Working in Teams

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