ICT at the Team Level
Using the concepts within ICT focused on the team level,
reflect on why the Olympic US Women’s Soccer team won so often and the US Dream
Team basketball men’s team did so poorly in 2000 and 2004?
Looking at the Intentional Change Theory (ITC) and its
application to individual, organizational, and national level change, to me it only
makes sense that the concepts of ITC would apply to teams and/or groups in a
similar manner. This blog is focused on
explaining the performance of two teams that on first glance should both be categorized
as high performing teams in name if nothing else.
Disclaimer: I am not familiar with the performance of either
of these teams during the 2000 or 2004 Olympics. I have heard of the US Dream Team by name and
I believe the team was made up of professional basketball players.. I have to assume based on the prompt that the
Women’s Soccer team was expected to do poorly, but did well and that the US
Dream Team was expected to do well, but did poorly.
Discovery #1 ideal self
The equivalent for the group is an image of the ideal or a
shared vision characterized by hope, an image if the desired future, and a core
identity. Each characteristic is
critical to group to development.
The women soccer team most likely had all three characteristics
in place and reached a shared vision relatively fast. Assuming they all were selected and considered
to be among the best amateur players, but equal among themselves. Hope and desired
future would be almost automatic. The
core identity as US Women’s Olympic Soccer Team would quickly follow suit. They
were free to dream big. They had nothing
to lose. Their hope could be diminished by public expectations or amplified by it. I would bet on the latter.
The men could experience difficulty reaching shared
vision. They were professional American
basketball players. The hype that came
with selecting the ‘Dream Team’ generated expectations and assumptions. Losing was not a possibility. The desired future was gold with each member seeing
themselves as the MVP. Developing a core
identity would be difficult as each member was an established superstar in the
game. Reducing them to equal teammates would
be difficult at best.
Discovery #2
The women came into this stage with a solid shared vision. This discovery would continue to strengthen their
team identity. They would be able to
work through any perceived issues as a team.
They would be thinking more as a team than as a group of individuals. What tension the women experience may push
them toward the negative emotional attractor but their clear shared vision serves
to pull them back toward the positive allowing them to resolve the tension.
I doubt the men truly developed a shared vision and this
discovery would create further tensions. The paradoxes of group life would likely
be problematic. However, their experience
could be positive enough here to create dynamic balance driving them to take
action to eliminate tension within the group.
Discovery #3
The women are able to objectively agree on necessary changes to
fill in the gaps. Their commitment to
the group continues to grow stronger.
The men can commit to
the necessary actions to fill the gaps, but they still have paradox
issues. Despite their issues they are developing
as a group.
Discovery#4
The women function as a well-developed group. They are comfortable, happy, excited, and
positive. They encourage and support each
other. They are a high performing team working
together effortlessly.
The men work together very well, but with nowhere near the intensity
of the women. It seems like the tension
level is better. They are in their comfort zone.
Discovery #5
The women are in tune with each other. They support each other and seem to intuitively
know what each other needs. It is
impressive to see.
The men have formed a solid group and work extremely well together.
Summary
I made many assumptions and may have taken a liberty or two along
the way. But, in my mind, the women had
a dynamic going on that the men never reached.
Groups that are developed well from the beginning can easily become high
performing. High performing teams almost
always exceed expectations. Another thought…while
it is true that the US is not known for their expertise on the soccer field and
the expectations were not high. That does
not mean the US cannot play the game.
The men did not develop as quickly or as well as the women. They most likely still had unresolved
issues. Teams like this often under-perform and fail to meet expectations.
~Pete
Reference:
Akrivou, K., Boyatzis, R. E., & McLeod,
P. L. (2006). The evolving group: Towards a prescriptive theory of intentional
group development. The Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 689-706.
http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/10.1108/02621710610678490
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