Team Dynamics In the Workplace

What are Team Dynamics in the Workplace?

"Team dynamics" refers to the interplay between the various personalities in a team, which is based on the distribution of various personality types. Understanding the dynamics at play in a workforce is crucial to helping employees work with one another effectively.

Personality types in team dynamics

The distribution of personality types like the following is the key to grasping team dynamics in your workplace. Common personality types include:

• extrovert vs introvert
• dominant vs submissive
• cooperative vs confrontational
• proactive vs passive
• logical vs intuitive
• individualist vs group-worker, etc

The large number of personality types and their interactions under varying work conditions, is what drives "Group Dynamics", and has been the focus of much speculative research and theorising, including:

• Belbins theory of 8 team roles.
• Myers Briggs.
• The Merrill-Reid personality types
• 3 NLP modality types.
• Four fundamental personality types: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic.
• Astrological Birth signs, Aries, Scorpio, Taurus

Over many years, there have been literally thousands of conceptual models, each one claiming to make sense of harmonising the many different personality types.

The question is, which model, if any, is the most correct and how would we know?

Improving team performance by understanding personality types

However much we may vary as individuals, it is important to remember that we all fall within the category of "human beings" and so, although we are each a unique combination of personality factors, we share a lot in common with everyone else in the team.

So, rather than focus on what makes us different from other team members, it may be more beneficial to find out what unites us.

Therefore, we need to ask, what attributes do we all have in common - which may act as the "common frame of reference" to which we could all subscribe - irrespective of our individual idiosyncratic differences?

If we knew what attributes we could rightly ask members of the group to sign-up to, irrespective of their individual traits and personality types, then we may discover a framework that could underpin all successful group dynamics, and thus improve team performance.

The three laws of effective team dynamics

We believe that all members of the group would (and should), live by the following three self-evident laws of effective team dynamics:

Clarity, rationality, positivity.

To create an effective team dynamic, people need to:

1. Have a clear vision for a better future and be working towards its attainment.
2. Write rational plans, that are capable of achieving the goals they set at point one.
3. Express only positive intentions to other members, based upon the implementation of the plans we set at point two, to achieve the better future that we set at point one.

Clarity, rationality and positivity underpin "the dynamics of all effective team working".

Definition: team dynamics

Team dynamics is how people in a work group act and respond to each other. It needs at least two members talking and working together, grows from their mix of personal qualities, roles and actions, changes when people, jobs or setting shift, and it strongly steers the team’s results and mood.

Article Summary

When leaders treat every mix of personality types as a shared human team, and guide work with clear goals, rational plans and a positive tone, team dynamics change from clash to cooperation, driving output and profit up by double digits.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Did You Know: Key Statistics

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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Further Reading in Team Leadership

• How can I develop a good team?
  Learn how to develop a good team by setting a shared goal, mixing diverse skills, driving cooperation and writing an intelligent plan for lasting success.
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• Six Leadership Qualities Required by Team Leaders
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• Team Dynamics in the Workplace
  Learn how team dynamics shape workplace success. Use clarity, rational plans and a positive tone to unite personality types and boost output, profit and morale.
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• Best Way to Manage My Team
  Learn the best way to manage a team: master six skills-SMART goals, clear communication, delegation, conflict resolution, self-control and leadership.
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• What are the Key Skills and Knowledge for Team Leaders?
  Team leader skills drive results. Learn six essentials: technical know-how, goal focus, clear talk, smart planning, conflict control and a positive mind-set.
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