What is involved in the "Sustainment" stage of team building?

The "Sustainment" stage of team building focuses on reinforcing team dynamics and performance. At this stage, teams have typically moved past the initial forming and storming phases and are now in a position to optimize their collaboration and effectiveness. It is imperative to maintain and strengthen relationships, ensure ongoing communication, and foster an environment where team members feel empowered to contribute.

Reinforcing team dynamics involves recognizing and celebrating achievements, addressing any emerging conflicts, and continuously improving processes. This helps to solidify trust and cohesion within the team, ensuring that high performance is not only reached but sustained over time. This includes providing feedback, setting new goals, and encouraging professional development to keep the team motivated and engaged.

Other options, while related to team processes, do not align with the sustainment focus. Introducing new team members and forming new teams correspond to earlier stages of team development where the groundwork is laid. Evaluating individual performance is also necessary but tends to be more focused on individual metrics rather than enhancing collective team dynamics, which is the essence of the sustainment phase.