that everyone has to comply to. One group performs the activity while the second group stays in the other room to prepare and reflect for the activity. In total there will be 5 rounds. Eddie judges the teams while performing the activity, clocks the time and counts the number of incidents.

Five rounds

The teams energetically set to work. An evaluation follows after round 3. Both teams are quite satisfied with their performance so far. They experience a positive atmosphere, good results and clear agreements. Big surprise; Eddy thinks that neither team has performed well. “Interestingly, all the teams went for speed, while the assignment was ‘without incidents’. That’s because”, Eddy explains, “in business we are conditioned to speed and so we act on that. The two teams acted in competition with each other even though that was not the assignment. You see this in business too. For example, one shift not handing over work properly, so that the next shift performs less. That has to do with trusting each other. If there is no trust, pressure arises, more mistakes are made and you encourage competition. The funny thing is that people also make up rules, even in this simple exercise.”

Same mistakes

Eddie: ‘For me it was clear at the outset what was going to happen. Every time I do this exercise, every team acts more or less the same way. I see the same mistakes over and over again. Only when you notice mistakes, in yourself and in the team, are you able to build a stronger team.” Ellen: “This session shows how important it is to personally experience and apply leadership principles. Eddy’s interactive approach reveals behaviour in the group and makes it discussable, leading to valuable reflection of your own behaviour in teams. This way, this session offers concrete tools for personal development.”

This article displays the student insights and experiences of our On-Campus MBA Managing Organisation in Times of Change module. Our On-Campus track has an on campus learning format and is part of the executive modular part-time MaastrichtMBA programme. The programme has a Triple Crown accreditation and is aimed for professionals with at least 5 years of working experience.