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Exercises "Team Building"

Summary

Team building

Measures and methods for developing effective teams.

Phases of team building

  • Forming
  • Storming
  • Norming
  • Performing
  • Adjourning

Sender-receiver principle

A theory of communication that says that every form of communication consists of messages that are sent and received. According to this model, it is impossible not to communicate because even a break-off or refusal of any contact sends a signal.

  • Responsibilities of the sender: Ensure that the message has been received correctly - by asking. Have it repeated if necessary.

  • Responsibility of the receiver: Ensure that everything has been understood correctly. Possibilities are: Repeat message in own words or ask to make sure everything was understood.

Role definition

The distribution of roles in the team is determined among the team members. It is up to the team to decide who will be called upon to assist with problems or questions.

Goal development

Development and communication of the project goals. After the development of the Product Goal and the first version of the Product Backlog, the Developers should be fully informed about the project goals.

Interpersonal

Interpersonal relationships are characterised by mutual communication and understanding, as well as empathy.

GRPI-Modell

A process model to increase the efficiency of team development and team management.

  • Goals
  • Roles
  • Processes
  • Interpersonal

Test yourself

Please answer the following questions independently. Take your time and think carefully about what you want to answer before having a look at the solutions.

What skills should members of an agile team or a Scrum Team have?
  • Ability to communicate
  • Initiative, commitment, enthusiasm, ability to motivate
  • Sociability, openness
  • Sensitivity, self-control, capacity for appreciation
  • Loyalty, solidarity, helpfulness
  • Conflict-solving ability, argumentation culture, fairness
Which phases of team development, according to Tuckman, does a team normally go through?
  1. Forming
  2. Storming
  3. Norming
  4. Performing
  5. Adjourning
Why shouldn’t a team, that is in the performing phase, be torn apart?

It is possible that in such a case earlier phases of team building have to be experienced again.

What happens if a replacement in the team is essential?

If individual team members leave the team and new members join, for example because people leave the company or are transferred, a change in the team cannot be avoided. The Scrum Team must be aware that productivity can be negatively affected in the short term. The whole process may start again with the first phase. It is advisable to keep turnover as low as possible. High-performing teams quickly return to previously achieved performance levels.

What does the acronym GRPI stand for? What is behind each letter?
  • G - Goals (What are the goals and how are they communicated?)

  • R - Roles (Role definition and description - who is responsible for what?)

  • P - Processes (What processes take place and what are the procedures?)

  • I - Interpersonal (How are the interpersonal relationships?)

What is the sender-receiver principle in communication theory?

Basically, all communication consists of sending and receiving messages. The model also states that it is not possible not to communicate. Even a break-off or refusal of any contact sends a signal.

What are the responsibilities of communicating?
  1. Responsibilities of the sender: Ensure that the message has been received correctly - by asking. Have it repeated if necessary.

  2. Responsibility of the receiver: Ensure that everything has been understood correctly. Possibilities are: Repeat message in own words or ask to make sure everything was understood.