MGMT 3080
05
Team Cohesiveness
Key Points
Team Cohesiveness – the degree of attraction people feel towards the team and their motivation to
remain members.

cohesion is an emotional experience – not a calculated decision to stay or leave

people feel cohesion when they believe the team will help them achieve personal success
SIX FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO TEAM COHESIVENESS
1. Member Similarity

homogeneous teams become cohesive more easily than diverse teams

find it easier to agree on objectives and behaviours

diverse groups are susceptible to “faultlines”

though diverse heterogeneous teams are usually more effective than homogeneous teams
2. Team Size

smaller teams are more cohesive than larger teams

key is having the smallest number of people while still having sufficient members to achieve
objective
3. Member Interaction

teams are more cohesive when they physically interact fairly regularly
4. Somewhat Difficult Entry

teams are more cohesive when it is somewhat difficult to join

challenges new members without distancing them

existing members feel privileged if new members must “pass the test”
5. Team Success

cohesiveness increases with team’s level of success

no one wants to be part of a loosing team

individuals are more likely to associate their personal social identity to a successful team

can get a spiral effect from success .. leads to cohesiveness .. leads to more success
6. External Competition and Challenges

team cohesiveness increases when members face a challenge

especially if team is seen as able to overcome the challenge an individual may not be able to face

team membership can also be seen as a social support network
source: Canadian Organizational Behaviour – Steven L McShane
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