Communication in teams
Teams work well when members share goals, roles and information openly. Teams pass through forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning, and need constructive conflict.
Groups and teams
A group is two or more people who interact, but each may work towards his or her own goals. A team is a small group whose members share a common goal, depend on each other's work and hold themselves jointly responsible for the result. Teams make better decisions than individuals when members share information openly, but only if communication is managed well.
Tuckman's stages of team development
Tuckman described the first four stages; adjourning was added later. Teams can slip back a stage when members or tasks change.
Communication at each stage
| Stage | What happens | Communication needed |
|---|---|---|
| Forming | Members are polite, unsure, depend on the leader | Introductions, clear goals and roles from the leader |
| Storming | Disagreement over ideas, roles and power | Active listening; open, respectful handling of conflict |
| Norming | Rules and ways of working are agreed | Agreed norms: meeting times, how decisions are made, how to share information |
| Performing | Trust is high; the team works on its own | Open sharing, quick feedback, little supervision |
| Adjourning | The task ends; the team breaks up | Review lessons learned, recognise contributions, close properly |
Features of effective team communication
- Shared, clear goals that every member can state.
- Clear roles, so people know who does what.
- Open, honest sharing of information, including bad news.
- Active listening and respect for different views.
- Constructive conflict: disagree with ideas, not with people.
- Agreed ways of making decisions (consensus, vote or leader decides).
- Regular updates through meetings, chat groups or shared documents.
- Trust built over time by keeping promises.
Roles people play in teams
Groupthink and how to avoid it
Groupthink, a term from Irving Janis, happens when a close team wants agreement so much that members stop questioning ideas. Signs include pressure on doubters, self-censorship, an illusion that everyone agrees, and a belief that the team cannot fail. To avoid it: the leader speaks last, invites dissent, appoints a devil's advocate to argue the other side, brings in outside views, and holds a second-chance meeting before a final decision.
Many Sri Lankan workplaces value harmony and respect for seniors, so junior members may stay silent in a team even when they see a problem. A good team leader asks juniors to speak first and treats disagreement as useful, which reduces groupthink.
Essay: “Discuss the stages of team development and the communication needed at each stage.” Define a team, draw Tuckman's five stages, explain what happens and the communication needed at each, then add groupthink and how to avoid it.
Short answer: “What is groupthink?” Groupthink is when a team's wish for agreement stops members from questioning ideas, leading to poor decisions (Irving Janis).
Structured question: “Explain the characteristics of effective team communication.” Shared goals, clear roles, open information, active listening, constructive conflict, agreed decision rules and trust, each with a short example.
Tuckman: Form, Storm, Norm, Perform, Adjourn. Beat groupthink: the leader speaks last and someone plays the devil's advocate.