Team Dynamics

Lecture TwoTEAM DYNAMICS

What are Teams/Group?Groups of two or more people Exist to fulfill a purposeInterdependent -- interact and influence each otherMutually accountable for achieving common goals

What are Teams/Group? GroupSocial interactionStabilityCommon interestRecognition as a group- Ability to influence each other- Members stay together and function as a unit- Helps to achieve mutual goals- Members perceive differences between members and non-members

Why do people join groups?

Why do people join groups?Can achieve ends that would not be possible aloneSatisfy mutual interests - by bonding together people can satisfy mutual goalsAchieve security - groups provide safety in numbers and protection against common enemiesFill social needs - satisfy peoples basic need to be with othersFill need for self-esteem - groups provide opportunities for people to be recognized

FormalDefined by the organizations structureInformalNeither formally structured nor organizationally determined

Varieties of Groups in OrganizationsGroups

created by the parent organization intended to direct the members toward some organizational goal

Formal groups group determined by the connection between individuals who are formal members of the organization determined by the organizations rules regarding who reports to whom

formed around a specific task expertise rather than position in the organization determine membership

CommandTask

Informal groupswithout direction from the organization, develops around a common goal or interests of the members

group of employees who voluntarily come together to express and satisfy a common interest(s)

group extends beyond the workplace develops without encouragement from management offers opportunities to satisfy social needs

InterestFriendship

Stages of Team DevelopmentFormingStormingNormingPerformingAdjourning

Forming - members get to know each other and seek to establish ground rules - stage complete when individuals begin to think of themselves as a groupStorming - members resist control by group leaders and show hostility - stage complete when conflict is resolved and the groups leadership is accepted Norming - group becomes more cohesive/organized, shared feelings become common - stage complete when individuals accept a common set of expectations about the way to do things Performing - energy devoted to accomplishing goalsAdjourning - occurs when goals are met and the group is no longer needed - end may be immediate or gradual

Group Decision MakingStrengthsGenerate more complete information and knowledgeIncreased diversity of viewsIncreased acceptance of a solutionWeaknessesTakes longerConformity pressuresDiscussions can be dominated by one or a few membersAmbiguous responsibility for the final outcome

Comparing Groups and Teams

Four Types of Teams

Problem-Solving TeamsMembers often from the same departmentShare ideas or suggest improvementsRarely given authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggested actions

Cross-Functional Teams

A Cross-Functional R&D Team

Self-Directed Teams DefinedCross-functional work groups organized around work processes, that complete an entire piece of work requiring several interdependent tasks, and that have substantial autonomy over the completing of those tasks.

SELF-DIRECTED TEAMSA group of employees working together without any managerial control.

Successful SDWT, an organization must select skilled, self-driven people and make them aware of companys goals.

Advantages and disadvantages

Business Weekrecently reported that self-directed work teams are, on average, 30 to 50 percent more productive than their conventional counterparts. The following are some examples of organizations that attribute major productivity results to the advantages of self-directed work teams:* AT&T -- Increased the quality of its operator service by 12 percent.* Federal Express -- Cut service errors by 13 percent.* Johnson & Johnson -- Achieved inventory reductions of $6 million.* Shenandoah Life Insurance -- Cut staffing needs, saving $200,000 per year, while handling a 33-percent greater volume of work.* 3M's Hutchinson facility -- Increased production gains by 300 percent.

Virtual Teams DefinedTeams whose members operate across space, time, and organizational boundaries and are linked through information technologies to achieve organizational tasks.Courtesy of PricewaterhouseCoopers

Virtual Teams

Virtual Team Success FactorsMember characteristicsTechnology savvySelf-leadership skillsEmotional intelligenceFlexible use of communication technologiesHave the toolkit of comm. Vehicle (email, video conferencing etc)Opportunities to meet face-to-faceHigh level bonding and mutual u/standing

A Team-Effectiveness Model

Key Components of Effective TeamsContextCompositionWork DesignProcess

Contextual ComponentsPresence of adequate resourcesEffective leadership and structureClimate of trust in the teamPerformance evaluation and reward system that reflects team contributions

Team Composition ComponentsAbilities of membersTechnical expertiseProblem-solvingInterpersonalPersonalityopen-mindedDiversitySize of teamsMember preferences

Work Design ComponentsFreedomAutonomySkill varietyTask identityTask significance

Enhances motivation and team effectiveness

Process ComponentsCommon plan and purposeSpecific goalsTeam efficacy/efficiencyLow levels of conflictMinimized social loafing

How to Minimize Social LoafingForm smaller teams6 and 12 consultants - possible to split teams into smaller teams - making each persons individual contribution more noticeable. Specialize taskseasier to see everyones contribution when each team member performs a different work activity. Measure individual performanceminimized when each members contribution is measuredmeasurement can be done for some work of individual members of these team.Increase job enrichmentare assigned more motivating jobs, such as requiring more skill variety or having direct contact with clientsSelect motivated employeesvalue team membership and believe in working toward the teams objectives.

The Challenges Overcoming individual resistance to team membership. Countering the influence of individualistic cultures. Introducing teams in an organization that has historically valued individual achievement.Turning Individuals Into Team Players

Turning Individuals Into Team PlayersSelection Need employees who have the interpersonal as well as technical skillsTraining Workshops on problem-solving, communications, negotiation, conflict-management and coaching skillsRewards Encourage cooperative efforts rather than individual ones

Teams Arent Always the Answer: Three TestsComplexity of Work: Can the work be done better by more than one person?Common Purpose: Does the work create a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals?Interdependence:Are the members of the group interdependent?

Keep in MindManagement Requires That Teams:Are small enough to be efficient and effective.Are properly trained in required skills.Allocated enough time to work on problems.Are given authority to resolve problems and take corrective action.

Cohesive stick togetherCamaraderie comes from the word comradeComrade companion in some activity (comradeship)*Collective joint, shared, cooperative enterpriseSynergy working together, combined effort of different levelAccountability responsibilityComplementary finished, complete3This figure illustrates a cross-functional research and development team. Team members represent each of the different functions or departments necessary to develop and launch a product. Autonomy independentEfficacy capableLoafing hang out, spend time