Chapter 15

Teams, Team Work and Collaboration

Agenda Questions? Teams and Teaming Let’s get in OUR team! Gillian Kemp – Team project

Chapter Outline

Teamwork Pros and Cons Trends in the Use of Teams How Teams Work

Norms / Cohesiveness; Task / Maintenance

Team Decision Making Leading the High Performance Team

Trends

Committees Projects Cross-functional Employee

Involvement (Quality Circle)

Virtual Self-managed

Teams: The Way to Go

The following are benefits that can result from the introduction of work teams:

1. Increased employee motivation.2. Higher levels of productivity.3. Increased employee satisfaction.4. Common commitment to goals.5. Improved communication.6. Expanded job skills.7. Increased organizational flexibility.

Teams: Not Always the Answer

A critical look at four of the assumptions (that may not happen)

Mature teams are task oriented and have successfully minimized the negative influences of other group forces. (Cohesion versus Performance)

Individual, group, and organizational goals can all be integrated into common team goals.

Participative or shared leadership is effective. The team environment drives out the subversive

forces of politics, power, and conflict that divert groups from efficiently doing their work.

Questions to determine whether a team fits the situation:

Can the work be done better by more than one person?

Does work create a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals?

Are members of the group interdependent?

Figure 15.3

Stages of Group Development

FormingThe first stage in group development, characterized by

much uncertaintyStorming

The second stage in group development, characterized by intragroup conflict

NormingThe third stage in group development, characterized by

close relationships and cohesivenessPerforming

The fourth stage in group development, when the group is fully functional

AdjourningThe final stage in group development for temporary

groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance

1. Trust among members

2. Feedback mechanisms

3. Open communications

4. Approach to decisions

5. Leadership sharing

6. Acceptance of goals

7. Valuing diversity

8. Member cohesiveness

9. Support for each other

10. Performance norms

Very poor Very good

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5Where you don’t want

to be

Where you do want to be

Team Effectiveness Rating Scale

Time(Low)

(High)

First Meeting

Phase 1

Phase 2

TransitionCompletion

A B(A+B)/2

Perf

orm

an

ce

The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

Norms and Conformity

Roles = a set of expected behaviours we all play multiple roles each day; List several

roles you play Norms = acceptable standards shared by a

group’s membershipDescribe “norms” of …

hockey teams dining for the first time at your friend’s parents

place Boxing Day sales a university class

Interaction of Norms and Cohesiveness on Performance

PerformancePerf.Norms

Cohesiveness

Business Norms

Tend to focus on effort and performance

What cues do business organization give concerning their norms?

Example: Solomon Asch and group conformity

Roles in Groups Task-oriented roles

Roles performed by group members to ensure that the tasks of the group are accomplished

Maintenance roles Roles performed by group members to

maintain good relations within the group

Initiating Stating the goal or problem, makingproposals about how to work on it,setting time limits

Seeking information andopinions

Asking group members for specificfactual information related to the taskor problem

Providing information andopinions

Sharing information or opinions relatedto the task or problems

Clarifying Helping one another understand ideasand suggestions that come up in thegroup

Elaborating Building on one another’s ideas andsuggestions

Summarizing Reviewing the points covered by thegroup and the different ideas stated sothat decisions can be based on fullinformation

Consensus Testing Periodic testing about whether thegroup is nearing a decision or needs tocontinue discussion

Task-oriented Roles

Harmonizing Mediating conflict among othermembers, reconciling disagreements,relieving tensions

Compromising Admitting error at times of groupconflict

Gatekeeping Making sure all members have a chanceto express their ideas and feelings andpreventing members from beinginterrupted

Encouraging Helping a group member make his orher point. Establishing a climate ofacceptance in the group.

Maintenance-oriented Roles

Group Decision Making

Factors Member Status Conflict

Orientation Group think

contrary minded Group shift

riskier decisions

Critical Thinking Exercise DeBono’s Hats

White Hat - facts and figures focus Red Hat - emotional focus Black Hat - dwells on why something

can not be done Yellow Hat - optimistic “can-do”

person Green Hat - creative and open to

ideas Blue Hat - concerned with controlQuestions: Which hat do you often wear?What would happen if only G,Y, B or W,R, B?

Conducting a Group Meeting

Follow these 12 steps to more efficient and effective meetings:

1. Prepare a meeting agenda.2. Distribute the agenda in advance.3. Consult with participants before the meeting.4. Get participants to go over the agenda.5. Establish specific time parameters.6. Maintain focused discussion.7. Encourage and support participation of all

members.8. Maintain a balanced style.9. Encourage the clash of ideas.10. Discourage the clash of personalities.11. Be an effective listener.12. Bring proper closure - KEEP MINUTES /

ACTIONS.

Diversity

Multiple perspectives

Greater openness to new ideas

Multiple interpretations

Increased creativity Increased flexibility Increased problem-

solving skills

Ambiguity Complexity Confusion Miscommunication Difficulty in

reaching a single agreement

Difficulty in agreeing on specific actions

Advantages Disadvantages

Conflict Management Functional conflict - helps to stimulate

thought, actions, deeds. Dysfunctional conflict - destructive and

negative.

Org. Performance

H

LLevel of Conflict

L H

Tools to Reduce Conflict

Avoidance - withdrawal from conflict Accommodation - place other’s needs

first Forcing - place one’s needs first Compromise - each gives up

something of value Collaboration - seek solution which is

advantageous to all parties

Conflict Management Styles

forcing

Satisfy own concern

Desire to satisfy other’s concernlow high

high

low

avoidance

compromise

accommodate

collaborate

When to use …

Tell me when you should use each of the style (what situation does it work best in?)

Tools to Reduce Conflict

Avoidance – neither person nor issue important

Accommodation – person important; issue not

Forcing – person less important; issue important

Compromise – both important; time shortage Collaboration – both important; time

available

Application Question 20

Marcos (experienced) Appointed Manager of

a production team; team members get along well; appear to be restricting their output to minimum acceptable levels; night shift

What could he do? Why should he do them?

Summary and Implications

1. The introduction of teams into the workplace has greatly influenced employee jobs

2. High-performing teams have common characteristics:

they contain people with special skills they commit to a common purpose, establish specific goals they have the leadership and structure to provide focus

and direction they hold themselves accountable at both the individual

and team levels there is high mutual trust among members Size 5-7 people

Project

Presenting an Effective Argument

Plan Begin with the end in

mind (objective) Develop supporting

arguments (key points)Present Tell me what you are

going to tell me Tell me Tell me what you’ve told

me

Without support of facts, yours is just another opinion.

Construct an Argument

1) Evidence must be relevant to conclusion.

2) Evidence must provide sufficient support for conclusion.

3) Evidence must be credible.

Relevant

Sufficient

Acceptable

Is this argument RSA?

My friend and I are starting a new company and we want to become rich. A study has found that tall people make more money than shorter people. To save money in our organization, we have decided to hire only people who are shorter than average height.

I am from Missouri

Next Day

Next Class: (remember to print out your insight/reflection paper)Cpt. 2: Management Learning -Past to Present; Cpt. 3: Global Dimensions of Management

Read Case 3 – McCain Foods Limited (p. 100) and be prepared to discuss questions 1, 2, and 3.