Tools for navigating team dynamics

1. Coaching Patterns
for Navigating
Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing
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2. Software
Engineer
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A Little About Me…
Brandon Raines
Product
Owner
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Officer
Managing
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• 20+ Years of IT Experience
• 15+ Years of Agile
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• 8 Years as Systems and
Leadership Expert
• Speaker at several noted
conferences

3. This is Hard Stuff!!!
• Achieving High Performing Organizations
• Scaling multiple teams
• Developing Cross Functional Teams
• Creating a culture of collaboration
• Continuously Improving

4. Tuckman Model

5. Norming Storming
Performing Forming

6. What Happens When a Team Forms
• Who am I?
• Who are we?
• What are we supposed to do ?
• How will we work together ?
• What are our ground rules ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?
?
? ? ?

7. Tools for Forming
• Define a Purpose
• Define Team Agreements
• Determine Team Logistics
• Define Roles
• Define an Improvement framework
• Ground Conditions for progress:
• Roles Emerge
• Work Begins

8. Tool - Agreements

9. What Happens When a Team Storms
• Edgy Behavior
• Confusion,
• Lack of Participation
• Contentious
• Indecisiveness
• Conflict is apparent
• Clarity is still elusive
• What doesn’t fit

10. Tools for Storming
• Dumpster Drop of Challenges
• “Just like me…” – Paul Santagata
• Finding Alignment
• How do we want to be, when in conflict
• Ground Conditions for progress:
• All voices are heard
• Signs of Psychological Safety

11. Toxins
Verbally attacking personality or character.
CRITICISM
Victimizing yourself to ward off perceived
attack and reverse the blame
DEFENSIVENESS
Attacking sense of self with an intent to
insult or abuse.
CONTEMPT
Withdrawing to avoid conflict and
convey disapproval, distance and
separation
STONEWALLING
adapted from "The Four Horsemen" by John Gottman
"You never get this right. What is wrong
with you?" "You wrote the same word twice. I can't
believe how stupid you are."
Non-verbal: rolling eyes
"It's not my fault that I missed the meeting.
I don’t have time to open all of the calendar
invites that you send. "
Non-verbal: turning away, leaving the room
without notice

12. Antidotes
Talk about your feelings using "I"
statements and express a positive need.
BENIGN BEGINNING
Accept the other person's perspective and
offer an apology for any wrongdoing.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
Remind yourself of the positive qualities of
the person and find gratitude for positive
actions.
BUILD CULTURE OF
APPRECIATION
Take a break and spend time doing
something soothing and distracting.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
SELF-SOOTHING
adapted from "The Four Horsemen" by John Gottman
"I have some concerns about this
document. I need you to review it again for
errors. " "I know the demands that are on you but
please be mindful of any spelling errors."
"I don't like missing meetings but you're
right, I can manage my time in a different
way."
Check in with your physical state. Take a
break to take a few deep breaths. Take a
walk. Listen to music.

13. What Happens When a Team Norms
• Clarity – What the team is capable of accomplishing
• Rules are more clear
• Help is offered and accepted more readily
• Trust forms
• Empathy
• Transparency
• Competence
• Communication

14. Tools for Norming
• Identifying Your Triggers
• Measure Safety & Engagement
• Ground conditions for progress:
• Autonomy
• Freedom to experiment
• Less Constraints

15. Measure Engagement & Safety
Provided by Michael Sahota
Let’s Raise Our Scores!

16. What Happens When a Team Performs
• Team can move back and forth between stages fast
• New/more advanced practices emerge from the team
• More listening happens
• Focus on Outcome vs Output

17. Tools for Performing
• Forecasting for Outcome
• Frequent Assessments

18. Team Radar
Experiments for Change
Let’s improve our score for Processes by
1. ________
2. ________

19. A Few Takeaways…
• Decide how you want to show up in relationship
• Build a culture of Safety
• Continuously improve by inspecting and adapting
• Continuously remove constraints to allow for innovation
“Most relationships are built on assumed expectations” – David Darst

20. Brandon Raines
Stay in Touch
Brandon.raines@shokuninllc.com
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Characteristics of a Great Scrum Master