Comparative analysis of Tuckman's model of the team life cycle with the group management strategy in ‘Money Heist’. | The role of Risk Management.

By Dr.Arindam Ballav (BDS, MBA HHM)

NOTE from the writer: This article is written in the format of a review study. The language is formal. The references are relatable for students studying Master in business administration. The rest of the content is focused on the general audience. You can skip directly to the various stages of the model if you think the abstract and the introduction is out of your area of expertise. Tuckman’s model of group development has been explained with the examples of the sequence of events in the series. It is advisable to watch the first season for understanding the context in which this article has been written. The words and the sentences are framed for the general audience so that the readers can understand what is “Tuckman’s model of the team life cycle” (if not the events of the web-series).

Disclaimer: The web-series is the property of the producers of ‘Money Heist’. The author of this article has no right in case of manipulation, direction, and intervention of the content. The author takes no responsibility for misinterpretation of this article. This article is solely directed as an experimental measure for explaining a team model strategy.

Abstract

In an organization, there is the presence of dispersion(variability).  The variables among the talents in each individual can be linked in the form of a qualitative correlation equation. The technique to achieve this correlation is known as Tuckman’s Model of Team life cycle. The objective of every organization can be universally segregated in the following points:

These objectives can be met with productivity. Productivity is achieved when individuals are assigned at the right time, at the right place, and the right moment. This approach is called the Agile manufacturing technique (a lean six sigma tool) [1]. In the case of the development of skill-sets, this approach can be achieved by Tuckman’s Model of the team life cycle. On completion of a team life cycle (through this method), the organization can attain a certain level of productivity. This will contribute to meeting the objectives, mentioned in figure 1.

 Introduction

Talent management is the act of recruitment, selection, hiring leading to the finishing and polishing of an individual. In an organization, human resource management is responsible for the propagation of such events. Their job ends when the recruits are hired by their organization after a series of procedures and formalities. For a talent management committee, getting the right desk for the right talent is a priority. Their job continues after securing the right desk for the right candidate. The act of familiarizing the recruits with their new environment is an objective for the talent management team[2]. Their purpose is to achieve productivity from individuals. This is achieved by analysis of their (recruits) inclination towards various sectors in the organization. The talent management team is a part of Human resource management.

Keyboards Money Heist, Tuckman’s Model of the team life cycle, talent management, human resource management, six sigma tools.

Tuckman’s Model of team life cycle | Group management in ‘Money Heist’

The following content will contain the explanation of the ‘Tuckman’s model of team life cycle’[3] This will be explained concerning the imaginary events in the ‘cult’ web series ‘Money Heist’ (surfaced on the OTT platform, Netflix).

The model contains four stages.

Money Heist | Season 1

The first season of ‘Money Heist’ is a visual representation of an example for a team life cycle.

Forming |Discussion

The first step in group formation is forming a team. The leader decides the team based on the aim. The leader chooses the variables (members) of the team based on the objectives. The aim is a long-term goal. The aim is reached by short term objectives. The professor used his skills for ‘talent management’. He chose the members of the group based on their best traits.

Berlin was made the leader. The professor confided all his secrets and trust in Berlin. His presence of mind, the psychology of sympathy, and lack of empathy made him the reason for being the leader.

Tokyo was the fuel for the team. She was a necessary evil to keep the team active and involved. The professor knew that her tactical and combat skills preceded her maturity.

Nairobi was the woman with a kid, best placed for printing the notes. Her inclination towards feminism was analyzed while she was hired. The Professor needed a suitable but temporary replacement for Berlin in case of collateral damage.

Rio, a distracted lad but a fine hacker. Denver and Moscow, the father-son duo. Moscow’s age was what the Professor needed. With age comes experience and moral authority and credibility. The Professor knew that Berlin was the leader by force, nomination, and the fear it imbibed. Moscow will be the emotional ‘couch’ for others.

The Helsinki brothers were the physical force behind the team.

Collectively, each of the variables was uniquely placed according to their field of expertise. They were programmed with the singular aim of robbing the bank. This stage can be defined as norming.

Storming |Discussion

The team was trained during the hours of the pre-heist. They were made familiar with the environment in which they were going to rob a bank. It is a similar procedure followed by the Human Resource management for new (selected and recruited) recruits during their first few weeks of office hours. During the series (season 1) they were being trained but they were not working as a team. When they had entered the bank, things were going accordingly. Then there was a sequence of events (chain reaction) that led to the jeopardy of the entire team. Berlin was replaced, Tokyo gave in to hasty actions, Nairobi took the gun of leadership and the events kept following. This phase is termed ‘storming’. This is the most difficult phase because this stage forces the variables to act against their nature of individuality and function as a team.

Norming |Discussion

There is a term called entropy. The basic nature of any event to eventually reduce to zero. As the episodes kept moving forward, the team which was scattered, ironically, was getting built. Naturally, the members (variables) came back to their initial positions with Berlin back to his throne of leadership. This time, everyone knew that they were the best in their seats. They realized that ‘Job rotation’[4] was a temporary option ( Nairobi taking the role of the leader instead of taking care of the activities of the mint can be related to Job rotation). The events which were boiling eventually began to settle down. Each piece fell into the right piece of the puzzle. This stage is termed as Norming. This is the stage when the group agrees to one single person for achieving a particular aim.

Performing |Discussion

This is the best part of the model. The team performed as a whole. This stage is termed as Performing. The Professor professed the right strategy at the right time (Just in time psychological strategy, a six sigma technique) at the right amount. There were collateral damages (death of Oslo, Moscow, and Berlin). This is a clear indication of the following things:

·      Risk management through analysis of potential risks. The Professor, could not forecast every event in his ‘game of chess’. This was a risk he was ready for. In financial management, it is taught that, with a larger amount of return, there will be larger risks and variation (standard deviation)[5]. The return was a large amount of money, the risk was the potential loss of his team members because the variation in their nature was not entirely forecasted.

·      Feedback control mechanism at the end of every step for a control phase[6]. In the control phase, the progress of the group is checked. The job of Berlin was to update the professor about their progress. When Nairobi and Tokyo played their cards, the ‘flow’ of the entire process started following a different pattern. A pattern was created that was not familiar territory.

Adjourning | Discussion

When the ‘heist’ was completed, that did not mark the beginning of the end. The Professor did his analysis and calculated risks were already measured. The most important part of the model is adjourning a team.

When an aim is achieved, the purpose of the team is lost. The Professor divided his members into groups of two, in different zones of the Earth. This stage is called adjourning. Risk management[7] is the sub-topic for this step. The Professor split his team so that the number of variables increases. The Professor was aware of the ability of his members to leave trials behind. He knew that they will be on the radar of the world security forces. He just wanted to confuse the forces by leading them towards paradoxes and loops. A segregated team was the only way to keep the forces confused about their location.

Conclusion

Tuckman’s Model of the team life cycle is an important strategy for team building and sustenance of the life cycle of a team. For a hospital administrator, it is essential to know team management skills. The first word of MBA stands for ‘Management’. It indicates the importance of team managing skills. For a leader (operation manager, chief strategist, chief analyst, chief executive) it is essential to have the traits of the Professor. A leader works for the individual interests of each member of the team. This single trait differentiates Berlin from the rest of the team. This single trait decides everything.

1. Six Sigma Tools | Agile manufacturing technique
2. Talent Management | Human Resource Management
3. Tuckman's Model of Team Life cycle
4. Job Rotation
5. Standard deviation | Variability
6. DMAIC phase| Control Phase (Six sigma technique)
7. Risk Management

Thank you.