Organizational Teams
Chapter 12
Overview
Preponderance of Teams
 Organizational Small Groups
 Characteristics of Groups
 Relational Communication in Groups
 Decision Making
 Ethics and GDSS
 Effective Teams
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Preponderance of Teams
 Teams,
Committees, Small Groups
 Decision Making
 Planning
 Policy Implementation
 Innovation
 Conflict Management
Organizational Small Groups
Three or more individuals who meet to work
on a common goal
 Members have a stake in the outcome
 Sharp focus and coordinated efforts
 Link employees to organization and
increases loyalty
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Identify more with team than with organization
Task teams, quality teams, self-managed teams,
cross-functional teams, self-directed work teams
Common Belief . . .
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Teams themselves, rather than managers,
should take responsibility for their work,
monitor their own performance, and alter
their performance strategies as needed to
solve problems and adapt to changing
conditions (Wageman, 1997, 49).
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Goal is to enhance performance!
Characteristics of Groups
Norms
 Cohesiveness
 Diversity
 Satisfaction
 Groupthink??????????????????????????
 Stress
 Stuckness
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Relational Communication in
Groups
Make link between employee and
organization stronger
 Support from others to face difficult
challenges
 Provides leadership opportunities
 New ideas can be tested before “going
public”
 Feel engaged, test ideas and abilities, and
provide moral support!
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Dysfunctional Group
Relationships
Compromise decision-making procedures
 Issues defined by poor relationship or weak
member
 Wasted energy
 Exhibiting confusing behaviors
 Consumed with mending relationships
 Far less energy is expended accomplishing
task
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Decision Making
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Actual productivity = potential productivity losses due to faulty processes
Hirokawa & Gouran’s Vigilant Interaction Theory
(Functional Decision Theory)
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Is there something about the status quo that requires
improvement or change?
What do we want to achieve or accomplish?
What are the choices available to us?
What are the positive and negative aspects of those
choices?
Negative actions have a greater ability to disrupt
the group’s performance
Ethics and ComputerSupported Decision Making
GDSS - “Group Decision Support Systems”
 Honest and Direct Communication
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Equal participation
Ability to confront conflict
Critical examination of ideas
Thoroughness of discussions
Teamwork and identification with the group
Technology should assist with
organizational tasks -- NOT drive them
7 Features of Effective Teams
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Clear and engaging direction
Basic work is designed to be done by a team
Team rewards are associated with team efforts
Physical resources are readily available
Team (not leader) has authority to make decisions
about basic work strategies
Articulate clear goals that fit the organization’s
goals (can be measured as feedback)
Establishes norms that promote strategic thinking
Eight Characteristics of High
Performance Teams
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Clear, Elevating Goals
A Results-Driven Structure
Competent Team Members
Unified Commitment
Collaborative Climate
Standards of Excellence
External Support and Recognition
Principled Leadership
SEE FIGURE 12.2 on p. 224 for comparison
http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/teams/lafastooutline.html
Suggestions for Team Members
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Get involved early in the team interaction
process
Be a team player
Bring value to the team
Assess team needs
Follow-up on group tasks
Suggestions for Organizations
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Three Structures Necessary for Team Success
 A reward system that both acknowledges and
properly compensates members for their
individual and collective effort
 A support system that provides resources to aid
and enhance the efforts of group members
 Coaching and process training that show
members how to use their efforts to achieve
both individual and group goals.
Suggestions for Newcomers
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Learn the norms unique to each team before causing
unintentional disruption
Help the team avoid groupthink by pointing out
information it may be ignoring
Work to encourage cultural diversity in the team and be
sensitive to potential misunderstandings
Help groups avoid “stuckness” by changing the
environment or changing the pattern of behaviors of
other team members
Encourage a collaborative climate to help generate a
unified commitment of team members
Summary
Preponderance of Teams
 Organizational Small Groups
 Characteristics of Groups
 Relational Communication in Groups
 Decision Making
 Ethics and GDSS
 Effective Teams
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BOTTOM LINE:
Understand the general characteristics of
teams, what makes them successful, and
how a member can contribute to that
success!