Best Practices: Strategy and Leadership - Strategy and Vision
Any strategic vision should be based on an analysis of the issues and opportunities
and potential solutions to these problems. This analysis should
be conducted within the context of a process of "forming, storming,
and norming." The tasks involved in developing a strategic
vision are also important to develop the people and culture for
you core CoP leadership group as they build group cohesion and
consensus.
Forming, Storming, and Norming
"Forming, Storming, and Norming" is derived from Bruce Tuckman published his Forming
Storming Norming Performing model. The model illustrates how a
group develops consensus over goals and vision through initial
dependence on a single leadership group's ideas to developing
a single, agreed on vision of a "to-be" end state.
Forming
High dependence on leader for guidance and direction.
Little agreement on team aims other than received from leader. Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear.
Leader must be prepared to answer lots of questions about the team's purpose, objectives and external relationships.
Processes are often ignored. Members test tolerance of system and leader. Leader directs.
Storming
Decisions don't come easily within group.
Team members vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members and the leader, who might receive challenges from team members.
Clarity of purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist.
Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles.
The team needs to be focused on its goals to avoid becoming distracted by relationships and emotional issues.
Compromises may be required to enable progress.
Leader coaches.
Norming
Agreement and consensus is largely forms among team, who respond well to facilitation by leader.
Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted.
Big decisions are made by group agreement.
Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small teams within group.
Commitment and unity is strong.
The team may engage in fun and social activities.
The team discusses and develops its processes and working style.
There is general respect for the leader and some of leadership is more shared by the team.
Leader facilitates and enables.
Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performance: Using Group Dynamics to Create a Strategy
Begin by identifying issues, problems, areas for improvement, performance shortfalls, and other deficiencies that have given rise to the perceived need for the CoP. The tasks conducted at this stage should be a mixture of analysis and face-to-face meetings. The formal should include an evaluation and analysis of the gaps between the current state of your group and where you would like to be. You should identify possible causes for each gap and analyses them to determine fundamental causes. You should prioritize the fundamental causes based on criteria such as relative contribution, severity of the shortfall, and affected critical success factors.
This task is best performed in the context of a facilitated workshops. This workshop can be conducted with individuals that are interested in developing a CoP, staff from affected organization, and senior management team. It may not be possible or appropriate to involve senior-level management. Senior management must, however, be involved to the extent that they agree on and understand the cause(s) or rationale for CoP. An understanding of the fundamental causes is needed for their role in supporting the CoP. CoP leaders should facilitate an opportunity workshop for your group and senior management to quickly generate potential solutions to the fundamental causes, and to brainstorm additional opportunities for improvement. Once identified, opportunities for improvement may be formally documented.
