978-0134527604 Chapter 13

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Chapter 13

Creating and Managing Teams

Few trends have influenced how work gets done in organizations as much as the use of

work teams. Organizations are increasingly structuring work around teams rather than

individuals. Managers need to understand what influences team performance and

satisfaction. Focus on the following learning objectives as you read and study this

chapter.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Define groups and the stages of group development.

3. Define teams and describe best practices influencing team performance.

4. Discuss contemporary issues in managing teams.

It’s Your Career

Maximizing Outcomes Through Negotiation

Here are some brief suggestions to hone your skills at negotiating:

1. Do your homework. Gather as much pertinent information as possible before

your negotiation.

3. Begin with a positive proposal. Concessions tend to be reciprocated. So start

with something positive.

5. Pay attention to the interpersonal aspects of the negotiation process.

Negotiating is communicating. Trust is an important part of that communication.

7. Emphasize win-win solutions. Look for solutions that can allow both you and

the person you’re negotiating with to declare a victory.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

13.1 GROUPS AND GROUP DEVELOPMENT

Groups exhibit different behavior—more than just the sum total of each group

member’s individual behavior. In this section, we’re going to look at various

aspects of group behavior.

A. What Is a Group?

1. Formal groups are work groups established by the organization

2. Informal groups are natural social formations that appear in the

work environment.

1. Forming is the first stage in group development during which

people join the group and then define the group’s purpose,

2. Storming is the second stage of group development

3. Norming is the third stage of group development, characterized

by close relationships and cohesiveness.

5. Adjourning is the final stage in group development for temporary

13.2 WORK GROUP PERFORMANCE AND SATISFACTION

We need to look at how groups work. The answer to why some groups are more

successful than others is quite complex. There are five factors that can affect this

relationship (see Exhibit 13-3).

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performance management system and culture, and the general physical

layout of the group’s workspace.

B. Group Member Resources. These factors include member abilities and

personality characteristics. Interpersonal skills have been shown to be

especially important for high performance by work groups.

C. Group Structure. There are seven aspects of the internal structure. Six

are covered here and leadership is covered in Chapter 17.

1. Roles. A role is a set of behavior patterns expected of

2. Norm. Norms are acceptable standards or expectations

3. Conformity. Norms focus on effort and performance,

dress, and loyalty. Also, because individuals desire

4. Status Systems. Status systems are an important factor in

5. Group Size. Group size can also affect the group’s overall

behavior. The effect depends on which outcomes are

6. Group Cohesiveness. Group cohesiveness is the degree

to which members are attracted to a group and share the

group’s goals. Research has shown that highly cohesive

1. Group decision-making (See Exhibit 13-6)

Groups make many organizational decisions. Advantages

d. Increase legitimacy

2. Disadvantages of group decision-making include:

a. Time consuming

3. Conflict Management. Conflict management is another

group concept that must be understood. Conflict is

perceived when incompatible differences result in

interference or opposition.

4. Three types of conflict have been identified:

a. Task conflict is conflict over the content and goals

of the work.

b. Relationship conflict is conflict based on

interpersonal relationships.

c. Process conflict is conflict over how work gets

done.

F. Group Tasks. The complexity and interdependence of tasks influence

the group’s effectiveness.

FUTURE VISION: Conflicts 2.0

While organizations have traditionally looked upon conflict as a negative behavior,

successful companies recognize the importance of managing functional conflict by

tolerating dissent. Tomorrow’s organizations will use blogs, social networking, and other

IT solutions to allow employees to criticize and offer improvement over existing

processes.

The following discussion questions are posed:

Talk About It 1: What do you think? Will functional conflict make an organization

stronger? Discuss.

Talk About It 2: What issues—good and bad— might managers have to deal with if

employees can use social media and other digital tools to question practices, criticize

decisions, and offer suggestions for improvement? What might managers have to do to

deal with these issues?

13.3 TURNING GROUPS INTO EFFECTIVE TEAMS

Team work is a core feature of today’s organizations. Studies show that teams

1. Work teams are groups whose members work intensely on a

2. Although most students are familiar with the concept of a “team,”

many may be less familiar with the concept of a “work team.” All

1. A problem-solving team is a type of work team that is composed

2. A self–managed team is a type of work team that operates

3. A cross-functional team is a work team composed of individuals

from various specialties.

4. A virtual team is a type of work team that uses technology to link

physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal.

1. Research has been conducted on the characteristics associated

2. Nine characteristics are associated with effective teams (see

Exhibit 13-9):

a. Clear goals

13.4. CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES IN MANAGING TEAMS

The introduction of work teams into the world of business has had a major

A. Managing Global Teams.

2. Group Member Resources in Global Teams. Regarding group

3. Group Structure. Differences in group structure may be significant.

4. Group Processes. Managing conflict as part of group processes

can be difficult, especially in virtual global teams.

5. Manager’s Role. Managers must focus on developing excellent

communication skills and sensitivity to different cultures in order to

lead global teams successfully.

LEADER MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Motivating a diverse leadership team is a key responsibility of the CEO of the YWCA

USA, Inc., Dar Richardson-Heron. The organization focuses on the empowerment and

economic advancement of women and girls. It also promotes civil rights and works to

eliminate racism. To achieve her objectives, Richardson-Heron took great care to

What can you learn from this leader making a difference?

1. People don’t automatically know how to be part of a team or how

2. Managers should view their role in team situations as that of a

1. Recent studies show that teams with high levels of interpersonal

2. Organizations are becoming increasingly aware of the importance

of “mapping,” and understanding the social network structure

within teams.

ANSWERS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

13–1. Describe the different types of groups and the five stages of group development.

A group is two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to

achieve specific goals. Formal groups are work groups that are defined by the

13–2. Explain how external conditions and group member resources affect group

performance and satisfaction.

13–3. Discuss how group structure, group processes, and group tasks influence group

performance and satisfaction.

Group roles generally involve getting the work done or keeping group members happy.

Group norms are powerful influences on a person’s performance and dictate things such

13–4. Compare groups and teams.

Characteristics of work groups include a strong, clearly focused leader; individual

accountability; purpose that’s the same as the broader organizational mission; individual

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discusses, decides, and does real work. (LO: 3, Define teams and describe best

practices influencing team performance, AACSB: Analytical thinking)

13–5. Describe the four most common types of teams.

A problem-solving team is one that’s focused on improving work activities or solving

13–6. List the characteristics of effective teams.

The characteristics of an effective team include clear goals, relevant skills, mutual trust,

13-7. Explain the role of informal (social) networks in managing teams.

Research on social networks has shown that when people need help getting a job done,

they’ll choose a friendly colleague over someone who may be more capable. Another

recent review of team studies showed that teams with high levels of interpersonal

interconnectedness actually attained their goals better and were more committed to

staying together. (LO: 4, Discuss contemporary issues in managing teams, AACSB:

Analytical thinking)

PERSONAL INVENTORY ASSESSMENTS

ETHICS DILEMMA

What do you do when a co-worker shares that he has shaved his entire body to reduce

aerodynamic drag? Have you ever been involved in an office romance? In this ethical

13-10. What do you think? Why do many work colleagues become romantically

involved? Why do some coworkers choose to share personal information?

13-11. Should employees inform their managers about such relationships? Explain your

reasoning.

13-12. What are the ethical implications of coworkers’ becoming romantically involved?

Sharing too much information?

(LO: 4, Discuss contemporary issues in managing teams, AACSB: Ethical understanding

and reasoning)

SKILLS EXERCISE: DEVELOPING YOUR COACHING SKILLS

(LO: 3, Define teams and describe best practices influencing team performance,

AACSB: Written and oral communication)

WORKING TOGETHER: TEAM EXERCISE

In this exercise, students are to imagine that they have been put in charge of a team to

create new products for a software company. Issues for students to think about include

diverse group membership, rules of team behavior that would stimulate creativity,

rewards for team members, and evaluation of members. Students may want to refer to

Exhibit 13–9 for the characteristics of effective teams. (LO: 2, Describe the major

components that determine group performance and satisfaction, AACSB: Written and

oral communication)

MY TURN TO BE A MANAGER

• Think of a group to which you belong (or have belonged). Trace its development

through the stages of group development as shown in Exhibit 13-2. How closely

did its development parallel the group development model? How might the group

development model be used to improve this group’s effectiveness? (LO: 1,

Define groups and the stages of group development, AACSB: Analytical thinking)

• Using the same group, describe how decisions are made. Is the process

effective? Efficient? Describe what types of conflicts seem to arise most often

(relationship, process, or task) and how those conflicts are handled. Add this

information to your report on the group’s development and structure. (LO: 2,

Describe the major components that determine group performance and

satisfaction, AACSB: Reflective thinking)

• Often new teams that must become productive quickly start off by writing ground

rules or a team working agreement. Conduct some research on team working

agreements and create a summary of what such an agreement might include.

When assigned your next team project, try writing a team working agreement to

kick off your project. (LO: 3, Define teams and describe best practices influencing

team performance, AACSB: Reflective thinking)

ANSWERS TO CASE APPLICATION 1

QUESTIONS

Student answers to these questions will vary.

Who Needs a Manager?

13-13. Would you want to work at W.L. Gore and Associates? Why or why not?

13-14. Why are self-managed teams effective at Gore?

13-15. What are challenges for organizations that have self-managed teams?

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Student answers to these questions will vary.

737 Teaming Up for Take Off

13-16. What type of team(s) do these employee teams appear to be? Explain.

13-17. As this story illustrated, sometimes it may take a long time for a team to reach its

goal. As a manager, how would you motivate a team to keep on trying?

13-18. What role do you think a team leader needs to play in this type of setting?

13–19. Using Exhibit 13-9, what characteristics of effective teams would these teams

need? Explain.