adeyl khan, faculty, bba, nsu. teams have become very popular? the team advantage teams typically...

Adeyl Khan, Faculty, BBA, NSU

Chapter 10Understanding Work Teams


Teams have become very popular?The Team AdvantageTeams 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.


Team Versus Group: What is the 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.


Comparing Work Groups and Work Teams


Types of TeamsProblem-Solving Teams

Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.

Self-Managed Work Teams Groups of 10 to 15 people who

take on the responsibilities of their former supervisors.


Types of Teams (cont’d)Cross-Functional Teams

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

Task forcesCommittees


Types of Teams (cont’d)Virtual Teams

Teams that use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal.

Characteristics of VT The absence of para-verbal

and nonverbal cues A limited social context The ability to overcome time

and space constraints


A Team-Effectiveness Model


Creating Effective Teams


Creating Effective Teams (cont’d)


Key Roles


Effects of Group Processes+

MINUS

=

Goal: Maximize Process Gains While Minimizing Process Losses!


Creating Effective Teams: DiversityGroup 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.


Turning Individuals Into Team Players

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.

Shaping Team Players Selecting employees who can fulfill their team roles. Training employees to become team players. Reworking the reward system to encourage cooperative efforts while continuing to recognize individual contributions.


Teams in Quality Management

Team Effectiveness and Quality Management 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. Have a designated “champion” to call on when needed.


Teams Aren’t Always the AnswerThree 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?


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 include: Too much socializing, coordinating work flow, lag time in responses to emails, personality conflicts, attendance and timeliness problems, etc.


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 that you have your list, consider what the composition of your team would look like. How much

diversity would there be? Given what we learned in this chapter, what would the pros and cons of your

composition be?


Is conflict in a team good or bad? Discuss.

Conflict can be both good and bad. Task conflict is beneficial for a team because it helps protect against groupthink. Relationship conflict is bad for a team’s

morale.

What, specifically, can you do to create task conflict in a group? Think about the reality of trying to “stir the pot”… and write down a phrase you could say (e.g., you would

feel comfortable saying to your peers) to create task conflict.

adeyl khan, faculty, bba, nsu. teams have become very popular? the team advantage teams typically...

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