Chapter 11
Groups and Teams
Michael A. Hitt
C. Chet Miller
Adrienne Colella
Slides by R. Dennis Middlemist
Knowledge Objectives
1. Describe the nature of groups and teams and
distinguish among different types of teams.
2. Explain the criteria used to evaluate team
effectiveness.
3. Discuss how various aspects of team
composition influence team effectiveness.
Knowledge Objectives
4. Understand how structural components of
teams can influence performance.
5. Explain how various team processes
influence team performance.
6. Describe how teams develop over time.
7. Know what organizations can do to
encourage and support effective teamwork.
8. Understand the roles of a team leader.
Groups and Teams

Group
–

Two or more interdependent individuals who influence one
another through social interaction
Team
–
Two or more people, with work roles that require them to be
interdependent, who operate within a larger social system (the
organization), performing tasks relevant to the organization’s
mission, with consequences that affect others inside and
outside the organization, and who have membership that is
identifiable to those on the team and those not on the team
Types of Groups and Teams

Formal groups
–

Informal groups
–

Groups to which members are
formally assigned
Groups formed spontaneously
by people who share interests,
values, or identities
Identity groups
–
Groups based on the social identities of members
–
Teams in which members work together but are separated
by time, distance, or organizational structure
• Virtual teams
Virtual Team Technologies
Exhibit 11-1
Virtual Team Technologies
Audio teleconferencing
Video communication systems, which may connect people either room to
room or via desktop computers
Real-time electronic communication (e.g., chat groups)
Different-time electronic communication (e.g., e-mail, bulletin boards)
Keypad voting systems
Group project management software
Wireless communication devices (e.g. Blackberries)
Adapted from Exhibit 11-1: Virtual Team Technologies
Effectiveness of Virtual Teams

Virtual teams less effective on some dimensions
–
–
–
–

Fewer opportunities exist for informal discussions, hence trust
is slower to develop among virtual team members
Communication channels that are less rich than face-to-face
interactions
More difficult for virtual teams to develop behavioral norms
Easier for some members to be free riders
Increasing effectiveness of virtual teams
–
–
–
More face-to-face meetings
If members have a great deal of empowerment
When implemented properly, virtual teams can increase
productivity and save companies millions of dollars
Types of Groups and Teams

Functional teams
–
Distinguished by the type of work they do and the purpose
they serve






Production teams
Service teams
Management teams
Project teams
Advisory teams
Self-managing teams
–
Have considerable autonomy and control over the work they
do, and are responsible for completing a whole piece of work
or an entire project
Dimensions of Team Effectiveness

Knowledge criteria
–
–

Affective criteria
–

Team members share knowledge and understanding of the
team’s task, tools and equipment, and processes, as well as
members’ characteristics
Ability of the team as a whole to learn over time
Whether or not team members have a fulfilling and satisfying
team experience
Outcome criteria
–
Quantity and quality of the team’s output
Factors Affecting Team
Effectiveness

Teams create synergy (performance benefits) for
several reasons
–
–
–

Greater goal commitment
Greater variety of skills and abilities used for task achievement
Greater sharing of knowledge
Teamwork can also lead to poorer performance
–
Process loss


Managing, coordinating, and developing effective communication
within the team
Time and energy members spend maintaining the team
Factors Affecting Team
Effectiveness

Team composition
–
–
–

Demographic diversity
Personality
Size
Team structure
–
Team member roles

–
–
Task roles

Socioemotional roles
Norms
Task structure


Unitary tasks
Maximization tasks

Optimization tasks
Team Size and Performance
Team Performance
High
Task
Environment
Low
2
5
8
11
Number of Team Members
Adapted from Exhibit 11-2: The Relationship Between Team Size and Team Performance
13. . . . . . . .
Team Roles
Exhibit 11-3
Roles in Teams
Task Roles
Initiator/Contributor Suggests new ideas, solutions, or ways to approach the
problem
Information Seeker
Focuses on getting facts
Information Giver
Provides data for decision making
Elaborator
Gives additional information, such as rephrasing,
examples
Opinion Giver
Provides opinions, values, and feelings
Coordinator
Shows the relevance of various specific ideas to the
overall problem to be solved
Orienter
Refocuses discussion when the team gets off topic
Evaluator/Critic
Appraises the quality of the team’s work
Adapted from Exhibit 11-3: Roles in Teams
Team Roles
Exhibit 11-3
Roles in Teams
Task Roles
Energizer
Motivates the team when energy falters
Procedural Technician
Takes care of operational details, such as technology
Recorder
Takes notes and keeps records
Socioemotional Roles
Encourager
Provides others with praise, agreement, warmth
Harmonizer
Settles conflicts among other members
Compromiser
Changes his or her position to maintain team
harmony
Gatekeeper
Controls communication process so that everyone
gets a chance to participate
Standard Setter
Discusses the quality of the team process
Adapted from Exhibit 11-3: Roles in Teams
Team Roles
Exhibit 11-3
Roles in Teams
Socioemotional Roles
Observer
Comments on the positive or negative aspects of the
team process and calls for changes
Follower
Accepts others’ ideas and acts as a listener
Individual Roles
Aggressor
Attacks others
Blocker
Unnecessarily opposes the team
Dominator
Manipulatively asserts authority
Evader
Focuses on expressing own feelings and thoughts
that are unrelated to the team goals
Help Seeker
Unnecessarily expresses insecurities
Recognition Seeker
Calls unnecessary attention to himself or herself
Adapted from Exhibit 11-3: Roles in Teams
Factors Affecting Team
Effectiveness

Team processes
–
Cohesion


–
Conflict



–
–
–
Interpersonal cohesion
Task cohesion
Personal conflicts
Substantive conflicts
Procedural conflicts
Social facilitation
Social loafing
Communication
Avoiding
Social Loafing
Make Individual Contributions Visible
–
–
–
Evaluation system in which everyone’s individual contributions
are noted
Smaller rather than larger teams
Monitor who oversees everyone’s contributions
Foster Task Cohesiveness
–
–
–
Team-level rewards to increase pressure
Teamwork training to develop a sense of cohesiveness
Select “team players” for teamwork


high on agreeableness
High on conscientiousness
Team Development:
Stages Model
Adjourning
Performing
Norming
Storming
Forming
• Adjourning (Dissolution)
– Task completion and termination of roles
• Performing (Work)
– High task and goal orientation
• Norming (Structure)
– Cohesiveness and roles develop
• Storming (Conflict)
– Disagreement and tension among members
• Forming (Orientation)
– Members become familiar with each other
Adapted from Exhibit 11-4: Models of Team Development
Team Development:
Punctuated Equilibrium Model
First Stage:
• Norming Activities
• Focus on
Socioemotional Roles
Second Stage:
• Performing Activities
• Focus on Task Roles
Task deadline approaches or
half-way mark in teams’ tenure
Adapted from Exhibit 11-4: Models of Team Development
Managing for Effective Teams
Managing for Effective Teams
Top Management Support
Explicit vision and strategic plan
Serves as the basis for determining desirable
team outcomes
Results-oriented measurement of
outcomes
Expect all leaders in organization to do same
Actively include associates at all
levels in decision-making process
All decisions that affect associates also affect
team performance
Make explicit decision about
using teams
Tie the decision to business objectives
Actively manage and review
support systems for teams
Problems in teams such as needed resources
will be revealed in review
Adapted from Exhibit 11-3: Roles in Teams
Managing for Effective Teams
Managing for Effective Teams
Support Systems
Technology
Teams must have access to technology for
performing their tasks, including tools and
computer software.
Information systems
Teams often need more (or less) information
than they possess. It is crucial to provide a
“user friendly” information system.
Selection of team members
Tailor the staffing process to the type of team.
Conduct teamwork analysis to identify the
knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for
both task work and team work. Consider
political issues and who is to do the
assessment of potential team members.
Managing for Effective Teams
Managing for Effective Teams
Support Systems
Training
Team-building training generally focuses on
four different types of skills: (1) goal-setting
skills; (2) interpersonal skills; (3) problemsolving skills; and (4) role-clarification skills.
Rewards
If people are to work together effectively as a
team, they must be rewarded as a team, in
addition to individual rewards. Team reward
systems may include profit-sharing plans.
Leadership
Successful team leaders perform three roles:
(1) team liaison; (2) direction setting; and (3)
team operational coordinator.