There are many factors involved in creating an efficient digital transformation team. However, one of the most important is their ability to work together seamlessly.
When building your team, you need to prioritize psychological safety. Without psychological safety, your team won’t have the mental support they need to function productively.
What is Psychological Safety?
According to Amy Edmondson, a pioneer in psychological workplace safety, psychological safety is “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.” In other words, every member of the team feels comfortable enough to experiment with solutions, and they trust that their team is behind them.
Psychological safety supports quality teamwork and helps teams get ahead of the competition. When team members feel safe to experiment, they are more likely to find innovative solutions that give them an edge over competitors.
How Does it Affect Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation’s goal is to use digital technology to fundamentally improve the way businesses operate and interact with customers. Most digital transformation teams have a DevOps mindset so they can find innovative solutions to implementing digital technology.
Like all teams, it takes time for digital transformation teams to build camaraderie and find their rhythm. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman named four stages of team development that teams have to go through to work together well.
Forming
Forming is the first stage. Members are reliant on a leader for guidance and direction, and there may be tensions between team members. Dynamics are still evolving as people test the system and find their roles in the team.
Storming
Storming is the next stage, where teams have a clear sense of purpose. However, there may still be friction and uncertainty that result in internal power struggles a leader has to resolve.
Norming
Norming is the third stage in which the team begins to become comfortable. They start to work as a cohesive unit where every member understands their roles and responsibilities. Every team member is committed to achieving the team’s goals.
Performing
The final stage is performing. Once teams have reached this stage, they can operate productively and autonomously. Team leaders can step back and focus on other work while the team continues working on their own.
The Importance of the Development Process
According to Tuckman, teams cannot reach their full potential unless they pass through all four development stages. If there are team members that are not completely committed and comfortable, the team can get stuck in a repeating loop, unable to achieve their goals.
Final Thoughts
Trust is key to reaching the final development stage. Team members need to feel safe to take risks and innovate.
Essentially, psychological safety supports innovation and risk-taking, leading to more efficient digital transformation.
How Can AlleoTech Help?
We are a team of IT Professionals and we understand that delivering a successful IT project can be complex and overwhelming. At AlleoTech, we will work with you every step of the way and we’re ready to tackle your most challenging IT issues.
Contact us today and speak with one of our experts today.