Teams vs. Groups: What’s the Difference?
• Groups– Two or more individuals, interacting and
interdependent, who have a stable relationship, a common goal, and perceive themselves to be a group
• Teams– Groups that work closely together toward a
common objective, and are accountable to one another
Stages of Group Development
• Stage I: Forming– The first stage in group development,
characterized by much uncertainty
• Stage II: Storming– The second stage in group development,
characterized by intragroup conflict
• Stage III: Norming– The third stage in group development,
characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness
Stages of Group Development
• Stage IV: Performing– The fourth stage in group development,
when the group is fully functional
• Stage V: Adjourning– The final stage in group development for
temporary groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance
Putting the Five-Stage Model Into Perspective
• Groups do not necessarily progress clearly through the stages one at a time
• Groups can sometimes go back to an earlier stage
• Conflict can sometimes be helpful to the group
• Context can matter: airline pilots can immediately reach performing stage
The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model
• First phase– The first meeting sets the group’s direction.– The first phase of group activity is one of inertia.
• Transition– A transition takes place at the end of the first phase,
which occurs exactly when the group has used up half its allotted time.
– The transition initiates major changes.• Second phase
– A second phase of inertia follows the transition.• Last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated
activity
Characteristics of an Effective Team
1. Clear Purpose 2. Informality3. Participation
4. Listening
5. Civilized disagreement
6. Consensus decisions
7. Open communication
8. Clear rules and work assignments
9. Shared leadership
10. External relations
11. Style diversity
12. Self-assessment
Characteristics of Ineffective Teams
• Not sharing issues and concerns
• Overdependence on the leader
• Failure to carry out decisions
• Hidden conflict
• Not resolving conflict
• Subgroups
A Model of Team Effectiveness
Team effectiveness
Work design
• Autonomy• Skill variety• Task identity• Task significance
Process
• Common purpose• Specific goals• Team efficacy• Conflict• Social loafing
Composition
• Ability• Personality• Roles and diversity• Size• Flexibility• Preference for teamwork
Context
• Adequate resources• Leadership• Performance evaluation and rewards
Abilities
• Teams need the following skills to perform effectively– Technical expertise– Problem-solving and decision-making skills– Interpersonal skills
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
• Individual roles– Roles performed by group members that are not
productive for keeping the group on task
Roles That Build Task Accomplishment
Initiating Stating the goal or problem, making proposals about how to work on it, setting time limits
Seeking information and opinions
Asking group members for specific factual information related to the task or problem
Providing information and opinions
Sharing information or opinions related to the task or problems
Clarifying Helping one another understand ideas and suggestions that come up in the group
Elaborating Building on one another’s ideas and suggestions
Summarizing Reviewing the points covered by the group and the different ideas stated so that decisions can be based on full information
Consensus Testing Periodic testing about whether the group is nearing a decision or needs to continue discussion
Roles That Build and Maintain a Team
Harmonizing Mediating conflict among other members, reconciling disagreements, relieving tensions
Compromising Admitting error at times of group conflict
Gatekeeping Making sure all members have a chance to express their ideas and feelings and preventing members from being interrupted
Encouraging Helping a group member make his or her point. Establishing a climate of acceptance in the group
Group Size
• Research Evidence– Smaller groups faster at completing tasks– When problem-solving, larger groups do
better
Roles of Team Leaders
• Creating a real team
• Setting a clear and meaningful direction
• Making sure that the structure will support working effectively
• Ensuring that the team has a supportive organizational environment
• Providing expert coaching
Dimensions of Trust
• Integrity – Honesty and truthfulness
• Competence– Technical and interpersonal knowledge and skills
• Consistency– Reliability, predictability, and good judgment in handling
situations
• Loyalty– Willingness to protect and save face for a person
• Openness– Willingness to share ideas and information freely
Building Trust
• Demonstrate that you’re working for others’ interests as well as your own.
• Be a team player.• Practice openness.• Be fair.• Speak your feelings.• Show consistency in the basic values that guide
your decision making.• Maintain confidence.• Demonstrate competence.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity
Advantages• Multiple perspectives
• Greater openness to new ideas
• Multiple interpretations
• Increased creativity
• Increased flexibility
• Increased problem-solving skills
Disadvantages• Ambiguity ( Doubtful )
• Complexity
• Confusion
• Miscommunication
• Difficulty in reaching a single agreement
• Difficulty in agreeing on specific actions
Teams and Workforce Diversity
• Impact of diverse groups– Diversity in personality age, gender and
experience promotes conflict, which stimulates creativity and idea generation, which leads to improved decision making
– Cultural diversity in groups initially leads to more difficulty in building cohesion, gaining satisfaction, being productive
• Problems pass with time (certainly by three months)
• Culturally diverse groups bring more viewpoints out
Virtual Teams
• Teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal.
• Advantages– Can do all the things other teams do, but at a
distance
• Disadvantages– Lack paraverbal and nonverbal cues, and have
limited social contact
Building Trust on Virtual Teams
• Start with an electronic “courtship” and provide some personal information
• Assign clear roles so members can identify with each other
• Have good attitudes (eagerness, enthusiasm, and intense action orientation) in messages
• Address feelings of isolation• Provide recognition and feedback
Beware! Teams Aren’t Always the Answer
• 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?
Summary and Implications
• The introduction of teams into the workplace has greatly influenced employee jobs
• Factors affecting group performance– Norms control group member behavior by establishing
standards of right and wrong.
– Status inequities create frustration and can adversely influence productivity.
– The impact of size on a group’s performance depends upon the type of task in which the group is engaged.
– A group’s demographic composition is a key determinant of individual turnover.
Summary and Implications
• 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
Summary and Implications
• It is difficult to create team players. To do so, managers should:– Select individuals with interpersonal skills
– Provide training to develop teamwork skills
– Reward individuals for cooperative efforts
Sports Teams as Models
• Good Models– Successful teams integrate
cooperation and competition– Successful teams score early
wins– Successful teams avoid losing
streaks– Practice makes perfect– Successful teams use halftime
breaks– Winning teams have a stable
membership– Successful teams debrief after
failures and successes
• Poor Models– All sport teams aren’t alike
– Work teams are more varied and complex
– A lot of employees can’t relate to sports metaphors
– Workteam outcomes aren’t easily defined in terms of wins and losses
Conducting a Team Meeting• 12 steps to more efficient and effective meetings:– Prepare a meeting agenda– Distribute the agenda in advance– Consult with participants before the meeting– Get participants to go over the agenda– Establish specific time parameters– Maintain focused discussion– Encourage and support participation of all
members– Maintain a balanced style– Encourage the clash of ideas– Discourage the clash of personalities– Be an effective listener– Bring proper closure
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