7 groups and teams Flashcards
What are the best tasks for teams?
The task is a whole process, instead of a part of it.
Team goals are clearly defined, and not just a juxtaposition of different goals.
The task has high levels of complexity and skill variety.
The task requires high interdependence levels, so members rely on each other’s efforts.
Groups v teams:
share info v collective performance
neutral synergy vs positive
individual accountability vs individual AND mutual
random and varied skills vs complementary
Types of teams:
1 problem solving
employees from the same department who met up for a few hours each week to discuss.
These teams rarely have the authority to implement the actions they discussed.
2 self managed
employees who perform highly related jobs, and take many of the responsibilities of supervisors.
3 cross-functional
workers of the same hierarchy, but from different work areas
4 virtual
5 multi-team
two or more interdependent teams.
Tuckman’s team development model
team must pass through 5 different stages:
Forming (discover expectations, test boundaries of behaviour) -> Storming (experience interpersonal conflict, compete for team roles, establish norms) -> Norming (establish roles, agree on objectives) -> Performing (become task oriented, resolve conflicts quickly) -> Adjouring (completed task)
classic model that the team passes from a certain task to another, completing a set of challenges and objectives in each stage before passing onto the next one.
Gersick’s team development model; Punctuated Equilibrium model
Temporary project teams have their own unit of actions.
- First meeting (sets the team direction).
- Transition (half of the allotted time has passed); performance increases.
- Phase 2 is followed thru thanks to the inertia.
- Acceleration at the end.
- Completion
both models combined:
First, we have again an initial phase triggered by that initial meeting, where we mix FORMING, NORMING AND PERFORMING.
Transition, including STORMING, which is positively oriented to task development.
Phase 2, FORMATTING, PERFORMING, occur because of of the former transition phase, which results in setting a new performance pace.
If the team approaches to the end, of the time allotted for the project, and the team has not finished with that project, then it will face another small transition phase associated with another STORMING stage that will help to set the final plateau of performance, and is associated norms in order to reach the required levels of performance.
Team Effectiveness Model
Antecedents (Context and Composition) -> Process -> Outcomes
Contextual team effectiveness antecedents
Adequate resources
Leadership and structure
performance evaluations and rewards
trust and psychological safety climateT
The most important factor contributing to team effectiveness is who you work with.
FALSE
it is psychological safety
Compositional team effectiveness antecedents
Team composition
abilities of members, allocating, personality, size of teams…
Diversity
As relationship based conflict increases, team decisions, creativity, etc…
…decreases.
As task based conflict increases, team decisions, creativity, etc…
increases up to a certain point, then decreases. inverted U shape
What is social loafing
tendency of individuals to expect to spend less effort when working collectively than alone.
time size up, effort down.
Solutions: creating more involving work settings, and make team members accountable
Why do teams fail?
- Inappropriate use of teams (better alone)
- Lack of support from organisation/leaders.
- Lack of tea direction.
- Process losses.
- Lack of tam member skills needed to perform the task.
- Unclear team membership.
For teams to function optimally, careful attention must be given to…
…hiring, creating, and rewarding team platers.
Better teams:
- Provide resources, leadership, safety climate.
- Smaller teams.
- Committed members, believing in the team.
- True team players.
