Groups and Teamwork: Chapter 6, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational Behaviour, Fourth Canadian Edition

Chapter 6
Groups and Teamwork
Chapter 6, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational Behaviour, Fourth Canadian Edition Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada
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Chapter Outline
Teams vs. Groups: Whats the Difference?
Why Have Teams Become So Popular? Types of Teams
From Individual to Team Member

Stages of Group and Team Development Creating Effective Teams Beware! Teams Arent Always the Answer
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Groups and Teamwork

1. What are teams and groups?
2. Does everyone use teams? 3. What kinds of teams are there?
4. How does one become a team player?

5. Do teams go through stages while they work? 6. How do we create effective teams? 7. Why select a team?
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Teams vs. Groups: Whats the Difference?

Groups
Two or more people with a common relationship.
Teams
A small number of people who work closely together toward a common objective and are accountable to one another.
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Exhibit 6-1 Four Types of Teams
Technology
Problem-solving
Self-managed
Cross-functional
Virtual
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Why Have Teams Become So Popular?

A Conference Board of Canada report found that more than 80 of it 109 respondents used teams. In the U.S.:
80 percent of Fortune 500 companies have half or more of their employees on teams 68 percent of small U.S. manufacturers use teams in their production area.
The extensive use of teams creates the potential for an organization to generate greater outputs with no increase in inputs.
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Types of Teams
Problem-Solving (Process-Improvement) 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. Quality Circles A work group of 8 to 10 employees and managers who meet regularly to discuss their quality problems, investigate causes, recommend solutions, and take corrective actions. Self-Managed (Self-Directed) Teams Groups of 10 to 15 people who take on responsibilities of their former managers.
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Exhibit 6-2 How a Typical Quality Circle Operates

Problem identification
Decision
Problem selection
Solutions reviewed
Problem review
Management and circle team members Circle team members
Solutions recommended
Management
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Types of Teams
Cross-Functional Teams
Employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
Skunkworks: Cross-functional teams that develop spontaneously to create new products or work on complex problems.
Virtual Teams
Use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal.
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Exhibit 6-3 An Illustration of Virtual Workspace
Source: Reprinted by permission of Shell Chemical LP.
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Roles
A role is a set of expected behaviour patterns associated with someone occupying a given position in a social unit.
Role expectations: How others believe a person should act in a given situation.
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Roles
Role Conflict
A situation in which an individual is confronted by divergent role expectations.
Role Ambiguity
A person is unclear about his or her role.
Role Overload
Too much is expected of someone.
Role Underload
Too little is expected of someone, and that person feels that he or she is not contributing to the group.
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Norms
Acceptable standards of behaviour within a group that are shared by the groups members.
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What Norms Cover

Performance
How hard to work, what kind of quality, levels of tardiness
Appearance
Personal dress, when to look busy, when to "goof off," how to show loyalty
Social arrangement
How team members interact
Allocation of resources
Pay, assignments, allocation of tools and equipment
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How Norms Develop

Explicit statements Critical events Initial patterns of behaviour Carry-over behaviour
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Why Norms Are Enforced

Facilitate group survival. Make behaviour predictable. Minimize embarrassment. Express central values. Clarify the groups identity.
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Conformity
Adjusting ones behaviour to align with the norms of the group People conform to reference groups
Important groups to which individuals belong or hope to belong
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Exhibit 6-4 Stages of Group Development
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Stages of Group and Team Development

Stage I: Forming
Characterized by much uncertainty
Stage II: Storming

Characterized by intragroup conflict
Stage III: Norming

Characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness
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Stages of Group Development

Stage IV: Performing
The stage when the group is fully functional
Stage V: Adjourning
The final stage in group development for temporary groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance
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Putting the Five-Stage Model Into Perspective

Groups do not necessarily progress clearly through the stages one at a time. Groups can sometimes go back to an earlier stage. Conflict can sometimes be helpful to the group. Context can matter: airline pilots can immediately reach performing stage.
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The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

Phase 1 The first meeting sets the groups direction. The first phase of group activity is one of inertia. Transition A transition takes place at the end of the first phase, which occurs exactly when the group has used up half its allotted time. The transition initiates major changes. Phase 2 A second phase of inertia follows the transition. Last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated activity.
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Exhibit 6-5 The PunctuatedEquilibrium Model

(High) Completion Phase 2 Performance
First Meeting Transition Phase 1
(Low) A (A+B)/2 Time

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Exhibit 6-6 Characteristics of an Effective Team

Clear purpose Informality Participation Listening Civilized disagreement Consensus decisions Open communication Clear rules and work assignments Shared leadership External relations Style diversity Self-assessment
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Source: G. M. Parker, Team Players and Teamwork: The New Competitive Business Strategy (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1990), Table 2, p. 33. Copyright 1990 by Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Exhibit 6-7 A Model of Team Effectiveness

Context
Adequate resources Leadership and structure Climate of trust Performance evaluation and rewards
Composition
Skills Personality Roles Diversity Size Member flexibility Member preference for teamwork
Team effectiveness
Work design
Autonomy Skill variety Task identity Task significance
Process
Common purpose Specific goals Team efficacy Managed level of conflict Accountability
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Creating Effective Teams Context

Adequate Resources Leadership and Structure Climate of Trust Performance Evaluation and Rewards
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Creating Effective Teams Composition

Skills Personality Roles Diversity Size Member Flexibility Members Preference for Teamwork
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Skills
Teams need the following skills to perform effectively:
Technical expertise Problem-solving and decision-making skills Interpersonal skills
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Roles
Task-oriented roles
Roles performed by group members to ensure that the tasks of the group are accomplished.
Maintenance roles
Roles performed by group members to maintain good relations within the group.
Individual roles
Roles performed by group members that are not productive for keeping the group on task.
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Exhibit 6-8 Roles That Build Task Accomplishment

Initiating Seeking information and opinions Providing information and opinions Clarifying Elaborating Summarizing Stating the goal or problem, making proposals about how to work on it, setting time limits Asking group members for specific factual information related to the task or problem Sharing information or opinions related to the task or problems Helping one another understand ideas and suggestions that come up in the group Building on one anothers ideas and suggestions Reviewing the points covered by the group and the different ideas stated so that decisions can be based on full information Periodic testing about whether the group is nearing a decision or needs to continue discussion
Consensus Testing
Source: Team Processes, in Managing for the Future, ed. D. Ancona, T. Kochan, M. Scully, J. Van Maanen, and D. E. Westney (Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing, 1996), p. 9. Chapter 6, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational Behaviour, Fourth Canadian Edition Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada
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Exhibit 6-8 Roles That Build and Maintain a Team

Harmonizing Compromising Gatekeeping Mediating conflict among other members, reconciling disagreements, relieving tensions Admitting error at times of group conflict Making sure all members have a chance to express their ideas and feelings and preventing members from being interrupted Helping a group member make his or her point. Establishing a climate of acceptance in the group
Encouraging
Source: Team Processes, in Managing for the Future, ed. D. Ancona, T. Kochan, M. Scully, J. Van Maanen, and D. E. Westney (Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing, 1996), p. 9.
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Diversity
Impact of diverse groups
Diversity in personality, age, gender, and experience promotes conflict, which stimulates creativity and idea generation, which leads to improved decision making. Cultural diversity in groups initially leads to more difficulty in building cohesion, gaining satisfaction, being productive.
Problems pass with time (certainly by three months). Culturally diverse groups bring more viewpoints out.
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Exhibit 6-9 Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity

Advantages
Multiple perspectives Greater openness to new ideas Multiple interpretations Increased creativity Increased flexibility Increased problemsolving skills
Disadvantages
Ambiguity Complexity Confusion Miscommunication Difficulty in reaching a single agreement Difficulty in agreeing on specific actions
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Source: Adapted from N. J. Adler, International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, 4th ed., p. 109. Copyright 2002. By permission of South-Western College Publishing, a division of International Thomson Publishing, Cincinnati, OH 45227. Chapter 6, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Organizational Behaviour, Fourth Canadian Edition Copyright 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Group Size
Research shows that:
Smaller groups are faster at completing tasks. When problem solving, larger groups do better.
Social Loafing
The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually. To reduce social loafing, teams should not be larger than necessary, and individuals should be held accountable for their actions.
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Team Member Attributes

Member Flexibility
The ability of team members to complete each others tasks.
Members Preference for Teamwork

Team members who would prefer to work on their own threaten the teams morale.
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Creating Effective Teams Work Design

Effective teams need to work together and take collective responsibility to complete significant tasks. They must be more than a team-in-name-only.
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Creating Effective Teams Process

Common Purpose Specific Goals Team Efficacy Managed Level of Conflict Accountability
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Exhibit 6-10 Relationship Between Group Cohesiveness, Performance Norms, and Productivity
High
Cohesiveness
Low
Performance Norms
High
High productivity
Moderate productivity
Low
Low productivity
Moderate to low productivity

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Beware! Teams Arent Always the Answer

Teams work best when the answer is yes:
Can the work be done better by more than one person? Does work create a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals? Are members of the group interdependent?
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Summary and Implications

1. What are teams and groups? Groups are simply the sum of individual efforts. Teams generate positive synergy through coordinated efforts. 2. Does everyone use teams? Teams have become an essential part of the way business is being done, with a large majority of companies now using them. 3. What kinds of teams are there? Four most common forms: problem-solving (processimprovement); self-managed (self-directed); cross-functional (project); virtual teams.
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4. How does one become a team player?
Individuals on a team need to understand their roles and then work together to create a set of group norms. Two different models were presented:
The five stage model: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning The punctuated-equilibrium model: describes the pattern of development of specific to temporary groups with deadlines
5. Do teams go through stages while they work?
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6. How do we create effective teams?
For teams to be effective, careful consideration must be given to resources, the teams composition, work design, and process variables Ask
Can the work be done better by more than one person? Does the work create a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals? Are the member of the group interdependent?
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7. Are teams always the answer?
OB at Work
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For Review
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Contrast self-managed and cross-functional teams. Contrast virtual and face-to-face teams. How do norms develop in a team? What are the characteristics of important norms? Describe the five-stages of group development.
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For Review
6. Describe the punctuated-equilibrium model of group development. 7. What is the difference between task-oriented roles and maintenance roles? 8. Contrast the pros and cons of having diverse teams. 9. What are the effects of team size on performance? 10. How can a team minimize social loafing?
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For Critical Thinking

1. Identify five roles you play. What behaviours do they require? Are any of these roles in conflict? If so, in what way? How do you resolve these conflicts? 2. How could you use the punctuated-equilibrium model to better understand team behaviour? 3. Have you experienced social loafing as a team member? What did you do to prevent this problem? 4. Would you prefer to work alone or as part of a team? Why? How do you think your answer compares with that of others in your class? 5. What effect, if any, do you think workforce diversity has on a teams performance and satisfaction?
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Sports Teams as Models

Good Models

membership. Successful teams debrief after failures and successes.
Poor Models Successful teams integrate. All sport teams arent cooperation and competition. alike. Successful teams score early Work teams are more wins. varied and complex. Successful teams avoid losing A lot of employees cant streaks. relate to sports metaphors. Practice makes perfect. Successful teams use halftime Work team outcomes breaks. arent easily defined in Winning teams have a stable terms of wins and losses.
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HR Implications
Turning Individuals into Team Players
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Shaping Team Players

Selection
Care should be taken to ensure that candidates can fulfill their team roles as well as technical requirements.
Training
A large proportion of people raised on the importance of individual accomplishment can be trained to become team players.
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Performance Evaluation
Performance as a team member has to be evaluated alongside individual performance.
Tie the teams results to the organizations goals. Begin with the teams customers and the work process that the team follows. Measure both team and individual performance. Train the team to create its own measures.
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Rewards
Reward systems needs to be reworked to encourage cooperative efforts rather than competitive ones.
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Breakout Group Exercises

Form small groups to discuss the following topics.
1. One of the members of your team continually arrives late for meetings and does not turn drafts of assignments in on time. In general this group member is engaging in social loafing. What can the members of your group do to reduce social loafing? 2. Consider a team with which youve worked. Was there more emphasis on task-oriented or maintenance-oriented roles? What impact did this have on the groups performance? 3. Identify 4 or 5 norms that a team could put into place near the beginning of its life that might help the team function better over time.
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Paper Tower Exercise

Step 1 (10 minutes): Each group will receive 20 index cards, 12 paper clips, and 2 marking pens (1 red, 1 green). Using these materials you will build a paper tower that will be judged on: height, stability, and beauty. Plan your construction. No building allowed. Step 2 (15 minutes): Construct the tower. Be sure to put your group number somewhere on the tower. Step 3 (5 minutes): Towers will be delivered to the front of the room, where they will be judged by the class.
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Paper Tower Questions

Step 4: In small groups, discuss the following questions: a. What percent of the plan did each member of group contribute, on average? b. Did your group have a leader? Why or why not? c. How did the group respond to ideas during the planning stage? d. To what extent did you follow the five-step model of group development? e. List helpful behaviours? Explain. f. List dysfunctional behaviours? Explain.
Source: This exercise is based on The Paper Tower Exercise: Experiencing Leadership and Group Dynamics, by Phillip L. Hunsaker and Johanna S. Hunsaker, unpublished manuscript. A brief description is included in Exchange, The Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal 4, no. 2 (1979), p. 49. Reprinted by permission of the authors. The materials list was suggested by Professor Sally Maitlis, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia.
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Conducting a Team Meeting

12 steps to more efficient and effective meetings: 1. Prepare a meeting agenda. 2. Distribute the agenda in advance. 3. Consult with participants before the meeting. 4. Get participants to go over the agenda. 5. Establish specific time parameters. 6. Maintain focused discussion. 7. Encourage and support participation of all members. 8. Maintain a balanced style. 9. Encourage the clash of ideas. 10. Discourage the clash of personalities. 11. Be an effective listener. 12. Bring proper closure.
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Chapter 6

Groups and Teamwork

From Individual to Team Member

Groups and Teamwork

4. How does one become a team player?

Teams vs. Groups: Whats the Difference?

Exhibit 6-1 Four Types of Teams

Why Have Teams Become So Popular?

Exhibit 6-2 How a Typical Quality Circle Operates

Management and circle team members Circle team members

Exhibit 6-3 An Illustration of Virtual Workspace

Source: Reprinted by permission of Shell Chemical LP.

What Norms Cover

How Norms Develop

Why Norms Are Enforced

Exhibit 6-4 Stages of Group Development

Stages of Group and Team Development

Stage II: Storming

Stage III: Norming

Stages of Group Development

Putting the Five-Stage Model Into Perspective

The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

Exhibit 6-5 The PunctuatedEquilibrium Model

First Meeting Transition Phase 1

(Low) A (A+B)/2 Time

Exhibit 6-6 Characteristics of an Effective Team

Exhibit 6-7 A Model of Team Effectiveness

Creating Effective Teams Context

Creating Effective Teams Composition

Exhibit 6-8 Roles That Build Task Accomplishment

Exhibit 6-8 Roles That Build and Maintain a Team

Exhibit 6-9 Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity

Team Member Attributes

Members Preference for Teamwork

Creating Effective Teams Work Design

Creating Effective Teams Process

Moderate to low productivity

Beware! Teams Arent Always the Answer

Summary and Implications

Summary and Implications

5. Do teams go through stages while they work?

Summary and Implications

7. Are teams always the answer?

For Critical Thinking

Sports Teams as Models

membership. Successful teams debrief after failures and successes.

Shaping Team Players

Shaping Team Players

Shaping Team Players

Breakout Group Exercises

Paper Tower Exercise

Paper Tower Questions

Conducting a Team Meeting

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