Managing groups and teams Flashcards
Define groups
A group can be defined as two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social relationships.
Define teams
A team is a group who work intensively with each other to achieve a specific common goal. Teamwork is the collaborative and coordinated effort of that group to achieve a common goal.
Conflict resolution
- Mediate: defusion/confrontation
- Arbitrate: judgment
- Control: cool down period
- Accept: unmanageable
- Eliminate: transfer
Define conflict
Conflict is a process that begins when you perceive that someone has frustrated or is about to frustrate a major concern of yours
Limitations of teams
- Unknown team dynamics
- Potential for abuse of power
- Cross-functional tensions
- Elitism
- Slower decision making
Advantages of teams
- Potential for improved performance
- Responsiveness to customers
- Innovation and creativity
- Improved knowledge sharing
- Integrated organisational culture
- Diversity economies
- Organisational re-engineering
- Improved motivation and morale
- Pushing boundaries
- Potential for improved efficiency
Reasons why teams fail
- Poorly developed or unclear goals
- Poorly defined project team roles and interdependencies
- Lack of project team motivation
- Poor communication
- Poor leadership
- Turnover among project team members
- Dysfunctional behavior.
Effective project teams
- Clear sense of mission
- Productive interdependence
- Cohesiveness
- Trust
- Enthusiasm
- Results orientation
Building high-performing teams
Make the project team tangible:
Publicity
Terminology & language
Reward good behavior:
Flexibility
Creativity
Pragmatism
Develop a personal touch:
Lead by example
Positive feedback for good performance
Accessibility and consistency
Types of teams
Self-managed teams Cross-functional teams Cross-cultural teams Research and development teams Project-based teams Virtual team: a team who are brought together to achieve specific aims and objectives but who are located remotely from each other and communicate via electronic media.
Group effectiveness
Group composition: mix of personalities, skills and experiences of members
Group norms: accepted norms of behavior and attitude that binds them in pursuit of a common cause
Group cohesiveness: extent of loyalty that members exhibit.
Tuckman’s model of group development
Forming: members become acquainted Storming: conflict begins Norming: members reach agreement Performing: members work together Adjourning: group disbands
Types of workgroups
Dependent work groups: groups of workers in a demarcated unit or department with a line manager
Independent work groups: each worker is assigned a task or job, line managers are more distant and less controlling in their management of workers than in dependent work groups.
Interdependent work groups: has a high level of co-dependence between workers. Collaboration is essential to complete the tasks or jobs.
Informal groups: not all teams are formally structured
