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ContinuityTalk - Episode 4
By admin | October 8, 2007
Show Notes
Welcome to episode 4 of ContinuityTalk! Links for the news hightlights include:
The news this week was harvested from David Honour’s great website, ContinuityCentral.com. Stories include:
- Is the threat of influenza pandemic being overplayed?
- US public better prepared to deal with disaster
- ABI hound the British Government over proposed schedule for flood spending
- Dept for Homeland Security cough up $113million for training
- Iron Mountain open operations in South Africa
This week we meet with Simon Cooke to talk about crisis management and the gold, silver, bronze concepts. During the conversation Simon made reference to Tuckman and Jensen and their work with The Stages of Team Building, here is the link for you to research if you would like to take it further.
This weeks music is from Stavia, and the track is called Lucky Day. You can buy it from the Podsafe Music Network.
Thank you to Evolve Business Consultancy who have once again kindly sponsored this show.
Topics: ContinuityTalk |
October 12th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
“I have just listened to the fourth episode on Continuity Talk where Simon Cooke talked about the “Developmental Sequences in Small Groups” undertaken by Tuckman (1965) and revisited again by Tuckman and Jenson (1977). Simon discussed the nature of small group interaction based on Tuckman’s seminal work which is commonly divided as follows:
(a) Forming, (b) Storming, (c) Norming and (d) Performing and (e) Adjourning (a later addition).
For those listeners interested in research that relates to Crisis Management it is worth identifying other studies such as that of John Adair (1970’s) who looked at the relationships between “Team Task and Individual” in his Action Centred Leadership work. Sheard and Kakabadse (2001) published further research based upon both Tuckman and Adair’s work entitled “From lose groups to effective teams” which is a good read.
Later in the episode the notion of “leadership” in crisis was briefly touched upon. Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee (2002) created interesting work on “Leadership Styles” which equally applies to the context of Crisis Management. Kotter (1990) in the Harvard Business Review identifies that Leadership and management are actually two distinctive but complementary systems, each having its own functions and its own characteristic activities, but both are necessary for the management of complex organisations, especially in managing crises.
■ Management is about planning, controlling, and putting appropriate structures and systems in place, whereas
■ Leadership has more to do with anticipating change, coping with change, and adopting a visionary stance.
Johari (1950s) Window Model referred to as a ‘disclosure/feedback model of self awareness in ones self and other team members and is very interesting in relation to crisis teams. It demonstrates what we don’t know about ourselves or others and the potential for unexpected actions arising from team member’s behaviour. Johari’s study is relevant in pressure based stressful circumstances such as those posed by crises. Belbin (1993) identified nine key roles within teams that demonstrate characteristics of success and again relevant to crisis management teams. McKenna (1994) identified seven main factors that determine how well group cohesion takes place.
Other research worth noting includes Barton, Smith, Fink, Turner, Lerbinger, Mitroff, Sagan, Perrow, Toft and Reason to name but a few.
I have been in the field as a practitioner for many years and more recently as an academic I have found tremendous value in exploring and evaluating the body of research that can be related to Crisis Management. The research suggests a range of Leadership styles all having advantages and disadvantages. Another key issue to note is the degree to which “Group think” occurs during crisis decision making.
Wayne Harrop, B.A (Hons), MBCI, MEPS, MIEM, MICDDS, CBRM, CBRA
Senior Lecturer in Business Continuity Management
Coventry University
United Kingdom”