Lesson 8: Norms and Cohesion

Question 1

How do NORMS work in teams?

Answer 1

• Behaviour expected of team members.
• Rules or standards that guide behaviour.
• When a norm is violated there may be reprimands

Question 2

How do PERFORMANCE NORMS work in teams? give examples

Answer 2

Define the level of work effort and performance that team members are expected to contribute to the team task.

Ex: participation, time, quality, innovation, helpfulness, etc…

Question 3

How does COHESIVENESS work in teams?

Answer 3

• The degree to which members are attracted to and motivated to remain part of a team.
• Can be beneficial if paired with positive performance norms.

Question 4

What is Task Activities? and examples

Answer 4

Actions by team members that contribute directly to team’s performance purpose.

Include:
- Initiating
- Information sharing
- Summarizing
- Elaborating
- Opinion giving

Question 5

What is Maintenance Activities?

Answer 5

Support emotional life of a team as an ongoing social system.

Include:
- Supportive
- Encouraging
- Following
- Harmonizing
- Reducing tension (“smoothing things over”)

Question 6

What are the three communication networks? Explain them.

Answer 6

Decentralized
- All members communicate directly with one another.

Centralized
- Activities are coordinated and results pooled by central point of control.

Restricted
- Separate groups that do not work together and in disagreements with one another
- Slow task accomplishment