Understanding Work Teams

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Questions and Answers

What are two key reasons for the growing popularity of teams in organizations?

Teams can achieve complex objectives and democratize organizations.

How do teams differ from groups in an organizational context?

Teams are focused on shared objectives and interdependent tasks, while groups are often more loosely associated.

List three of the five types of team arrangements mentioned.

Cross-functional teams, project teams, and self-managed teams.

What characteristic is essential for the success of a team related to its environment?

A climate of trust is essential for team effectiveness. Signup and view all the answers

What role does diversity play in team composition?

Diversity in teams can enhance creativity and problem-solving by bringing different perspectives. Signup and view all the answers

Why is leadership considered a critical factor in team success?

Effective leadership provides direction and support, helping teams navigate challenges. Signup and view all the answers

What are two key factors in performance evaluations that can enhance team effectiveness?

Adequate resources and performance evaluations based on team outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

When might an organization prefer to use individuals instead of teams?

Organizations may opt for individuals when tasks require specialized skill sets or are highly routine. Signup and view all the answers

What role does 'team cohesion' play in the effectiveness of a team?

Team cohesion enhances collaboration and commitment among team members, leading to improved performance. Signup and view all the answers

Identify two characteristics that effective teams share.

Effective teams typically share a common plan and purpose, as well as specific goals. Signup and view all the answers

How can organizations foster the development of team players?

Organizations can foster team players by selecting the right candidates, providing training, and offering incentives for team-oriented behavior. Signup and view all the answers

When should an organization consider individual work over team collaboration?

An organization should consider individual work when the task can be done better by one person and lacks a common goal. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of 'mental models' within effective teams?

Mental models are significant as they ensure that team members have a shared understanding of their tasks and objectives. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the impact of a performance evaluation system on team effectiveness.

A performance evaluation system that reflects team contributions encourages collaboration and accountability among team members. Signup and view all the answers

What are the potential negative effects of social loafing in teams?

Social loafing can lead to decreased motivation and productivity as some team members rely on others to do the work. Signup and view all the answers

How does effective leadership contribute to team success?

Effective leadership provides direction, motivates team members, and fosters a climate of trust and open communication. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chapter 10: Understanding Work Teams

Teams are popular because they can accomplish tasks beyond individual capabilities.
Teams are adaptable to changing needs and can quickly assemble, deploy, refocus and disband.
Teams are effective at democratizing organizations, increasing employee involvement and promoting a collaborative environment.

Learning Objectives

Analyze the ongoing popularity of teams in organizations.
Differentiate between groups and teams.
Contrast five types of team arrangements.
Identify characteristics of successful teams.
Explain methods organizations can use to cultivate team players.
Determine situations where individuals are preferable to teams.

Differences Between Groups and Teams

Work Groups: Share information, neutral/sometimes negative synergy, individual accountability, random/varied skills.
Work Teams: Collective performance, positive synergy, individual and mutual accountability, complementary skills.

Contrast the Five Types of Teams

Problem-solving teams: Focus on improving work processes.
Self-managed teams: Take responsibility for work planning, scheduling and execution.
Cross-functional teams: Combine members with different expertise to complete complex projects..
Virtual teams: Utilize technology to collaborate across geographic locations..

Identify the Characteristics of Effective Teams (1 of 6)

Context: Adequate resources, leadership and structure, trust, performance evaluation and reward systems.
Composition: Abilities of members, personality, appropriate roles, diversity, team size, member preferences.
Process: Shared common purpose, specific goals, team efficacy, team identity, team cohesion, mental models, conflict levels, and minimizing social loafing.

Identify the Characteristics of Effective Teams (2 of 6)

Team Context: Successful teams need adequate resources, proper leadership and structure, a culture of trust, and performance evaluations that reflect team contributions.

Identify the Characteristics of Effective Teams (3 of 6)

Team composition: Consider members' abilities, personalities, roles, diversity (including organizational demography, cultural differences), and team size. Member preferences are also important.

Identify the Characteristics of Effective Teams (4 of 6)

Key Team Roles: The text describes various roles within teams, like linker, creator, promoter, assessor, organizer, controller, etc. These roles focus on different aspects of teamwork.

Identify the Characteristics of Effective Teams (5 of 6)

Group Processes: Team effectiveness is influenced by the balance of potential effectiveness, processes that enhance effectiveness and processes that diminish it.

Identify the Characteristics of Effective Teams (6 of 6)

Team Processes: Common plan and purpose, reflexivity (reflecting on progress), specific goals, team efficacy, team identity, team cohesion, mental models, conflict levels, and minimizing social loafing.

Explain How Organizations Can Create Team Players

Selecting team players: Hiring individuals predisposed to teamwork.
Training team players: Developing teamwork skills in individuals.
Rewarding team players: Motivating team participation through incentives.

Decide When to Use Individuals Instead of Teams

Consider individual vs. team approaches: Tasks that are better suited for single individuals should be evaluated.
Evaluate individual vs teamwork needs: Does the work benefit from a shared goal or is it better accomplished independently? Are individuals interdependent? Can the work be completed more effectively by a single person?

Implications for Managers (1 of 2)

Successful teams require adequate resources, strong leadership, a culture of trust, and performance evaluations that acknowledge group contributions. Team members should have the right technical skills and traits.

Implications for Managers (2 of 2)

Effective teams have members with high interpersonal skills, a shared understanding of the project, and who believe in the team's capabilities. Encourage teamwork through targeted training and positive reinforcement..
Managers should not assume teams are uniformly advantageous. Individual contributions may sometimes outweigh collaborative efforts.

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Description

Explore the dynamics of work teams in this quiz focused on Chapter 10. Understand the differences between groups and teams, and learn about the characteristics that make teams successful. This quiz covers organizational methods to promote effective teamwork and the situations where individuals may perform better than teams.

Understanding Work Teams - Chapter 10

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