Managing Teams

Team A small number of people with complementary skills

who are committed to: a common purpose, a set of performance goals, an approach for which they hold themselves

mutually accountable. Team members interact with each other on a regular

basis. Synergy: allows individuals to blend complementary

skills and talents to produce a product that is more valuable than the sum of the individual contributions.

Work Group

Members of a work group are held accountable for their individual work.

They are not responsible for the output of the entire group.

A work group is more likely to have a strong, directive leader who seeks input from group members and then delegates work to various individuals to complete.

Benefits of Teams Costs and Productivity Quality Improvements Speed Innovation

Self-Managed Teams (SMT)

Responsible for producing an entire product, component, or service.

Formalized as part of the organization structure Employees are assigned full-time basis, Long duration. Employees have similar jobs but different levels of skill Members combine their skills to produce an important

organizational outcome. Authority to make decisions that traditionally made by

supervisors or managers. Members need

Technical skills Management skills Interpersonal Skills

Project Teams

Work on a specific project that has a beginning and an end.

Team members work full-time until the project is completed.

Composed of members from different functions or different technical disciplines.

Key criterion for judging team performance is meeting or exceeding milestone deadlines.

Parallel Teams

Problem-solving teams or special-purpose teams.

Focus on a problem or issue that requires only part-time commitment from team members.

Employee spends a few hours per week with the parallel team, and the remainder of the time on his/her regular job.

When the problem is solved the team is disbanded.

Can be of short or long duration.

Virtual Teams

Take advantage of interactive computer technologies to enable distant people to work together.

Require only a part-time commitment. Make it possible for companies to cross

organizational boundaries: Linking customers, suppliers, and business

partners to improve the quality and increase the speed with which a new product or service is brought to the market.

Team Characteristics

High

High

Low

LowDuration of Team

Team

Mem

ber

Tim

e C

omm

itmen

t Project Team

Self-managed Team

Project Team

Parallel Team

Virtual Team

Parallel Team

Managing Team Performance

Team performance requires vigilant management.

Factors that need to be taken into account in managing effective team performance are: The stages of team development. The roles of team members and

leaders. Team member behaviors.

Stages of Team Development

1. Forming: meet for the first time, get acquainted

2. Storming: voice different opinions about team goals

3. Norming: conflict resolution, agreement about team goals4. Performing: focus on the

task of the team

5. Adjourning: After completing the work, members feel satisfied, but anxious.

Roles of Team MembersTask-Facilitating Role

Direction giving Information

seeking Information giving Coordinating Summarizing

Task-Facilitating Role Direction giving Information

seeking Information giving Coordinating Summarizing

Relationship-Building Role

Supporting Harmonizing Tension relieving Energizing Facilitating

Relationship-Building Role

Supporting Harmonizing Tension relieving Energizing Facilitating

Effective Team Leaders

Take care of team members Communicate with team members Share power with the team Learn to relax and admit your

ignorance

Behavioral Dimensions of Effective Teams

Interdependence Team Norms Cohesiveness Trust Cooperative Behavior

Team Performance Problems

Free-rider Non-conforming High performers Lack of Teamwork Rewards

Team Management Skills

Conflict Management Skills

Functional conflict - conflict that stimulates team and organizational performance

Dysfunctional conflict - conflict that has a negative effect on team and organizational performance

Problem-solving style

The willingness of both parties is necessary

Convene meetings at the right time and place

Give both parties ample time to cool down

Resume discussion until a workable solution is achieved

Negotiation Skills

Win-win Style, or integrative bargaining determine a personal bottom line understand the other party's real needs and objectives emphasize common ground, de-emphasize differences search for mutually agreeable solutions focus on building a relationship rather than a one-time deal

Win-lose Style, or distributive bargaining one party will receive the most beneficial distribution of a fixed

amount of goods. Three Common Mistakes of Negotiation

Do not assume that a negotiation must always result in a settlement. Avoid becoming fixated on one particular issue in the negotiation. Do not assume that the other party has all the power due to greater

levels of experience.