Chapter 8: Teamwork and Conflict Management

Question 1

A Good Team

Answer 1

• Open-minded to critism
• Flexible
• Synergetic
• Have a good leader
• Respecting other’s opinions
• Good communication

Question 2

Stages of team development

Answer 2

• Forming: All team members introduce themselves, exchange personal details, will discover their role in the team
• Storming: Friendships have formed, starts getting competitive for roles, manager must intercede to make sure there is compromise and separarion of personal agendas
• Norming: Team members are committed to working as a team, they have settled into their roles, communicate more freely
• Performing: There’s a higher awareness as to what needs to be done and how, members motivate each other, roles are more flexible, manager’s support is less focused on whole team and more on struggling individuals
• Adjourning: Once the goal has been achieved then the team no longer serves a purpose and thus dissolves, if team is strong enough then it will continue to work well even if certain members leave

Question 3

Team Dynamics

Answer 3

• The interaction between team member’s characteristics, personalities, and working relationships

Question 4

Belbin Theory

Thinkers

Answer 4

• Evaluator: A person who monitors situations to find opportunities and finds strategic ways to utilise those opportunities
• Plant: A creative person who thinks outside of the box and comes up with imaginative ways of solving problems
• Specialist: A person who possess a very unique skill that is hard to find and shares it with the team

Question 5

Belbin Theory

Task orientated

Answer 5

• The finnisher: Proactively looks for mistakes to make sure the finished product is delivered on time
• Implementor: Will turn ideas into practical action in a conservative and disciplined manner
• Shaper: Applies pressure and pushes others to overcome pressure

Question 6

Belbin Theory

People Orientated

Answer 6

• Resources Investigator: An extroverted person who creates connection with people to help with the task at
• Team Worker: Keeps everyone calm and controls conflict
• Coordinator: Is a leader who can delegate and make sure everyone understands the goals. Will make intervene and make decisions if necessary

Question 7

Conflict management - Reasons for conflict

Answer 7

• Poor communication
• Lack of resources/ poor distribution of resources
• Change
• Power struggle
• Different personalities
• Members not agreeing on the ranking of goals (prioritise their own things)
• One member not pulling their weight

Question 8

Conflict Management

Answer 8

• Functional
• Dysfunctional

Question 8

Conflict Management

Answer 8

• Functional
• Dysfunctional

Question 9

Functional Conflict

Answer 9

• If conflict is functional it may help the group come up with new ideas through debate
• When two groups are against each other they may develop a sense of identity and loyalty within that group as they feel its an “us vs them”
• If the root of the conflict is investigated, then a new problem may be discovered
• Conflict may cause people who have never spoken to each other to interact and find out how much they actually have in common and create better organisational vitality

Question 10

Dysfunctional Team

Answer 10

• When members get too caught up in wanting to be right that they forget about goals
• Creates negative organisational culture when its normal to fight all the time
• Reduces work morale and job satisfaction
• Members begin to think that their interest does not match everyone else’s and thus reduces the motivation to work together
• Increases hostility and aggressive behaviour
• Wastes valuable resources like time and energy

Question 11

Conflict management skills

Answer 11

• Manage stress properly (saying no, taking care of yourself)
• Crisis management (do not procrastinarte until the work becomes a crisis)
• Deal with change (communicate it to others, find silver-lining)