Chapter Fifteen Effective Groups and Teams Mc GrawHillIrwin

Chapter Fifteen Effective Groups and Teams Mc. Graw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Groups, Teams and Organizational Effectiveness Ø Group ≈ Two or more people who interact with each other to accomplish certain goals or meet certain needs. 15 -2

Groups, Teams and Organizational Effectiveness Ø Team ≈ A group whose members work intensely with each other to achieve a specific, common goal or objective. ≈ All teams are groups but not all groups are teams. § Teams often are difficult to form. § It takes time for members to learn how to work together. 15 -3

Groups’ and Teams’ Contributions to Organizational Effectiveness Figure 15. 1 15 -4

Groups and Teams as Performance Enhancers Ø Advantage of synergy ≈ People working in a group are able to produce more outputs than would have been produced if each person had worked separately 15 -5

Groups and Teams and Responsiveness to Customers Ø Responsiveness to Customers ≈ May be difficult to achieve given the many constraints. ≈ Cross-functional teams can provide the wide variety of skills needed to meet customer demands. § Teams consist of members of different departments. 15 -6

Teams and Innovation Ø Innovation ≈ The creative development of new products, new technologies, new services, or new organizational structures § Individuals rarely possess the wide variety of skills needed for successful innovation. § Team members can uncover each other’s flaws and balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses 15 -7

Groups and Teams as Motivators Ø Members of groups, and particularly teams, are often better motivated and satisfied than individuals. ≈ Team members are motivated and satisfied than if they were working alone. 15 -8

The Types of Groups and Teams in Organizations Figure 15. 2 15 -9

The Types of Groups and Teams Ø Formal Group ≈ A group that managers establish to achieve organization goals. Ø Informal Group ≈ A group that managers or nonmanagerial employees form to help achieve their own goals or to meet their own needs. 15 -10

The Types of Groups and Teams 15 -11

The Types of Groups and Teams 15 -12

Student Teams Ø Develop skills necessary to work within heterogeneous teams w/ unstructured team dynamics ≈ Learn to assume leadership positions not formally granted by org ≈ Practice effective persuasion skills in order to convince other members to choose certain options in task accomplishment ≈ Motivate others wo/ formal reward system 15 -13

Group Size Ø Advantage of small groups ≈ Interact more with each other and easier to coordinate their efforts ≈ More motivated, satisfied, and committed ≈ Easier to share information ≈ Better able to see the importance of their personal contributions 15 -14

Group Tasks Ø Task interdependence ≈ degree to which the work performed by one member of the group influences the work performed by other members 15 -15

Types of Task Interdependence Figure 15. 3 15 -16

Group Roles Ø Group Roles ≈ The set of behaviors and tasks that a group member is expected to perform because of his or her position in the group. 15 -17

Group Roles Ø In cross-functional teams, members are expected to perform roles in their specialty. Ø Managers should clearly describe expected roles to group members when they are assigned to the group. Ø Role-making occurs as workers take on more responsibility in their roles as group members. Ø Self-managed teams may assign the roles to members themselves. 15 -18

Group Leadership Ø Effective leadership is a key ingredient in high performing groups, teams, and organizations. Ø Formal groups created by an organization have a leader appointed by the organization. Ø Groups that evolve independently in an organization have an informal leader recognized by the group. 15 -19

The Stages of Group Development Figure 15. 4 15 -20

Stages of Group Development Ø Forming ≈ Group members get to know each other and reach common understanding Ø Storming ≈ Group members experience conflict because some members do not wish to submit to demands of other group members § Self-managed teams particularly vulnerable Ø Norming ≈ Close ties and consensus begin to develop between group members. 15 -21

Stages of Group Development Ø Performing ≈ The group begins to do its real work. Ø Adjourning ≈ Only for task forces that are temporary ≈ Group is dispersed 15 -22

Group Norms Ø Group Norms ≈ Shared guidelines or rules for behavior that most group members follow Ø Managers should encourage members to develop norms that contribute to group performance and the attainment of group goals 15 -23

Group Dynamics Ø Conformity and Deviance ≈ Members conform to norms to obtain rewards, imitate respected members, and because they feel the behavior is right. ≈ When a member deviates, other members will try to make them conform, expel the member, or change the group norms to accommodate them. 15 -24

Balancing Conformity and Deviance in Groups Figure 15. 5 15 -25

Sources and Consequences of Group Cohesiveness Figure 15. 6 15 -26

Factors Leading to Group Cohesiveness 15 -27

Managing Groups and Teams for High Performance Ø Motivating group members to achieve organizational goals: ≈ Members should benefit when the group performs well—rewards can be monetary or in other forms such as special recognition. ≈ Individual compensation is a combination of both individual and group performance. 15 -28

Managing Groups and Teams for High Performance Ø Social loafing ≈ The tendency of individuals to put forth less effort in a group than individually. ≈ Results in possibly lower group performance and failure to attain group goals 15 -29

Three Ways to Reduce Social Loafing Figure 15. 7 15 -30

Team Building Ø Any formal intervention directed toward improving development and functioning of work team ≈ Role definition: clarifying obligations, norms ≈ Interpersonal process: building trust and open communication (e. g. , wilderness activities) ≈ Goal setting: clarifying goals, increase goal motivation ≈ Problem-solving: improve team’s decision process 15 -31