groups and teams

KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

Describe the nature of groups and teams and distinguish among different types of teams.

Explain the criteria used to evaluate team effectiveness.

Discuss how various aspects of team composition influence team effectiveness.

Understand how structural components of teams can influence performance.

Explain how various team processes influence team performance.

Describe how teams develop over time.

Know what organizations can do to encourage and support effective teamwork.

Understand the roles of a team leader.

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NATURE OF…

Group

Two or more interdependent individuals

Influence one another through social interaction

Team

Two or more people, with work roles that require them to be interdependent

Operate within the organization, performing relevant tasks

Affect others inside and outside the organization

Membership is identifiable to those on or not on the team

GROUPS

Formal

Groups members are formally assigned

Informal

Groups formed spontaneously by people who share;

interests

values

identities

IDENTITY GROUPS

VIRTUAL TEAMS

VIRTUAL TEAM TECHNOLOGIES

• Audio teleconferencing

• Video communication systems

• Real-time electronic communication

• Different-time electronic communication

• Keypad voting systems

• Group project management software

• Instant messaging and texting

• Messaging boards

• Web conferencing

• Blogs and Wiki sites

Adapted from Exhibit 11-1: Tools Commonly Used By Virtual Teams

SELF-MANAGING TEAMS

• More worker satisfaction

• Lower turnover and absenteeism

• Increased productivity

• Higher quality work

• More engaged in work

• Higher level of commitment to the team

TEAM EFFECTIVENESS

BENEFITS VERSUS COST

Synergy

• Greater goal commitment

• Greater variety of skills and abilities used for task achievement

• Greater sharing of knowledge

Process Loss

• Time and energy members spend maintaining the team

• Managing, coordinating, and developing effective communication within the team

FACTORS AFFECTING EFFECTIVENESS

‘TEAM COMPOSITION’

Assumptions can lead to mistakes

people who are similar to each other will work better together – create homogeneous teams

everyone knows how or is suited to work in a team

a larger team is always better

FACTORS AFFECTING EFFECTIVENESS

‘DIVERSITY’

• Agreeableness

• Emotional stability

• Individual conscientiousness

• Team-level extraversion

• Openness to experience

FACTORS AFFECTING EFFECTIVENESS‘PERSONALITY’

FACTORS AFFECTING EFFECTIVENESS

‘TEAM ORIENTATION’

Task Environment

Te

am P

erf

orm

an

ce

Number of Team Members

High

Low

2 5 8 11 13 . . .

TEAM SIZE AND PERFORMANCE

Adapted from Exhibit 11-2: The Relationship Between Team Size and Team Performance

No one best size teamfor all situations.

FACTORS AFFECTING EFFECTIVENESS

‘TEAM STRUCTURE’

Usual means of coordinating formal team efforts.

leaders are appointed

work rules and procedures are detailed

division of individual task responsibilities

TEAM STRUCTURE

TEAM MEMBER ROLES

Adapted from Exhibit 11-3: Team Member Roles

• Initiator/Contributor

• Information Seeker

• Information Giver

• Elaborator

• Opinion Giver

• Coordinator

• Orienter

• Evaluator/Critic

• Energizer

• Procedural Technician

• Recorder

Task Roles Socioemotional Roles

• Encourager

• Harmonizer

• Compromiser

• Gatekeeper

• Standard Setter

• Observer

• Follower

Individual Roles

• Aggressor

• Blocker

• Dominator

• Evader

• Help Seeker

• Recognition Seeker

TEAM STRUCTURE

NORMS

TEAM STRUCTURE

TASK STRUCTURE

TEAM STRUCTURE

TASK STRUCTURE

TEAM PROCESSES

Cohesion

Conflict

Social Facilitation

Social Loafing

Communication

COHESION

Interpersonal

Member’s liking or attraction to other team members

Task

Member’s attraction and commitment to the tasks and goals of the team

SOCIAL FACILITATION

AVOID SOCIAL LOAFING

Make Individual Contributions Visible

• Smaller versus larger teams

• Evaluate individual contributions

• Monitor and oversee everyone’s contributions

Foster Team Cohesiveness

• Provide team-level rewards

• Teamwork training

• Select “team players” to be on the team

COMMUNICATION

MODELS OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT

STAGE MODEL

Adapted from Exhibit 11-4: Models of Team Development

MODELS OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT

PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM MODEL

First Stage:• Norming Activities• Focus on Socioemotional Roles

Second Stage:• Performing Activities• Focus on Task Roles

Task deadline approaches or Task deadline approaches or half-way mark in teams’ tenurehalf-way mark in teams’ tenure

Adapted from Exhibit 11-4: Models of Team Development

MANAGING EFFECTIVE TEAMS

Top Management Support

• Explicit vision and strategic plan

• Results-oriented measurement of outcomes

• Include associates at all levels in decision-making process

• Explicit decisions about using teams

• Manage and review support systems for teams

Support Systems

• Technology

• Information systems

• Selection of team members

• Training

• Rewards

• Leadership

STRATEGIC LENS

Check out http://wileymanagementupdates.com/ for daily articles related to management in the news .

Think of some teams of which you have been a member. How successful were they? To what do you attribute your teams’ success or lack thereof?

Why do organizations use teams to accomplish the work that needs to be done? What value do teams provide?

Someday you will be a leader of a team. What processes will you use to select team members? What specific actions will you take to manage the team to ensure high team productivity?