9 Tips for Improving Team Effectiveness in 2020
We all know the "Forming, storming, norming, performing" team development model (Bruce Tuckman 1965) — Whether the team is an existing, organisationally aligned structure or a new team brought together for a project, making them as effective as possible is key to delivery — moving them from forming and storming as quickly as possible into norming and performing.
There are a range of actions which can be taken to accelerate a team's effectiveness. At Growth Turbine, we regularly help our clients build and optimise teams, and these are our top nine tips for doing so. Whether you are building a marketing team, a fundraising operation, or a project delivery squad, these principles apply universally. For more on keeping your projects running smoothly once your team is in place, see our guide on project health checks.
1. Set the Mission
Ensure the team is aligned and working to a common mission. One of the most common causes of conflict within teams comes from not having a shared understanding of the bigger picture and the mission/vision of what needs to be achieved. Ensure all team members understand and buy into the mission.
Pro Tip: Mission alignment is especially critical for fundraising teams. If you are running a Reg CF equity crowdfunding campaign or Reg A+ offering, your entire team — from marketing to investor relations to compliance — must be aligned on the fundraising target, timeline, and investor value proposition. Misalignment here directly translates to mixed messaging and missed targets.
2. Ensure There Is Shared Understanding of Team Roles and Responsibilities
Some of the biggest conflicts in teams come from ill-defined roles or areas of responsibilities. Ensure all team members clearly understand their roles and responsibilities and act quickly if there are conflicts arising from duplication of efforts.
3. Set Shared Objectives
SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) objectives should be set both individually and as a team to enable them to work towards the mission.
4. Review Your Task Allocation
Unequal task allocation can lead to discord within the team. Take stock of all activities and tasks that are required of the team and make sure they are equally allocated.
Effective task allocation is where project management software becomes invaluable — tools like Jira, Wrike, and Smartsheet provide visibility into who is doing what and help prevent overloading individual team members.
5. Understand the Team's Dynamics
We are all individuals, so taking some time to understand the differences between team members and how to work together to get the most out of the team is important. There are many models out there which can be used to gain an understanding of different behavioural types — we use Insights Discovery at Growth Turbine.
Pro Tip: Understanding team dynamics is particularly important when assembling cross-functional fundraising teams. A successful capital raise requires people with very different skill sets — performance marketers, content creators, financial analysts, compliance specialists, and account managers. Using behavioural profiling tools like Insights Discovery helps these diverse personalities collaborate effectively rather than clash.
6. Create the Plan and Start Delivering!
Pull together the mission, the roles, responsibilities and objectives into a succinct plan of action which can be used within the team to provide clarity and also externally as an update to the business on their plans.
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Talk to Our Team7. Review Progress Against Plan
Things change! Make sure you are constantly reviewing progress against the objectives and mission, whilst always ensuring you monitor potential areas of change such as competing needs on team member's time.
Regular progress reviews are a cornerstone of project health. The nine health check questions we recommend to our clients map directly to this principle — if you cannot answer "yes" to questions about timeline, budget, and risk tracking, your team's effectiveness is likely compromised.
8. Communicate and Feedback
Ensure the flow of communication within the team is kept open and that feedback and praise is given regularly and in a timely manner.
Strong communication is especially vital in consulting and advisory environments where teams often work across multiple client engagements simultaneously. Clear, consistent communication prevents the kind of information gaps that lead to project health issues.
9. Have Fun!
Teams work best when they also have some "down time" to bond. This can be anything from a weekly coffee break catch-up to a yearly big team bonding event. At Growth Turbine we have regular Knowledge Sharing sessions, quarterly Company days and twice yearly team building events such as Sailing, Fire-walking, Cookery and Skid-Pan sessions!
Pro Tip: Team bonding doesn't just boost morale — it directly impacts performance. Research consistently shows that teams with strong interpersonal relationships are more productive, more creative, and more resilient under pressure. For startup teams preparing for a fundraise, this cohesion is critical. The intensity of a crowdfunding campaign or equity raise demands a team that trusts each other and works well under stress.
The Tuckman Model and Team Effectiveness
| Stage | Characteristics | Tips That Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Forming | Team assembles, polite but uncertain, seeking direction | Set the Mission (#1), Define Roles (#2) |
| Storming | Conflicts emerge, roles contested, frustrations surface | Understand Dynamics (#5), Review Task Allocation (#4) |
| Norming | Team establishes norms, cooperation improves, trust builds | Set Shared Objectives (#3), Create the Plan (#6) |
| Performing | High performance, autonomous, focused on delivery | Review Progress (#7), Communicate (#8), Have Fun (#9) |
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Get Started TodayFrequently Asked Questions
What is the Tuckman model of team development?
The Tuckman model (Bruce Tuckman, 1965) describes four stages that teams go through: Forming (team assembles, seeking direction), Storming (conflicts emerge as roles are contested), Norming (team establishes working norms and cooperation improves), and Performing (high performance with autonomous, focused delivery). The goal of effective team management is to move teams through forming and storming as quickly as possible into norming and performing.
What are SMART objectives and why are they important for teams?
SMART objectives are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. They are critical for team effectiveness because they provide clear targets that align individual effort with the team's mission. Setting SMART objectives both individually and as a team ensures everyone understands what success looks like and can track progress objectively.
How do you handle role conflicts within a team?
Role conflicts typically arise from ill-defined responsibilities or duplication of efforts. The solution is to clearly document each team member's role and responsibilities, communicate these to the entire team, and act quickly when conflicts arise. Using tools like RACI matrices (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) helps eliminate ambiguity.
What is Insights Discovery and how does it help teams?
Insights Discovery is a behavioural profiling tool used to understand different personality types within a team. At Growth Turbine, we use it to help team members understand their own working styles and those of their colleagues, enabling better collaboration, communication, and conflict resolution. Understanding team dynamics is essential for moving quickly through the "storming" phase.
How often should teams review progress against their plan?
Teams should review progress at least weekly for most projects, with more frequent check-ins during critical phases. This aligns with the project health check principle of ensuring you always know the true status of your programme. Regular reviews help catch issues early and allow teams to adapt to changing priorities and competing demands on team members' time.
What team building activities are most effective?
The most effective team building ranges from low-key regular activities to larger events. Growth Turbine uses regular Knowledge Sharing sessions, quarterly Company days, and twice-yearly team building events including Sailing, Fire-walking, Cookery, and Skid-Pan sessions. The key is variety and consistency — both regular informal touchpoints (weekly coffee breaks) and memorable experiences that create shared stories and bonds.
How do you improve team effectiveness in remote or distributed teams?
Remote teams need extra intentionality around communication and connection. All nine tips still apply, but with added emphasis on: using project management software for visibility, scheduling regular video check-ins for communication, creating virtual "water cooler" moments for bonding, and being especially clear about roles and task allocation since informal coordination is harder remotely.
How does team effectiveness impact fundraising campaigns?
Team effectiveness is a major determinant of fundraising success. A Reg CF equity crowdfunding campaign or Kickstarter campaign requires tight coordination between marketing, content, compliance, investor relations, and analytics. Teams operating at Tuckman's "performing" stage deliver significantly better campaign results than teams still stuck in "storming."
What is the most important tip for team effectiveness?
While all nine tips work together, setting the mission (Tip #1) is foundational. Without a clear, shared understanding of what the team is working toward, all other efforts — role clarity, objectives, task allocation, planning — lack direction. A compelling mission gives the team purpose, motivates effort, and provides the framework for making decisions when priorities compete.
How can I apply these tips to a marketing team specifically?
Marketing teams benefit particularly from tips #2 (clear roles between strategy, creative, analytics, and execution), #3 (SMART objectives tied to KPIs like ad conversion rates and ROAS), #4 (balanced workload across campaign components), and #8 (regular feedback loops on campaign performance). At Growth Turbine, we apply all nine principles to our performance marketing teams to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery for every client.
