Most managers rely on their intuition to assess the state of their team. This is often sufficient in good periods — but insufficient during phases of pressure, change, or crisis. Intuition doesn't distinguish a structural problem from a one-off problem.
The T.A.M. model is not an exhaustive measurement tool. It is a quick-read tool: in 15 minutes of reflection or discussion, it gives you a precise enough picture of the system's state to decide where to focus your attention.
T — Tensions
Tensions are what is stuck in the team. They can be operational (a decision that keeps getting postponed, a dysfunctional interface with another team, a process that is too heavy) or relational (an unresolved friction between two members, a misunderstanding about roles, an unspoken issue accumulating).
The question to ask: what are the tensions everyone feels but nobody names? These are often the most costly. A named tension is addressed. An unnamed tension accumulates like pressure in a closed circuit.
A — Alignment
Alignment measures the shared clarity of priorities and direction. It is not a question of motivation or engagement — it is a cognitive question: can every team member explain the team's three priorities for this week? Can they explain why those priorities and not others?
A low alignment level is often invisible to the manager. Everyone thinks everyone else has the same picture. They don't. The simplest test: ask three team members individually to give you the two main priorities for the week. Compare the answers.
M — Momentum
Momentum evaluates the team's forward dynamic. There are three possible states: stagnation (the team spins without advancing, the same problems keep coming back), traction (the team advances at a sustainable pace, decisions are made and executed), and overdrive (the team advances fast but at an energy cost that is not sustainable).
Overdrive is often confused with high performance. This is a mistake. Overdrive is visible in the team's Energy indicators: accumulated fatigue, growing irritability, declining quality of end-of-week decisions.
Want to implement this system in your team?
The TSM book gives you the complete framework. The coaching method helps you install it.