Chapter 13
Teams, Groups, and
Teamwork
Self-Managed
Work Teams




Responsible for an entire work process
or segment that delivers a product or
service
Members are typically generalists, and
receive training in team skills
Empowered to share many
management and leadership functions
High caliber employees required
2
Project Teams





Do not follow typical chain of command
Staffed with people from functions
Project managers coordinate people
and material needed for mission
Members can be from same or different
functions
A task force is a smaller project working
against a deadline
3
Cross-Functional Team





Blends the talents from different
specialties to accomplish a task
Members must develop broad
perspective
Typical purpose is product development
Team leader needs technical and
process skills
Collaboration within group is needed
4
Top Management
Teams




The team makes big decisions
collaboratively to function as true team.
A few companies use co-CEO setup,
with separate responsibilities for both.
Power can be shared by one executive
being CEO and the other chairperson.
Criticism: one executive should have
final say.
5
Virtual Teams





Collaborate electronically rather than
face to face meetings.
Collaboration software and
videoconferencing are quite helpful.
Intranet might be used for the project.
Useful for cross-cultural teams and
geographically dispersed workers.
Trusting each other is crucial.
6
Characteristics of
Effective Work Group
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Enriched job design
A feeling of empowerment
Interdependence of tasks and rewards
Right mix and size (small enough to
be fed on two large pizzas!)
Emotional intelligence (build
relationships, manage emotion well)
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Characteristics of Effective
Work Group, continued
Support for the work group
7.
Effective processes within the group
(such as high team spirit)
8.
Follows processes and procedures
9.
Familiarity with jobs, coworkers, and
the environment (relevant experience
is helpful)
Effective leadership is key supplement.
6.
8
Stages of Group
Development
Stage 1: Forming (learn the tasks)
Stage 2: Storming (shakedown period,
often with coalitions and cliques)
Stage 3: Norming (group standards of
conduct emerge)
Stage 4: Performing (focus on tasks)
Stage 5: Adjourning (goodbye for now)
9
Managerial Actions
for Building Teamwork
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Agree on what constitutes success.
Compete against external enemy.
Promote the norm of collaboration,
including use of teamwork words.
Use consensus decision-making.
Feed group new information.
Use some in-group jargon.
10
Managerial Actions to Promote
Teamwork, continued
Minimize micromanagement
8.
Reward team as well as individuals.
9.
Publish team book with one-page
biographies.
10. Show respect for team members.
11. Send members to outdoor training
(cooking gourmet meals is in).
Pick and choose from tactics 1-11.
7.
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Task-Related Aspects
of Team Play
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Possess and share technical expertise.
Assume responsibility for problems.
Be willing to commit to team goals.
Be able to see the big picture.
Be willing to ask tough questions.
Be willing to try something new.
12
People-Related
Aspects of Team Play
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Trust team members.
Share credit.
Recognize the interests and
achievements of others.
Listen actively and share information.
Give and receive criticism.
Don’t rain on his or her parade.
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Potential Problems of Team
and Groups

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Group polarization (may shift to
extreme position)
Social loafing (shirking responsibility)
Limited accountability (group is rarely
blamed for failures)
Career retardation (some individualism
needed for career success)
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Positive Consequences
of Conflict

a.
b.
c.
d.
In limited doses conflict can increase:
Creativity (Talents and abilities rise.)
Effort (Spurred to new heights of
performance.)
Diagnostic information (What went
wrong?)
Group cohesion (A nice fight helps.)
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Methods of Conflict
Resolution

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

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Forcing (dominate other side)
Accommodation (appease other side)
Sharing (results in compromise)
Collaboration (win-win to fully satisfy
both sides; confrontation and problem
solving)
Avoiding (indifference to both parties)
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