Managing Teams

Managing Teams

1. Groups and Group Development

   • A group is defined as two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve specific goals
     • Formal groups are work groups that are defined by the organization’s structure
     • Informal groups are social groups.
     • Stages of Group Development
       • 1, Forming Stage 2. Storming Stage 3. Norming Stage 4. Performing Stage 5. Adjourning Stage

2. Work Group Performance and Satisfaction

   • External Conditions Imposed on the Group
     • the organization’s strategy, authority relationships, formal rules and regulations, availability of resources
   • Group Member Resources
     • knowledge, abilities, skills, and personality traits

3. Group Structure

   • The structure defines roles, norms, conformity, status systems, group size, group cohesiveness, and leadership
     • aspects of group structure (Roles, norms, conformity, status system, Group size, Group Cohensivness, Group processes, Group Decision Making)
       • Group Confilct
         • traditional view of conflict argues that conflict must be avoided
         • human relations view of conflict, argues that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group has potential to be a positive force in contributing to a group’s performance
         • interactionist view of conflict The view that some conflict is necessary for a group to perform effectively
         • functional conflicts Conflicts that support a group’s goals and improve its performance
         • dysfunctional conflicts Conflicts that prevent a group from achieving its goals
         • task conflict Conflicts over content and goals of the work
         • relationship conflict Conflict based on interpersonal relationships
         • process conflict Conflict over how work gets done

4. Turning Groups into Effective Teams

   • work teams are groups whose members work intensely on a specific, common goal using their positive synergy, individual and mutual accountability, and complementary skills.
   • Types of Work Teams
     • problem-solving team A team from the same department or functional area that’s involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems
     • self-managed work team A type of work team that operates without a manager and is responsible for a complete work process or segment
     • cross-functional team A work team composed of individuals from various functional specialties
     • virtual team A type of work team that uses technology to link physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal
   • Creating Effective Work Teams
     • 1. clear goals 2. relevant skills 3. mutual trust, 4. unified commitment, 5. good communication, 6. negotiating skills. 7. appropriate internal and external support.