ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the teacher's role in developing methods to tailor training to each unique individual team and explores the multi-layered, complex issues which healthcare professionals encounter within their work teams. It provides team-building education in a variety of institutions, and they have become increasingly aware of contributing factors that made teams appear dysfunctional. It is important to stress that not all teams are dysfunctional, but some teams feel the need to engage facilitators to enhance their estimable team-working processes, in the pursuit of excellence. Every time a team member leaves or a new one arrives, the team dynamics shift and the team reverts back to being an embryonic team, which parallels the forming stage of Tuckman's model of the developmental sequence in small groups. The chapter illustrates the model, which has six clear stages. The stages include diagnostic phase, planning and preparation, facilitation, action planning, evaluation and follow-up.