Explain how a work group becomes a team. A team is a mature group where leadership is shared, accountability is both individual and collective, the members have developed their own purpose, problem solving is a way of life, and effectiveness is measured by collective outcomes.
Identify and describe four types of work teams. Advice teams provide information for managerial decisions. Production teams perform an organization's day-to-day operations. Project teams apply specialized knowledge to solve problems needed to complete a specific project. Action teams are highly skilled and highly coordinated to provide peak performance on demand.
Explain the model of effective work teams, and specify thetwo criteria of team effectiveness. Work teams need three things: (a) a team-friendly organization to provide a support system; (b) individuals with teamwork competencies; and (c) effective teamwork. The two team effectiveness criteria are performance (getting the job done) and team viability (satisfied members who are willing to continue contributing to the team).
Identify five teamwork competencies team members need to possess. They are (a) orients team to problem-solving situation; (b) organizes and manages team performance; (c) promotes a positive team environment; (d) facilitates and manages task conflict; and (e) appropriately promotes perspective.
Discuss why teams fail. Teams fail because unrealistic expectations cause frustration and failure. Common management mistakes include weak strategies, creating a hostile environment for teams, faddish use of teams, not learning from team experience, vague team assignments, poor team staffing, inadequate training, and lack of trust. Team members typically try too much too soon, experience conflict over differing work styles and personalities, ignore important group dynamics, resist change, exhibit poor interpersonal skills and chemistry, and display a lack of trust.
List at least four things managers can do to build trust. Six recommended ways to build trust are through communication, support, respect (especially delegation), fairness, predictability, and competence.
Distinguish two types of group cohesiveness, and summarize cohesiveness research findings. Cohesive groups have a shared sense of togetherness or a "we"; feeling. Socioemotional cohesiveness involves emotional satisfaction. Instrumental cohesiveness involves goal-directed togetherness. There is a small but significant relationship between cohesiveness and performance. The effect is stronger for smaller groups. Commitment to task among group members strengthens the cohesiveness performance linkage. Success can build group cohesiveness. Cohesiveness is not a cure-all for group problems. Too much cohesiveness can lead to groupthink.
Define virtual teams and self-managed teams. Virtual teams are physically dispersed work groups that conduct their business via modern information technologies such as the Internet, e-mail, and videoconferences. Self-managed teams are work groups that perform their own administrative chores such as planning, scheduling, and staffing.
Describe high-performance teams. Eight attributes of highperformance teams are participative leadership, shared responsibility, aligned on purpose, high communication, future focused for growth, focused on task, creative talents applied, and rapid response.
