OB - Unit 6 - Groups and Teams PDF

Groups and Teams UNIT 6  Define Define group and team, and identify the different types of teams. Analyze Analyze the growing popularity of teams in organizations. Contrast Contrast the five types of teams. Show Show how r...

Groups and Teams UNIT 6  Define Define group and team, and identify the different types of teams. Analyze Analyze the growing popularity of teams in organizations. Contrast Contrast the five types of teams. Show Show how role requirements change in different situations. Learning Demonstrate Demonstrate how norms exert influence on an individual’s behaviour. Outcomes Identify Identify the five stages of group development. Identify Identify the characteristics of effective teams. Explain Explain the implications of diversity for group effectiveness. Show Show how group size affects group performance. Decide Decide when to use individuals instead of teams. Teams vs. Groups: What Is the Difference? GROUPS TEAMS Two or more people with a A small number of people with common relationship. complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Why Have Teams Become So Popular? It’s a better way to use employee talents Teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events Teams have the capability to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband Can be more motivational, allow for greater task identity Teams typically outperform individuals if tasks require multiple skills, judgment, experience Types of Teams Problem- Self-Managed Cross- Virtual Teams Solving (Self-Directed) Functional (Process- Teams Teams Improvement) Groups of 5 to 12 Groups of 10 to 15 Employees from Use computer Teams employees from the people about the same technology to tie same department Take on hierarchical level, together physically Meet for a few hours responsibilities of but from different dispersed members each week to discuss their managers work areas, who in order to achieve a ways of improving come together to common goal. Planning, scheduling accomplish a task. quality, efficiency, work, assigning and the work tasks, taking action environment. on problems etc. Multiteam Systems Multiteam system: A collection of two or more interdependent teams that share a superordinate goal; a team of teams As tasks become more complex, teams often become bigger Larger teams require higher coordination efforts To solve this problem, organizations employ multiteam systems From Individual to Team Member – Roles Role Role Role Role Role Roles Expectatio Conflict Ambiguity Overload Underload ns a set of How A situation A person is Too much Too little is expected others in which unclear is expected behaviour believe a an about his expected of patterns person individual or her role. of someone associated should act is someone. That with in a given confronted person someone situation. by feels that occupying divergent they are a given role not position in expectatio contributin a social ns. g unit. From Individual to Team Member - Norms Norms: Acceptable standards of behaviour within a group that are shared by the group’s members What Appearance: personal dress, norms cover: when Performance: work ethic, work Social arrangement: how team Allocation of resources: pay, to look busy, when to “goof off,” how quality, levels of tardiness members interact assignments, tools & equipment to show loyalty How Norms Develop Explicit statements made by a group Carry-over behaviours from past Critical events in the group’s history Primacy: initial patterns of behaviour member situations Why Norms are Enforced Expresses central values and Facilitates group’s survival Makes behaviour predictable Minimizes embarrassment clarifies the group’s identity From Individual to Team Member - Conformity Desire acceptance by the group Adjusting one’s behaviour to align with the norms of the group  Forming Stage 1 Characterized by uncertainty and anxiety Stages of Stage 2 Storming Characterized by intra-group conflict Group and Team Stage 3 Norming Characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness Develop ment Performing Stage 4 Achieved when the group is fully functional Adjourning Stage 5 Concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance for temporary groups Stages of Group Development and Accompanying Issues 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 Phase 1 Transition Phase 2 The first meeting sets the A transition takes place at A second phase of inertia group’s direction. the end of the first phase, follows the transition. The first phase of group which occurs exactly when Last meeting is activity is one of inertia. the group has used up half characterized by markedly its allotted time. accelerated activity. The transition initiates major changes. The Punctuated - Equilibrium Model Characteristics of Effective Teams Clear purpose The vision, mission, goal, or task of the team has been defined and is now accepted by everyone. There is an action plan. Informality The climate tends to be informal, comfortable, and relaxed. There are no obvious tensions or signs of boredom. Participation There is much discussion, and everyone is encouraged to participate. Listening The members use effective listening techniques such as questioning, paraphrasing, and summarizing to get out ideas. Civilized disagreement There is disagreement, but the team is comfortable with this and shows no signs of avoiding, smoothing over, or suppressing conflict. Consensus decisions For important decisions, the goal is substantial but not necessarily unanimous agreement through open discussion of everyone's ideas, avoidance of formal voting, or easy compromises. Open communication Team members feel free to express their feelings on the tasks as well as on the group's operation. There are few hidden agendas. Communication takes place outside of meetings. Clear rules and work There are clear expectations about the roles played by each team member. When action is taken, clear assignments are made, accepted, and carried out. Work is distributed among team members. assignments Shared leadership While the team has a formal leader, leadership functions shift from time to time depending on the circumstances, the needs of the group, and the skills of the members. The formal leader models the appropriate behaviour and helps establish positive norms. External relations The team spends time developing key outside relationship[s, mobilizing resources, and building credibility with important players in other parts of the organization. Style diversity The team has a broad spectrum of team-player types including members who emphasize attention to task, goal setting, focus on process and questions about how the team is functioning. Self-assessment Periodically, the team stops to examine how well it is functioning and what may be interfering with its effectiveness A Model of Team Effectiven ess Creating Effective Teams CONTEXT COMPOSITION Adequate Resources Skills Personality of members Leadership and Structure Allocation of roles Climate of Trust Diversity of members Performance Evaluation and Size of the team Rewards Members’ preference for teamwork Skills Teams need the following skills to perform effectively: Technical expertise Problem-solving and decision-making skills Interpersonal skills Personality of Members Team members should be selected based on personalities and preferences According to research on the subject: Teams under-perform when there are one or more highly disagreeable members Conscientious people help teams perform. They sense when support is needed and back members up Open team members communicate better which leads to more creativity and innovation Allocation of Roles Task-oriented roles These group members ensure that the tasks are accomplished. Maintenance roles These group members maintain good relations within the group. Diversity of Members Individuals can be different not only in functional characteristics (jobs, positions, or work experiences) but also in demographic or cultural characteristics (age, race, gender, citizenship, etc.) Diversity in function and expertise are positively related to group performance, but these effects are quite small and depend on the situation Organizational demography: the degree to which members of a work unit share a common demographic attribute, such as age, gender, race, educational level, or length of service in an organization This impacts turnover (people leaving by choice, or being forced out) Size of the Team Research shows Social loafing that: Smaller groups are faster at completing tasks The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively When problem solving, larger groups than when working individually do better How can we reduce social loafing? Teams should not be larger than necessary Individuals should be held accountable for their actions Members’ Preference for Teamwork Team members who would prefer to work on their own threaten the team’s morale. High-performing teams are likely to be composed of people who prefer working as part of a team.  Common Plan and Purpose Specific Goals Creating Effective Team Efficacy Teams – Mental Models Process Managed Level of Conflict Accountability Effects of Group Processes Beware! Teams Are Not Always the Answer Teams work best when the answer to the following questions is yes: Does work create a common purpose Can the work be Are members of or set of goals for done better by the the people in more than group interdepende the group that is one person? nt? more than the sum of individual goals? Global Implication s Extent of teamwork Self-managed teams Team cultural diversity and team performance Group cohesiveness  A good team will achieve balance between individudal needs and team needs. To create effective teams, members should be Summary rewarded for engaging in team behaviour rather than individual behaviour. Teams should not be created for tasks that could be better done by individuals.