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At the time this article was written, Dr. Natvig was Professor and Executive Associate Dean of Strategic Management and Practice (Ret.), Augusta University College of Nursing, Augusta, Georgia; Dr. Stark is Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina School of Nursing, Aiken, South Carolina.
The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
To achieve outcomes and organizational success, academic organizations often rely on the work of teams. Harris, Roussel, Walters, and Dearman ( 2011 ) reported that "the implementation of any initiative from project planning and program management can be facilitated through the work of teams and thus it is essential to understand how to maximize the effectiveness of using a team approach" (p. 41). However, multiple barriers to establishing team effectiveness exist that prevent progression through developmental stages and lead to poor group performance. Examples of barriers include inadequate planning, lack of structure, role ambiguity, lack of time and commitment, avoidance of accountability, and a focus on individual rather than team results. Tuckman's five stages of small-group development serve as a model for enhancing project team success and the achievement of outcomes.
The purpose of the article is to share an analysis of the effectiveness of team process using Tuckman's model of small-group development as a framework for the review. As a part of the consolidation process of two nursing programs, a project team was charged with the development of a new workload management system. The experiences of the project team have been used to provide case examples of how the team functioned in each of Tuckman's five stages of development. Lessons learned from the analysis focus on the importance of effective preplanning, the development of a team charter, careful selection of a team leader and members, alignment with organizational priorities, and effective information management. Effective planning and the use of a charter can be key in helping teams as they progress through the stages of development and serve as a structural blueprint for a project vision to become a reality.
Background
Nursing education faces a faculty shortage that may be jeopardizing the quality of education, as well as the number of students who can be admitted to programs ( Gerolamo & Roemer, 2011 ). The shortage is due to an...