For any pharmaceutical firm, building successful teams within the company is essential to achieving long term goals and improving the overall collective performance of the employees.  However, before you can expect any team to develop successfully, it must be led by a manager who is well trained in, and understands the dynamics of building a successful team. Hiring a pharmaceutical consultant is one way to train your managers on how to motivate and encourage employees to work together to meet objectives and reach goals.  Being clear on the four stages of team building is a fundamental step in any successful team building endeavour.

Forming
During the forming stage the team is usually coming together for the first time.  This can be a stressful stage as the members of the team are often nervous, uncertain of expectations and unfamiliar with the manager in charge of the team.  It is the manager’s job at this time to reassure and relax the group, and bring them together with a positive, honest and motivating attitude.  During this stage the rules and roles of team members are established and the goals and objectives defined.

Storming
This second stage of team building is quite aptly named as this is the stage that may create some stormy waters that the team will have to navigate.  Perhaps roles and rules that were defined in the forming stage were interpreted quite differently by team members, resulting in unexpected conflicts and disagreements.  The manger will have to readdress the issues and make sure that all team members are on the same page.

Norming
This third stage of team building is often referred to as the calm after the storm.  Issues and misunderstandings have been cleared up and hopefully everyone is ready to work together and move forward. Individuals within the team are now better acquainted with one another and feel more confident within the group.  As a result of this confidence, team members are more accepting of the input and ideas of other members and conflicts are handled within the previously established ground rules.

Performing
In a well built team, the performing stage begins the real process of meeting goals and making progress. Team members have taken ownership of combined objectives and are ready to provide their individual values to the team’s efforts.  Sharing of ideas and experiences, and open communications move the team along during this stage.  Members begin to grow and develop within the process and take pride in accomplishments of the team as a whole.

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Pharmaceutical consulting groups can help your company build the successful teams you need to meet various goals and objectives.  Another key element to building a well functioning team is choosing the right manager for the job.  A good coach for building a team must first understand the roles, goals and rules of the group in order for it to work efficiently as a whole.

Roles
Within every team there are certain roles filled by its members.  These can be broken down into five basic responsibilities.

The Champion
The Champion is the member of senior management that has pulled the team together.  He or she will guide, direct, motivate and coach the team.  The Champion has the final say in what actions are ultimately taken.  It is also up to the Champion to set the atmosphere for the group and keep it calm and focused.  This team member is also the ambassador of the team to upper management when necessary.

Team Leader
Within the team itself, there should be a team leader.  This member acts as the spokesperson for the team and coordinates the efforts of individual team members. The team leader generally takes responsibilities for scheduling team meetings and reporting to the champion what progress is being made.  The team leader usually evolves as the team initially comes together or may be assigned by the Champion.

Facilitator
A team may or may not have a facilitator.  Management will likely determine if it is necessary or will appoint one as needed.  The facilitator is there to help the team overcome hurdles that sometimes impede progress.

Recorder
It is the recorder’s responsibility to keep records of the meetings and the progress that is being made.  He or she is in charge of documenting the problem-solving process and ensures that progress is communicated to all parties involved.

Members
Each person on a team is a member of the team.  Each is chosen for their expertise, knowledge or specific skill set that can help the team as a whole reach its goals.

While these are the basic members of a team, it is quite possible for one person to have more than one role, especially within small companies.  It is also common for the roles to change as the problem solving process progresses.

The Goals
For any team to be successful, the goal for the group must be clearly defined and understood by all the members.  All members must also share the same goal in order to succeed.  The goal should be challenging but it must also be attainable. The goal should also be clearly documented so that members can stay focused on what they are trying to achieve.

The Rules
The team champion or coach will work with the team to set rules.  Some examples of common rules are:

•    Timing of meetings

•    Who attends meetings

•    Who communicates meeting times and dates to members

•    What is recorded and by whom

•    Meeting agenda to be followed

•    How meetings are evaluated

It is not unusual for rules to change and evolve as the team progresses towards its goals.

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