Working in Teams A brief introduction to teams

Working in Teams A brief introduction to teams and teamwork Corinne Weisgerber, Ph. D. cweisgerber@rice. edu

Importance of Team Skills Sample of Required Job Qualifications: – “Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team setting” – “Ability to work with moderate supervision on multidisciplinary teams is desired” – “Possess good communication (oral and written) skills and be able to work well in a team environment” – “Must be a team player”

Advantages of Team Work Teams outperform their best member ? % 97 of the time. Especially if composed of: – – competent motivated diverse trained individuals Michaelsen, L. K. , Watson, W. E. , & Black, R. H. (1989)

What is a Team? A diverse group of people who: – share leadership responsibilities – work towards a mutually defined goal – are interdependent – work within the context of a larger group or system – have created an identity

Model of a 3 Person Team Goals Member Task Functions Maintenance Functions Lumdsen, G, & Lumdsen, D (1993)

Task & Maintenance Functions of a Team Task Functions: – Interactions that focus on accomplishing the task (giving & seeking info, evaluating, elaborating, etc. ) Maintenance Functions: – Interactions that focus on the relationships between members (establishing norms, gatekeeping, supporting, etc. )

The Successful Team Accomplishes team goals by balancing task & maintenance functions through effective communication. Team Goals Member Task Functions Maintenance Functions

The Successful Team 1. Makes decisions collectively 2. Collaborates 3. Appreciates conflict or differences 4. Balances participation 5. Stays focused on goals 6. Engages in open communication 7. Supports each other 8. Creates team spirit Adapted from: Aldridge, M. D. , & Lewis, P. M. (1997)

Some Practical Tips: • Take time to figure out your task/goal • Make sure everyone is clear about it • Plan how you will reach your goal • Make sure roles & norms are understood • Plan ahead • Help each other meet group goals