A footballer knows their job. Where to stand, what to do with the ball, and where to run next. A cricketer knows where they will bat or bowl, and how to bat or bowl, depending on the match situation. There is no role confusion. Every member of an orchestra knows when to play and how to play their instrument. There is absolute clarity. A company of actors knows each actor’s part. A troupe of dancers knows each dancer’s step, pirouette, and flourish. A team works to a high level only if we each know and understand our roles and responsibilities and each other’s.
In 1965 the US researcher Bruce Wayne Tuckman proposed his four stage theory of group dynamics. After “forming,” said Tucker, a team goes through “storming,” “norming,” and “performing.” With the introduction of physician associates, the multidisciplinary team in healthcare is stuck in a storm. A period of storming, as Tucker describes, is inevitable, but healthcare’s perpetual storm is undesirable and da