Team Organization Flashcards
Team Purpose: Describe why teams are an effective way to identify and solve problems, and describe when, where, why, and how teams can be used effectively.
When: Teams help when a task is complex and/or process involved is cross-functional, Creativity is needed, the path forward is unclear, Fast learning is necessary, High commitment is desirable, Stakeholders have an interest in the outcome, No individual has sufficient knowledge to solve the problem.
Where: Achieving an objective involves more than one organizational function, some degree of isolation from the mainstream work is desirable, or specially trained and experienced people are “on call” when a specific need arises.
Why: Teams are used to improve a process, complete a project, solve a problem, accomplish an objective, participate in a competitive sport
How: Combines individuals’ knowledge, experience, skills, aptitude, and attitude to achieve a synergistic effect
Value of Teams: Explain how a team’s efforts can support an organization’s key strategies and effect positive change throughout the organization.
- Provide return on investment (ROI)
- Improve customer satisfaction
- Meet and exceed management expectations
- Launch new processes/products
- Improve a key process
- Increase core competency of the business
- Reduce waste and excess variation
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe the roles and responsibilities of various team stakeholders, such as sponsor, champion, facilitator, team leader, team member, scribe, and timekeeper.
Sponsor: Backer; risk taker; sponsors the project
Champion: Advocate; removes barriers to change
Facilitator: Helper; trainer; advisor; coach
Team leader: Change agent; chair; head
Team member: Participants; subject matter expert
Scribe: Recorder; note taker
Timekeeper: Gatekeeper; monitor
Initiating Teams: Apply the elements of launching and sustaining a successful team, including establishing a clear purpose and goals, developing ground rules and schedules, gaining support from management, and obtaining commitment from team members.
- Pupose must be clearly understood for the team and be communicated to all individuals and organizations potentially impacted by the work of the team.
- Must be provided with or generate a mission statement and a clear goal/ the expected outcome of the team’s efforts.
- Must document objectives, with timelines and measurement criteria.
- Must have the support of management, including the needed resources to achieve the goal.
- Must have defined ground rules and schedules under which it will operate.
- Must be empowered to perform its scheduled activities.
- Must build into its plans a means for interim measurement of progress and the means for improving its performance.
- Must commit to achieving its mission, goals, and objectives.
- Sponsor must provide a mechanism for recognizing efforts and outcomes of the team’s activities.
Selecting Team Members: Describe how to select team members based on knowledge, skill sets, and team logistics such as adequate number of members in relation to the size or scope of the project, appropriate representation from affected departments or areas and diversity.
The right team consists of a good representation of people who work inside the boundaries of the process and have an intimate knowledge of the way it works.
The key factor is that the people selected for the team should be closely involved in the process that is being improved.
The most highly skilled team members who are typically affective in their jobs should be selected as team members. Ideally, when actual process workers are on a team.
