TEAM/GROUP WORKTEAM/GROUP WORK

Chapter 14 Lecture 2Chapter 14 Lecture 2

Team Work

Global activities and challenges often are:– Complex

– Ambiguous

What does this mean for you as leaders?– We often face a future that is unknown

– We work in teams better to confront that future

Learning lesson:– Planning as a group helps you face that future

– You will have to make adjustments, but planning helps you stay focused on your main goals

Some People Think Teams are Not Productive

Here is Another View of Teams:

What’s Our Perspective?

Groups/teams can be ineffective– When they serve no real purpose

– When they invite people to play roles that do not lead to task accomplishment

But, as our exercise shows, groups also can be an effective way to accomplish a complex task– Group efforts take longer than individual ones

– Satisfaction with group efforts often is higher than with individual ones

What is the Process of Group What is the Process of Group Development?Development?

Forming Forming – when everyone is at their best and optimisticwhen everyone is at their best and optimistic

Storming Storming – establishing priorities establishing priorities – Creating order and roles Creating order and roles

NormingNorming PerformingPerforming AdjourningAdjourning

People Play “Roles” in Teams Innovator—generate ideas and conceptInnovator—generate ideas and conceptss; often impractical but ; often impractical but

stimulatingstimulating Worker—practical; buckles down to get the job done but may Worker—practical; buckles down to get the job done but may

lack visionlack vision Monitor/evaluator—analyzes ideas and feasibility, can process Monitor/evaluator—analyzes ideas and feasibility, can process

complex data but may dominate too much with practicalitiescomplex data but may dominate too much with practicalities Resource investigator—explores resources and ideas outside the Resource investigator—explores resources and ideas outside the

group; may overextend and increase complexity but improves group; may overextend and increase complexity but improves external contactsexternal contacts

Completer—concerned about keeping on schedule and Completer—concerned about keeping on schedule and completing details; often anxious but controlled and will work completing details; often anxious but controlled and will work hard to meet goalshard to meet goals

Free rider—see if others will pick up the slackFree rider—see if others will pick up the slack

Cultural Influences on Cultural Influences on GroupsGroupsCultural Cultural nnorms for many orms for many

from Asian backgroundsfrom Asian backgroundsImpact on Impact on mmeetingseetings What to doWhat to do

High respect for authorityHigh respect for authority When power differentials When power differentials are in place, people may are in place, people may hesitate to challenge or offer hesitate to challenge or offer ideas; this depresses ideas; this depresses innovationinnovation

Emphasize why it is Emphasize why it is important for everyone to important for everyone to participate, i.e., more ideas participate, i.e., more ideas and perspectivesand perspectives

Fear of shame or loss of faceFear of shame or loss of face People are less willing to People are less willing to take risks if they fear take risks if they fear making mistakes or losing making mistakes or losing faceface

Talk about why intelligent Talk about why intelligent risks are important; risks are important; encourage a sense that “we encourage a sense that “we are all in this together.”are all in this together.”

Contextual more than direct Contextual more than direct forms of communicationforms of communication

It may be harder to “read” It may be harder to “read” contextual cues, leading to contextual cues, leading to miscommunicationsmiscommunications

Develop a trusting Develop a trusting relationship; directly ask for relationship; directly ask for input or ask people to write input or ask people to write input rather than speak itinput rather than speak it

Problem solving that is less Problem solving that is less linear and analytical in linear and analytical in approachapproach

UU..SS.. people go straight for people go straight for the solution; others think in the solution; others think in terms of processesterms of processes

Learn to recognize, value Learn to recognize, value and use different ways of and use different ways of thinking to the group’s thinking to the group’s advantageadvantage

So, How Do We Make a Team Effective?

Recognition of the group processRecognition of the group process PlanningPlanning

– Shared vision and common objectivesShared vision and common objectives– Playing roles that help the group function Playing roles that help the group function

Linking objectives to evaluationsLinking objectives to evaluations– What gets rewarded is what gets done!What gets rewarded is what gets done!

Business Globalization Project Peer Evaluation

Attendance:Attendance:

– consistent, on-time attendance at all group meetings consistent, on-time attendance at all group meetings Preparation:Preparation:

– met commitments to others; was prepared for all meetings and on all met commitments to others; was prepared for all meetings and on all dimensions of individual assignment dimensions of individual assignment

Quality of Work:Quality of Work:

– ideas were well developed and presented, contributed to the group ideas were well developed and presented, contributed to the group product, written work in final rather than draft or another form product, written work in final rather than draft or another form

Team Dynamics:Team Dynamics:

– listened to others, helped all members contribute to the discussion, shared listened to others, helped all members contribute to the discussion, shared leadership for team meetings, volunteered to be group spokesperson leadership for team meetings, volunteered to be group spokesperson

Symptoms of Group Dysfunction:

One member dominates othersOne member dominates others– Poor idea development will occurPoor idea development will occur

Disagreements do not lead to productivityDisagreements do not lead to productivity Members do not attend meetings or disrupt when they Members do not attend meetings or disrupt when they

do attenddo attend Silence is the normSilence is the norm You wish you were in another teamYou wish you were in another team No one acknowledges that the team has a problemNo one acknowledges that the team has a problem

Consider Your Own Consider Your Own ExperienceExperience

What roles are most comfortable for you to play in a group or team?

What are strengths and weaknesses of role playing in groups?

How can your team enhance your strengths and minimize your weaknesses?