Understanding Understanding Work Work Teams Teams

Why Why Have Have Teams Teams Become Become So So Popular? Popular?
Teams typically outperform individuals. Teams use employee talents better. Teams are more flexible and responsive to changes in the environment. Teams facilitate employee involvement. Teams are an effective way to democratize an organization and increase motivation. Teams foster Synergy and Consensus Building among the team members

Definition Definition
A team is a small group of people with complimentary skills, who work actively together to achieve a common purpose for which they hold themselves collectively accountable.

Teams Teams in in Organizations Organizations

Teamwork is the process of people working together in teams to accomplish common goals

Pre-requisites Pre-requisites for for Team Team Building Building and and Team Team Work Work Common objectives Trust Cooperation Support Information sharing Mutual respect Accountability Positive group- no back-biting or stabbing at the back

Team Team Versus Versus Group: Group: Whats Whats the the Difference? Difference?
Work Group
A group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility

Work Team
A group whose individual efforts result in a performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs

Work Work Group Group

Strengths: members work on the directive of a group leader perform within his/her area of responsibility Limited opportunity to engage in collective work requiring joint effort No positive Synergy ( performance is merely the summation of each members individual contribution.) Weaknesses: Time-consuming-to pool all information Decision-making authority in a single person can be perilous

Work Work Team Team

A group whose individual efforts result in a performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs (generates positive synergy) Members with complimentary skills committed to a goal Mutually accountable Interact with each other and the leader-highly collaborative Decisions reflect the know-how and experience of many-better decisions

Comparing Comparing Work Work Groups Groups and and Work Work Teams Teams

ProblemSolving

SelfManaged

Types of Teams
Virtual CrossFunctional

Problem-solving Problem-solving Teams Teams

Composed of 512 employees from the same department, who meet for a few hours each week to discuss, share ideas or offer suggestions
A special type of Employee Involvement team is the QUALITY CIRCLE ( A small group of persons who meet periodically to discuss and develop solutions for problems relating to quality, productivity and cost.)

Characteristics Characteristics
Ways of improving quality Efficiency Work environment How work processes and methods can be improved No authority to implement their suggested actions

Self-Managed Self-Managed Work Work Teams Teams

Groups of 10 to 15 people empowered to handle a task and make decisions on a day-to-day basis. May select their own leader and members performing highly related or interdependent jobs planning scheduling of work assigning tasks to members Evaluating performance Training for job-skills

Self-Managed Self-Managed Work Work Teams Teams

Advantages Advantages Collective Collectivecontrol controlover overthe thepace paceof ofwork work Making Makingoperating operatingdecisions decisions Taking Takingaction actionon onproblems. problems. Selecting Selectingtheir theirown ownmembers memberswho whoevaluate evaluateeach each others othersperformance. performance. Disadvantages Disadvantages Higher Higherlevels levelsof ofjob job satisfaction satisfactionbut butalso alsohigher higher absenteeism absenteeismand andturnover turnoverrates. rates. The Theeffectiveness effectivenessis isdependent dependenton onthe thesituation situation

Cross-Functional Cross-Functional Teams Teams

Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task

Task forces Committees

Cross-Functional Cross-Functional Teams Teams

Advantages Advantages

Exchange Exchangeof ofinformation information Diverse Diverseinputs inputs New Newideas ideas New Newsolutions solutions Coordination Coordinationof ofcomplex complexprojects projects

Disadvantages Disadvantages

Difficult Difficultto tosetup setup Time Timeconsuming consuming Trust Trustformation formationtakes takestime time

Types Types of of Teams Teams (contd) (contd)

Virtual Teams Teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal Characteristics Characteristicsof ofVirtual VirtualTeams Teams
1. 1. The Theabsence absenceof ofparaverbal paraverbaland andnonverbal nonverbalcues cues 2. 2. A Alimited limitedsocial socialcontext context 3. 3. The Theability abilityto toovercome overcometime timeand andspace spaceconstraints constraints 4. 4. Cost-effectiveness Cost-effectivenessand andspeed speedto toteamwork teamwork

HOW HOW TO TO CREATE CREATE EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE TEAMS? TEAMS?

Challenge Challenge for for a a Team Team

Finding a right balance between allowing individuals to show their unique talents, while at the same time minimizing grudges, big egos, personality conflicts and misunderstandings. THE STRONGEST TEAMS SUCCESSFULLY BALANCE THE I AND THE WE Individual attitudes are also critical for team success

Effectiveness Effectiveness means means

Objective Objectivemeasures measuresof ofthe theteams teamsproductivity productivity Managers Managersratings ratingsof ofthe theteams teamsperformance performance Aggregate Aggregatemeasures measuresof ofmember membersatisfaction satisfaction

A ATeam-Effectiveness Team-Effectiveness Model Model

Creating Creating Effective Effective Teams Teams

Adequate Adequate Resources Resources

All work teams rely on resources outside the group to sustain it scarcity of resources reduces the ability of the team to perform its job effectively

Leadership Leadership and and Structure Structure

On traditionally managed teams two factors influence team performance. leaders expectations. leaders mood. Leaders who expect good things from their team are more likely to get them! Self-managed work teams often perform better than teams with formally appointed leaders. Team members decide collectively. Who is to do what? Ensure equal sharing.

Performance Performance Evaluation Evaluation & & Reward Reward Systems Systems Individual performance evaluations Incentives/Rewards Team-based appraisals profit sharing/gain sharing small-team incentives system modifications that will reinforce team effort and commitment

Creating Creating Effective Effective Teams Teams (contd) (contd)

Abilities Abilities of of Members Members

Teams require three different types of skills Technical expertise Problem-solving and decision-making skills Interpersonal skills The right mix is crucial Members learn the skills in which the team is deficient to reach its full potential

Personality Personality
Teams that rate higher in mean levels of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability achieve higher team performance The variance in personality characteristics may be more important than the mean One bad apple can spoil the basket

Allocating Allocating Roles Roles and and Diversity Diversity

Nine potential team roles. Teams selected to ensure diversity Select members for their strengths and allocate work assignments accordingly.

Key Roles on Teams

Adviser Linker Creator

Promoter

Assessor

Organizer

Producer

Controller

Maintainer

An adviser encourages the search for more information. A linker coordinates and integrates team functions. A creator initiates creative ideas. A promoter champions ideas after they are initiated. An assessor offers insightful analysis of opinions. An organizer provides structure. A producer provides direction and follow-through. A controller examines details and enforces rules. A maintainer fights external battles.

Size Size of of Teams Teams

very small = under 4 or 5 very large = over a dozen Very small teams lack diversity of views Large teams have difficulty getting much work done Effective teams = 512 people

Member Member Flexibility Flexibility & & Preferences Preferences

Members ability to complete each others task improves adaptability and reduces in-dispensability Cross training leads to higher team performance Not every employee is a team player threat to teams morale High performing teams - people who prefer working in a team

Creating Creating Effective Effective Teams Teams (contd) (contd)

Work Work Design Design

Effective teams need to work together and take collective responsibility to complete significant tasks This category includes freedom and autonomy Skill variety Task identity Task significance

these characteristics enhance member motivation increase sense of responsibility ownership of work makes work interesting increases team effectiveness

Creating Creating Effective Effective Teams Teams (contd) (contd)

Purpose
A common and meaningful purpose

Goals
Successful teams translate their common purpose into specific measurable and realistic performance goals Team goals should be challenging

Efficacy
Team efficacy-teams confidence in themselves to succeed Team efficacy can be increased by small successes providing skill training

Conflict
No conflict leads to apathetic and stagnant teams Effective teams will be characterized by an appropriate level of conflict Relationship conflicts - make teams dysfunctional Task conflicts - for teams performing non-routine activities- reduce groupthink

Social loafing
Individuals can hide inside a group. Effective teams undermine this tendency by holding themselves accountable at both the individual and team level.

A ATeam-Effectiveness Team-Effectiveness Model Model

Turning Turning individuals individuals into into team team players players
All team members must have no interpersonal/communication barriers be able to confront differences resolve conflicts sublimate personal goals for the good of the team

What What can can go go wrong wrong in in teams? teams?

social loafing personality conflicts task ambiguity poor readiness to work poor teamwork

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Beware! Beware! Teams Teams Arent Arent Always Always the the Answer Answer The Problems Teamwork takes more time Requires more resources. Teams increase communication demands, conflicts to be managed, and meetings to be run. Some managers have introduced teams into situations where the work is better done by individuals.

Beware: Beware: Teams Teams Arent Arent Always Always the the Answer Answer
Three tests to see if a team fits the situation: Is the work complex and is there a need for different perspectives? Does the work create a common purpose or set of goals for the group that is larger than the aggregate of the goals for individuals? Are members of the group involved in interdependent tasks?

Contemporary Contemporary Issues Issues in in Managing Managing Teams Teams

How Howdo doteams teamsfacilitate facilitatethe the adoption adoptionof oftotal totalquality quality management? management? What Whatare arethe theimplications implicationsof ofworkforce workforce diversity diversityon onteam teamperformance? performance? How Howdoes doesmanagement managementreenergize reenergize stagnant stagnantteams? teams?

Teams Teams and and Quality Quality Management Management

Team Effectiveness and Quality Management requires that teams: Are small enough to be efficient and effective. Are properly trained in required skills. Are allocated enough time to work on problems. Are given authority to resolve problems and take corrective action. Have a designated champion to call on when needed.

Creating Creating Effective Effective Teams: Teams: Diversity Diversity

Group Demography The degree to which members of a group share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service in the organization, and the impact of this attribute on turnover Cohorts Individuals who, as part of a group, hold a common attribute

Reinvigorating Reinvigorating Mature Mature Teams Teams

How does management re-energize stagnant teams? Effective teams can become stagnant due to Familiarity breeds apathy. Success can lead to complacency. Maturity brings less openness to novel ideas and innovation. Mature teams are susceptible to groupthink.

Suggestions Suggestions for for reinvigorating reinvigorating Teams Teams

Prepare members to deal with the problems of maturity refresher training advanced training development to be treated as a constant learning experience

Chapter Chapter Check-up: Check-up: Teams Teams

What kinds of things have you experienced in a team setting that could be considered as process loss? Choose two and write them down. Possibilities Possibilities include: include: Too Too much much socializing, socializing, coordinating coordinating work work flow, flow, lag lag time time in in responses responses to to emails, emails, personality personality conflicts, conflicts, attendance attendance and and timeliness timeliness problems, problems, etc. etc.

Chapter Chapter Check-up: Check-up: Teams Teams

If you were asked to choose people from your class right now to make up a team for a class project, list five individuals you would choose. Now Now that that you you have have your your list, list, consider consider what what the the composition composition of of your your team team would would look look like. like. How How much much diversity diversity would would there there be? be? Given Given what what we we learned learned in in this this chapter, chapter, what what would would the the pros pros and and cons cons of of your your composition composition be? be?

Chapter Chapter Check-up: Check-up: Teams Teams

Is conflict in a team good or bad? Discuss. Conflict Conflictcan canbe beboth bothgood goodand andbad. [Link] Taskconflict conflict is isbeneficial beneficialfor fora ateam teambecause becauseit ithelps helpsprotect protect against againstgroupthink. [Link] Relationshipconflict conflictis isbad bad for fora ateams teamsmorale. morale. What, What,specifically, specifically,can canyou youdo doto tocreate createtask task conflict conflictin ina agroup? group?Think Thinkabout aboutthe thereality realityof of trying tryingto tostir stirthe thepot pot......and andwrite writedown downa a phrase phraseyou youcould couldsay say(e.g., (e.g.,you youwould wouldfeel feel comfortable comfortablesaying sayingto toyour yourpeers) peers)to tocreate createtask task conflict. conflict.