Team Management

Groups in Organizations Definitions  Group 

Two or more people interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to accomplish specific goals

Groups & Teams in Organizations Types of Groups

 Functional or Command or Formal Group 

A group determined by the organizational structure to accomplish a number of organizational tasks with an indefinite time horizon. The individuals report directly to a given manager.

 Informal or interest or Social Group 

Created by its members of common interest and friendships for purposes that may or may not be relevant to the organization

 Task Group 

A group created by the organization to accomplish a relatively narrow range of purposes within a stated time horizon

Teams in Organizations Definitions  Team 

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A group of workers who function as a unit, often with little or no supervision, to carry out work-related activities Organizations create teams to give more responsibility to workers, to empower workers, to allow the organization to capitalize on the workers’ knowledge and motivation, and to shed bureaucracy and promote flexibility Sometimes are called self-managed teams, crossfunctional teams, or high performance teams.

Groups & Teams in Organizations Types of Teams  Problem solving team 

Comprises knowledge workers who gather to solve a specific problem, then disband

 Management team 

Consists mainly of managers from various functions, who coordinate work among other teams

Groups & Teams in Organizations of Teams…continued Types Work team 

Responsible for the daily work of the organization and, when empowered, are self-managed teams

 Virtual team  Members interact via computer  Quality circle 

Consists of workers and supervisors, who meet to discuss workplace problems

Groups & Teams in Organization Why People Join  Interpersonal attraction  People are attracted to one another  Group activities 

Activities of the group appeal to them

 Group goals  Group’s goals motivate them  Need satisfaction 

Satisfies an individual’s need for affiliation

 Instrumental benefits  Membership provides other benefits

Forming Members get acquainted test interpersonal behaviors

Stages of Group Developmen t

Slow evolution to next stage Storming Members develop group structure and patterns of interaction Burst of activity to next stage Norming Members share acceptance of roles, sense of unity Slow evolution to next stage Performing Members enact roles, direct effort toward goal attainment and performance

Stages of Group Development

Forming includes:

Two stages: joining the group – people join formally because of some task assignments  defining the group’s purpose, structure and leadership – great deal of uncertainty as members “test the water” Storming includes:  Defensiveness, competition, and factions i.e, intragroup conflicts  Arguing among members, even when they agree 

Stages of Group Development

Norming includes: 

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Establishing and maintaining team ground rules, common set of expectations regarding member behavior Strong sense of group identity, camaraderie and cohesiveness

Performing includes: 

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Ability of the group/team to prevent or work through problems Close attachment to the team

Adjourning includes:

Stages of Group Develo pment

Source: Van Fleet, David D., and Tim Peterson, Contemporary Management, Third Edition. Copyright © 1994 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Used with permission.

Characteristics of Teams 

Role 

The part an individual plays in helping the group reach its goals. 

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Task-specialist—role concentrating on getting the group’s tasks accomplished. Socioemotional role—providing social and emotional support to others on the team.

Characteristics of Teams 

Role Structures 

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The set of defined roles and interrelationships among those roles that the group or team members define and accept. A result of role episodes in which the expected role is translated and defined into the enacted role. Role ambiguity—occurs when the sent role is unclear.

Characteristics of Teams 

The Development of a Role 

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The first two stages of role development are group processes as the group members let the individuals know what is expected of them. The other two parts are individual processes as the new group members perceive and enact their roles.

Expected role

Sent role

Perceived role

Enacted role

Characteristics of Teams 

Role Structures 

Role conflict—occurs when the messages and cues comprising the sent role are clear but contradictory or mutually exclusive.  

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Interrole conflict is the result of a conflict between roles. Intrarole conflict is caused by conflicting demands from different sources. Intrasender conflict arises when a single source sends contradictory messages. Person-role conflict is the discrepancy between role requirements and an individual’s values, attitudes, and needs.

Characteristics of Teams 

Role Structures 

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Role ambiguity – When the sent role is unclear Role overload— occurs when role expectations exceed an individual’s capacities.

Characteristics of Teams 

Implications 

Avoid role ambiguity, conflict, and overload by: 

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Having clear and reasonable expectations of employees. Sending clear and straightforward role cues. Taking into account the employee’s other roles and personal value system. Recognizing an individual’s capabilities and limits.

Characteristics of Teams 

Behavioral Norms 

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Norms are standards of behavior that a group accepts and expects of its members. Norms define the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. 

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Norm generalization—the norms of one group cannot always be generalized to another group. Norm variation—norms and their application vary within a group or team.

Characteristics of Teams 

Behavioral Norms 

Norm conformity — individuals conform as response to: 

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Group or team pressure to conform to group behavior. An initial (ambiguous) stimulus prompting group behavior. Individual traits that reflect their propensity to conform. The influence of situational factors (e.g., group size and unanimity).

Characteristics of Teams 

Behavioral Norms 

Individual responses to norm conformity:  

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Adopt the norms of the group. Try to obey the “spirit” of the norms while retaining individuality.

Socialization 

Norm conformity that occurs when a person makes the transition from being an outsider to being an insider in the organization.

Group Cohesiveness Cohesiveness – The extent to which members are loyal and committed to the group; the degree of mutual attractiveness within group. Factorsthe increasing cohesiveness

Factors reducing cohesiveness

 Intergroup competition

 Group size

 Personal attraction

 Disagreement on goals

 Favorable evaluation  Agreement on goals  Interaction

 Intragroup competition  Domination  Unpleasant experiences

Characteristics of Teams 

Consequences of Cohesiveness The interaction between cohesiveness and performance norms  The best situation is Moderate High high cohesiveness performance performance combined with high performance 

Performance norms

High

Low Low

Low performance

Lowest performance

Cohesiveness

High

Characteristics of Teams 

Formal and Informal Leadership 

Informal leader 

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A person who engages in leadership activities but whose right to do so has not been formally recognized by the organization or group. An informal leader, ideally, may also be the formal leader for the group or he may supplement the formal leader in fulfilling leadership roles. Informal leaders draw on referent or expert power to establish themselves as leaders.

Characteristics of Teams (cont’d) 

Formal and Informal Leadership 

Formal leader 

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A person who has been elected or designated to engage in leadership activities by the group members A person who has been formally appointed or recognized by the organization as the leader for the group.

Group and Team Decision Making in Organizations 

The most common method of group and team decision making are:   

Interacting groups Delphi groups Nominal groups.

Group Decision Making Advantages

Disadvantages

More information & knowledge are available

The process takes longer, so it is more costly

More alternatives are likely to be generated More acceptance of the final decision is likely Enhanced communication of the decision may result Better decisions

Compromise decisions due to indecisiveness may emerge One person may dominate the group Groupthink may occur

Groupthin k

A situation that occurs when a group or team’s desire for consensus and cohesiveness overwhelms its desire to reach the best Source: Gregory Moorhead, Group & possible Organizations Studies (Vol.decision. 7, No. 4), pp. 

429-444. Copyright © 1982 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc.

Managing Group and Team Decision-Making Processes Promoting the Effectiveness of Group and Team Decision Making: 

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Be aware of the pros and cons of having a group or team make a decision. Set deadlines for when decisions must be made. Avoid problems with dominance by managing group membership. Hold a follow-up meeting to recheck the decision.

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Have each group member individually and critically evaluate all alternatives. As a manager, do not make your position known too early. Appoint a group member to be a “devil’s advocate.”

Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict 

The Nature of Conflict 

Conflict 

A disagreement between two or more individuals, groups, or organizations.

Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict 

The Nature of Conflict 

There is an optimal level of conflict in an organization: 

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Too little conflict and the organization becomes complacent and apathetic, and lacks innovation and underperforms. Too much conflict creates a dysfunctional organization where hostility and non-cooperation dominate, and the organization suffers from low performance. A moderate level of conflict in an organization fosters motivation, creativity, innovation, and initiative and can raise performance.

Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict

The Nature of Organizational Conflict High Performance

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Low Low

Optimal level of conflict

Conflict

High

Interpersonal and Intergroup Conflict 

Interpersonal Conflict  

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Personality clash Differing beliefs or perceptions Competitiveness

Intergroup Conflict   

Interdependence Different goals Competition for scarce resources

Causes of Conflict 

Conflict Between Organization and the Environment 

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Conflict with competition Conflict with consumer groups Conflict with employees

Causes and Consequences of Conflict

Source: Van Fleet, David D., and Tim Peterson, Contemporary Management, Third Edition. Copyright © 1994 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Used with permission.

Managing Conflict in Organizations 

Methods for Managing Conflict

Stimulating conflict Increase competition among individuals and teams Hire outsiders to shape things up Change established procedures

Controlling conflict Expand resource base Enhance coordination of interdependence Set supraordinate goals Match personalities and work habits of employee

Resolving and eliminating conflict Avoid conflict Convince conflicting parties to compromise Bring conflicting parties together to confront and negotiate conflict