Learning from Indonesia's National Football Team (Part 1)

Lessons in Team Development and Motivation

After a long waiting time, the football fans in Indonesian recently was given the thrilling moment to once again be able to enjoy the solid performance of the Indonesia's national football team (Timnas) in the Suzuki AFF championship.

Indonesia's Timnas has been showing brilliant performance and was undefeatable until they make it to the final, against Malaysia.

The final itself consists of two games. The first game was played at Bukit Jalil, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  And the second game was played at Gelora Senayan, in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Indonesia's Timnas suffered their only lost during the championship in the first final game to the Malaysian team.  A rather tragic lost, since with the score 3-0 for the Malaysian victory, the Indonesia Timnas still can’t claimed the championship title although on the second final game, can turn the table around and beat the Malaysian team with 2-1.

There are several aspects during the journey of the Indonesia's Timnas in the championship that I would like to look at a bit further. As to me, this can be reflected a lot, to a journey that any project team might experience, in going through the phases in project life cycle.

The aspect that I have noticed first is, how the Timnas are build and the role of leader (in this case, the Timnas coach, Alfred Riedl) in building the team into a successful team.

The second aspect is how to maintain the teams focus towards the team’s goal. 

On the Indonesia's Timnas case, after a series of victories, there were a lot of distractions affecting the performance of the team. 

The Timnas coach, Riedl, also mentioned that one factor that might cause of the tragic lost in the first final game was the 'distraction' during the preparation of the team. 

The third aspect is how to maintain the motivation for the team.

The Timnas lost in the first game was surely a hard hit towards the team. Despite this fact, it is a must for the team to be able to rise up again, and be able to prepare well and aim still to win in the second game.

I will try to look at the first aspect – building a team into a successful team - on my current note, and will look at the other aspects on another note.



Building a Team into a Successful Team

The Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing model of group development was first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, who maintained that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for the team to grow to a successful team that deliver results. 

Tuckman later on added fifth stages, Adjourning, to include team break after project completion.

In the first stages of team building, the forming of the team takes place. The individual's behavior is driven by a desire to be accepted by the others, and avoid controversy or conflict.

Supervisors of the team tend to need to be Directive during this phase.

Every group will next enter the storming stage in which different ideas compete for consideration. The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really supposed to solve, how they will function independently and together and what leadership model they will accept. Team members open up to each other and confront each other's ideas and perspectives
.
Supervisors of the team during this phase may be more accessible, but tend to remain directive in their guidance of decision-making and professional behavior. This style often referred to as Selling.

In the next stage, norming, the team manages to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage. Some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the team's goals.

The supervisor of the team on this stage, need to use the Supporting leadership style.

It is possible for some teams to reach the performing stage. The team members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without supervision. Dissent is expected and allowed as long as it is channeled through means acceptable to the team.

Supervisors of the team during this phase are almost always participative. This usually referred as Delegating style.

The last phase then, adjourning, happens when the team breaks up after a project completion.

Refer back to the Timnas, it seems to me that, the team is still at the forming stage.

Having the players recruited from the different club, although individually are a very high skilled player, it will still require time for the team member to grow and play together as a solid team.  Riedl as the leader in the team is also showing a directive style of leadership that is usually relevant in the forming stage.

Although, looking at the achievement that the new team has accomplished, in being able to make it to the final, I believe that a bright future is there, that the Timnas will rapidly move into the norming or even the performing stage.

So, to all the Indonesia's Timnas fans, let’s continue to support the Timnas, looking at the rapid development of the team in the AFF championship, I’m sure we will see Indonesia's Timnas celebrating a champion title very soon in upcoming football championship event!

Garuda didadaku …. Garuda Kebanggaanku …. Ku Yakin …. Hari ini …. Pasti Menang


Reference:

• Tuckman’s stages of Group Development, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuckman's_stages_of_group_development
• Forming Storming Norming Performing Developmental Model, Leadership Champion, http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/forming-storming-norming-performing-developmental-model/