PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook Copyright © 2005 South-Western. All rights reserved. Module 3 Making Teams Work.

PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook Copyright © 2005 South-Western. All rights reserved.

Module 3Making Teams Work

Copyright © 2005 South-Western. All rights reserved. 3–2

Key Terms• Working group

A small set of individuals who are aware of each other, interact with one another, and who have a sense of themselves together as a unit

• TeamHas all of the characteristics of a working group in

addition to having members working interdependently and being jointly accountable for performance goals

Class Notes: A Team Primer


Key Terms (cont’d)• High-performing teams

Excel in several categories of team effectiveness—performance, member satisfaction, team learning, outsider satisfaction

• Hot groupsRefers to a state of mind that exists in groups or teams

whose members are motivated to stretch themselves to new levels



Key Terms (cont’d)• Teamwork

A set of values whereby members of some collective (a group, team, division, or organization) are encouraged to help one another, to listen and give feedback to others, and to provide support and recognition to others

• Team playerA member of some collective (a group, team, division,

or organization) who embodies teamwork values



Types of Teams• Quality circles (QCs)

Small groups of employees who get together to solve quality-related problems such as quality control, cost reduction, and production planning

• Cross-functional teamsConsist of members that represent multiple functions

within the firm, who work together to improve the coordination among functions in such areas as product development, process improvement, and allocation of resources



Types of Teams (cont’d)• Self-managed teams (autonomous work groups)

Make decisions and have the responsibility to hire members, allocate tasks and roles, determine work schedules and work flow, and handle disputes

• Office of the presidentThe set of executives who run a corporation—the

functional or divisional managers report directly to the CEO, manage internal operations, and help the CEO formulate strategy and manage external relations



Types of Teams (cont’d)• Transnational team

Composed of people from different countries whose activities cross multiple borders

• Virtual teamComposed of members who rely on electronic tools

such as e-mail, fax, voice mail, videoconferencing, and “virtual workspaces” to communicate with each other



Teams versus Individuals• Teams pro and con:

Teams promise greater competitiveness, faster decision making, fewer levels of hierarchy, greater commitment and quality, greater employee satisfaction

Teams may also be difficult to manage, evaluate, and support

• Creating teams requires investment in training and organizational design

• Work structured for individuals often takes less time and gives workers a greater sense of control



Teams versus Individuals (cont’d)• Use a team approach when

Work requires a range of different skills, views, or expertise

Different work components are highly interdependentSufficient time is available to organize and structure

team effortOrganizational reward structure and culture support a

team approach



Teams versus Individuals (cont’d)• Use a team approach when (cont’d)

Need is identified to build commitment to a course of action or set of decisions

Issues being worked on require refinementNeeds are high for innovation and coordinationMembers can be trusted not to purposefully obstruct

team’s efforts Individuals desire a team experience



Components of Team Effectiveness• Performance

How well team members produce output, measured in terms of quality, quantity, timeliness, efficiency, and innovation

• Member satisfactionHow well team members create a positive experience

through commitment, trust, and meeting individual needs



Components of Effectiveness (cont’d)• Team learning

How well team members can acquire new skills, perspectives, and behaviors as needed by changing circumstances

• Outsider satisfactionHow well team members meet the needs of outside

constituencies


Copyright © 2005 South-Western. All rights reserved. 3–13Figure 3.1

Model of Team Effectiveness



Team Operations• Internal team processes

The ways in which team members interact with each other to accomplish the task and to keep themselves together as a team

• Boundary managementThe way in which teams define their boundaries,

identify key external constituencies, and interact with those outsiders



Team Context• Organizational culture

The values and underlying assumptions of an organization communicated through symbols, stories, and rituals

• Team designThe way in which teams are put together, including

their composition, the nature of their task, and their structure



Team Context (cont’d)• Rewards

Formal and informal benefits given for individual and team performance act as a key determinant of how team members will interact with one another and those outside the team



Overview• Team effectiveness is enhanced when team

members answer five important questions:1. Who are we?2. What do we want to accomplish?3. How can we organize ourselves to meet our goals?4. How will we operate?5. How can we continuously learn and improve?

Handbook


I. Who Are We?• Team must begin by coming to terms with its

composition• To begin the process of getting to know each

other: Ask team members to share basic personal

information and previous team experience Discuss responses as a team Discuss how the team can capitalize on similarities

and differences among team members

Handbook


II. What Do We Want to Accomplish?• Team members must first agree on goals• Categories of team goals:

Performance—the team’s outputMember satisfaction—providing team members with a

positive experienceTeam learning—developing the team’s ability to

survive, improve, and adapt to changing circumstances

Outsider satisfaction—meeting the demands of, and pleasing, outside constituencies

Handbook


III. How Can We Organize Ourselves?• Three major aspects are involved in organizing a

team:Creating a work structure requires that the team move

from the goals to the work that needs to be done to achieve those goals

Roles are specific activities taken on by particular individuals: facilitator, project manager, and boundary manager

Norms refer to expectations of acceptable behavior; they are unwritten rules enforced by team members

Handbook


III. How Can We Organize (cont’d)• Teams must discuss and agree upon norms• Categories of norms:

Meeting norms—when, were, and how often to meetWorking norms—standards, deadlines, distribution of

effort and workCommunication norms—when communication should

take place and who is responsibleLeadership norms—whether a leader is neededConsideration norms—being considerate of members’

comfort with smoking, swearing, etc.

Handbook


IV. How Will We Operate?• When planning an agenda:

Write down the major items that the team wishes to tackle

Ensure that all team members have the opportunity to contribute

Clarify what the team wants to accomplish for each item—discussion, brainstorming, making a decision, taking action, etc.

Prioritize items and allocate time to eachLeave time at the end to discuss how the meeting went

Handbook


V. How Can We Learn and Improve?• When giving feedback, describe problem and

how it affects you and the team• Feedback should:

Be specific, not generalDescribe behavior, not judge the personStart with the word I, not the word you (to avoid

blaming)Be timely

Handbook


V. How Can We Learn (cont’d)• When assessing yourself or the team, ask these

questions:Goals—Are my and our goals being met?Roles and structure—What are our roles? What works

or doesn’t work in our team structure?Process—How effectively do we make decisions and

resolve conflict?Plans to change—How can we improve any of these

areas?

Handbook


Individual Analysis of TeamStep 1: Collect Some DataStep 2: Find an Efficient Way to Present DataStep 3: Analyze the Team’s Internal ProcessStep 4: Analyze Your Own BehaviorStep 5: Provide Suggestions for What the Team

Can Do to Improve Its PerformanceStep 6: Provide Suggestions for How the Team

Can Change

Handout 3.2

PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook Copyright © 2005 South-Western. All rights reserved. Module 3 Making Teams Work.

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