978-1285866352 Chapter 8 Solution Manual Part 2

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The leader should determine the appropriate leadership style for the meeting. It is recommended that

leaders play the role of facilitators, which involves guiding the process of the meeting while not influencing

the content.

B. Conducting Meetings (Slide 8-30)

1. The First Meeting

At the first meeting, the group is in the orientation stage. The leader should use the high-task role.

Introductions set the stage for subsequent interactions.

2. The Three Parts of Meetings

LO 8-5. Outline the three parts of conducting effective meetings.

Each meeting should cover the following:

1. Identify objectives. Begin the meeting on time. Begin by reviewing progress to date, the group’s

objectives, and the purpose/objective for the specific meeting. If minutes are recorded, they are

usually approved at the beginning of the next meeting.

2. Cover agenda items. Be sure to cover agenda items in priority order. Try to keep to the approximate

times, but be flexible. If the discussion is constructive and members need more time, give it to them;

however, if the discussion is more of a destructive argument, move ahead.

3. Summarize and review assignments. End the meeting on time. The leader should summarize what

took place during the meeting. Were the meeting’s objectives achieved? Review all of the

assignments given during the meeting. Get a commitment to the task that each member should

perform for the next or a specific future meeting. The secretary and/or leader should record all

assignments.

Each meeting should cover the following:

1. Identifying objectives.

2. Covering agenda items.

3. Summarizing and review assignments.

C. Handling Problem Members (Slide 8-31)

Some of the problem members you may have in your group are the following: silent, talker, wanderer, bored,

and arguer.

1. Silent

It is the leader’s responsibility to encourage the silent member to participate without being obvious or

2. Talker

3. Wanderer

Wanderers distract the group from the agenda items; they tend to change the subject and often like to

4. Bored

The bored person may be preoccupied with other issues and not pay attention or participate in the group

5. Arguer

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Like the talker, the arguer likes to be the center of attention. Arguers enjoy arguing for the sake of arguing,

CONCEPT APPLICATION 8-4

Group Problem People

Answers to the 5 Applying the Concept questions are at the end of lecture outline.

 Working with Group Members

WORK APPLICATION 8-10

Recall a meeting you attended. Did you receive an agenda prior to the meeting?

How well did the leader conduct the meeting? Give ideas on how the meeting

could have been improved. Did the group have any problem members? How well

did the leader handle them?

V. SELF-MANAGED TEAMS (Slide 8-32)

Many organizations are experimenting with an innovative extension of the team concept called the self-managed

team (SMT).

Proponents of the SMT concept argue that autonomy in the form of shared control over critical task-related

decisions does enable SMTs to perform better than conventional teams.

Self-managed teams go by many different names: self-directed, self-leading, self-maintaining, and self-regulating.

A. The Nature of Self-Managed Teams

To better understand the nature of SMTs, we call attention to the few key differences between SMTs and

traditional teams

How Are SMTs Different from Conventional Teams? (Slide 8-33)

LO 8-6. Explain the differences between conventional and self-managed teams.

SMTs differ from traditional teams in a number of ways. In SMTs, roles interchange frequently as

members learn to be followers as well as leaders. Rather than functioning in their specialized units, SMT

members develop multi-skilled capabilities that make them very flexible in performing various tasks within

the team. The nature of SMTs is one of team empowerment and accountability rather than individual

empowerment and accountability. Team accountability is a significant responsibility, especially since SMT

members determine how they will organize themselves to get the work done and are responsible not only

for their own performance but for that of other team members as well. See Exhibit 8.3.

Self-managed teams differ from conventional teams in a number of ways.

 Conventional teams leave decision making in the hands of the leader

 The leadership function in a SMT is different from that in a conventional team.

 The nature of SMTs is one of team rather than individual empowerment and accountability.

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Exhibit 8.3 summarizes the key differences between conventional teams and SMTs. (Slide 8-34)

WORK APPLICATION 8-11

Based on your own experience, or asking someone who has been part of an SMT,

describe some of the self-managing activities of the team that made it a truly self-

managing team as opposed to a traditional team.

CONCEPT APPLICATION 8-5

Types of Teams

Answers to the Applying the Concept questions are at the end of lecture outline.

B. The Benefits of Self-Managed Teams (Slide 8-35 holds Exhibit 8.4)

LO 8-7. Describe the benefits of using self-managed teams in organizations.

SMTs (1) create a stronger sense of commitment to the work effort among team members; (2) improve

quality, speed, and innovation; (3) have more satisfied employees and lower turnover and absenteeism;

(4) facilitate faster new-product development; (5) allow cross-trained team members greater flexibility in

dealing with personnel shortages due to illness or turnover; and (6) keep operational costs down because

of reductions in managerial ranks and increased efficiencies.

SMTs result in increased productivity, accelerated new product development and process improvements, greater

These outcomes lead to increased job satisfaction, lower absenteeism rates, less turnover, higher motivation

Because any agreed-upon course of action is taken collectively, there is a strong commitment among all team

members to make it successful.

WORK APPLICATION 8-12

If you have been part of an SMT, describe the benefits you derived from being

part of the team. Be specific, matching your description to the list in Exhibit 8.4.

C. Top Management and Self-Managed Team Success (Slide 8-36)

LO 8-8. Describe top management’s role in improving the success rate of self-managed teams.

Senior management has the principal responsibility to create the right environment in which SMTs can

grow and thrive. This involves undertaking activities to ensure that there is organization-wide support and

acceptance of the SMT concept, appoint a champion to support and defend the SMT from opponents who

In planning the introduction of SMTs into the organizations structure, top management should abide by the

 Ensure that there is an organization-wide support and acceptance of the SMT concept. Confront critical

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 Have a champion to support and defend the SMT from opponents who are threatened by the new concept

and what it represents.

o A self-managed team champion is an advocate of the SMT concept whose responsibility is to help the

team obtain necessary resources, gain political support from top management and other stakeholders

of the organization, and defend it from enemy attacks.

CONCEPT APPLICATION 8-6

Improving the Success Rate of SMTs

Answers to the Concept Application questions are at the end of lecture outline.

D. The Changing Role of Leadership in Self-Managed Teams (Slide 8-37)

In distributed leadership, multiple leaders take complementary leadership roles in rotation within the same

SMT, according to their area of expertise or interest.

The SMT facilitator is the external leader of a SMT, whose job is to create optimal working conditions so that

team members take on responsibilities to work productively and solve complex problems on their own.

A summary of the SMT facilitator’s team-building activities is presented in Exhibit 8.5. (Slide 8-89)

WORK APPLICATION 8-13

Describe which of the SMT Facilitator’s team-building activities (see Exhibit 8.5)

have been employed in a team you are or had been a member.

E. The Challenges of Implementing Self-Managed Teams (Slide 8-39, Discussion Question on Slide 8-40 and

key terms on Slide 8-41)

LO 8-9. Describe the challenges of launching effective self-managed teams.

Many of the challenges of implementing SMTs stem from the difficulties of transitioning from a

traditional command-and-control work environment to SMTs. Managers who have become accustomed to

traditional, autocratic management and jaded by management fads that come and go may resist or

undermine a team approach. Even among members of the non-managerial ranks, the transition to SMTs

has as much potential for frustrations and problems as it does for managers. This is usually due to

unfamiliarity with the new structure and new routines and adjusting to team responsibilities. The greatest

challenge may lie in setting and enforcing new behavioral expectations, made necessary by the absence of

a traditional leader and the presence of new employee rights and responsibilities.

 Some managers see the SMT as a threat to their future.

 Even among members of the nonmanagerial ranks, the transition to SMTs has as much potential for

frustrations and problems as it does for managers.

 The greatest challenge may lie in setting and enforcing new behavioral expectations, made necessary by the

absence of a traditional leader and the presence of new employee rights and responsibilities.

 Changing old managerial attitudes and mindsets is a major challenge to implementing SMTs.

 The benefits of SMTs are worth the growing pains.

WORK APPLICATION 8-14

Have you worked in a team in which former managers have been reassigned to

function simply as members of the team? What was your experience with the

behavior and attitude of these former managers in their new role as team

members?

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LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ANSWERS

The chapter summary is organized to answer the learning objectives for Chapter 8. They are also found at the end of

the chapter and can be used as short answer questions on exams.

These learning outcomes are included in the test bank in the conceptual section.

1. Discuss the benefits and limitations of working in teams.

Benefits: In a team situation it is possible to achieve synergy, whereby the team’s total output exceeds the sum

Limitations: Some teams have the unhealthy practice of pressuring members to conform to lower group

standards of performance and conduct. For example, a team member may be ostracized for being more

2. Identify and explain the ten characteristics of highly effective teams.

3. What role can a team leader play in creating an effective team?

4. Describe how organizational culture can influence team creativity.

Creating the right organizational culture is the responsibility of top management. Creativity does not work in

hierarchical command-and-control environments. Top management has the responsibility to create the

5. Outline the three parts of conducting effective meetings.

Each meeting should cover the following:

1. Identifying objectives. Begin the meeting on time. Begin by reviewing progress to date, the group’s

2. Cover agenda items. Be sure to cover agenda items in priority order. Try to keep to the approximate times,

3. Summarize and review assignments. End the meeting on time. The leader should summarize what took

6. Explain the differences between conventional and self-managed teams.

SMTs differ from traditional teams in a number of ways. In SMTs, roles interchange frequently as members

learn to be followers as well as leaders. Rather than functioning in their specialized units, SMT members

develop multi-skilled capabilities that make them very flexible in performing various tasks within the team. The

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for classroom use.

7. Describe the benefits of using self-managed teams in organizations.

SMTs (1) create a stronger sense of commitment to the work effort among team members; (2) improve quality,

speed, and innovation; (3) have more satisfied employees and lower turnover and absenteeism; (4) facilitate

8. Describe top management’s role in improving the success rate of self-managed teams.

Senior management has the principal responsibility to create the right environment in which SMTs can grow

and thrive. This involves undertaking activities to ensure that there is organization-wide support and acceptance

9. Describe the challenges of launching effective self-managed teams.

Many of the challenges of implementing SMTs stem from the difficulties of transitioning from a traditional

command-and-control work environment to SMTs. Managers who have become accustomed to traditional,

autocratic management and jaded by management fads that come and go may resist or undermine a team

REVIEW QUESTION ANSWERS

These review questions are included in the test bank in the conceptual section.

1. What is groupthink, and under what conditions is it most likely to occur?

Groupthink is when members of a cohesive group tend to agree on a decision not on the basis of its merit but

because they are less willing to risk rejection for questioning a majority viewpoint or presenting a dissenting

2. Describe the factors that generally contribute to high levels of team cohesion.

Team cohesion is increased when team members share similar attitudes and values and strong interpersonal

3. Creativity is usually thought of as a characteristic of individuals, but are some teams more creative than

others?

Yes. Teams with managers who employ strategies such as providing adequate and quality resources, appropriate

4. What is team-centered leadership, and how does it differ from the leader-centered approach?

The team-centered approach empowers team members to make decisions and follow through. The team-

centered decision-making model is preferred when relevant information and expertise are scattered among

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5. Describe how a leader can avoid conducting nonproductive meetings.

A leader can improve his or her chances of having a productive meeting by focusing on the five areas in which

6. Describe the level of decision-making latitude commonly found in self-managed teams?

Depending on the types of decision, the amount of authority vested in a self-managed team varies greatly from

one organization to another. However, self-managed teams usually have a significant amount of decision-

7. Briefly discuss some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of using self-managed teams.

Self-managed work teams have been praised for bringing about results such as increased productivity,

accelerated new product development and process improvements, improved worker participation, and decreased

hierarchy. These results have led to increases in job satisfaction, which in turn have been associated with other

Many of the drawbacks associated with SMTs stem from the difficulties of transitioning from a traditional

command-and-control work environment to self-managed teams. Team-building experts maintain that managers

who have become accustomed to traditional, autocratic management and jaded at management fads that come

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION ANSWERS

Applications may also be used as class discussion questions or written assignments to develop communication skills.

These critical thinking questions are included in the test bank in the application section.

1. Teams are often credited with making better decisions than individuals, yet they are also criticized for

groupthink. What are some strategies for creating effective teams that don’t fall victim to the groupthink

phenomenon? (Slide 8-9)

2. Identify and describe any team you have been a member of, or know about otherwise, that has a strong

norm of teamwork that all members support. What role did the team leader play in making this possible?

3. What are some of the key indicators of team dysfunction? (Slide 8-16)

4. What is the key to creating cross-functional teams in which team members put the good of the team

ahead of functional self-interest? (Slide 8-22)

The team leader must ensure that team objectives become the driving force. The tools for making this happen

5. How can virtual teams work well together from far apart? (Slide 8-22)

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sure that the necessary infrastructure is in place. They are counseled to employ success strategies, such as

building trust-based relationships, encouraging members to show respect for other cultures and languages, and

6. What would you describe as some as the do’s and don’ts of team leadership? (Slide 8-40)

7. Describe an organization whose culture, structure, and leadership philosophy clearly supports creativity

and innovation. (Slide 8-18)

CONCEPT APPLICATION ANSWERS

There are similar questions in the test bank in the application section.

NOTE: The answers to Concept Applications 8-1 through 8-4 are used as part of Developing Your Leadership Skill

Exercise 2. So if you plan to do the exercise in class, do not go over the answers until you do the exercise.

Concept Application 8-1—Group or Team

b 1. Team. Collective mentality and shared mission are tied to teams.

Concept Application 8-2—Managing Creative Teams

b 8. May lessen team creativity. Inflexible operating procedures stifles team creativity.

Concept Application 8-3—Type of Team

a 14. Functional. A boss and subordinates within a department is a functional team.

Concept Application 8-4—Group Problem People

a 19. Silent. This statement is characteristic of the silent member

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Concept Application 8-5—Types of Teams

d 24. Self-managed team. Self-managed team members share or rotate leadership responsibilities.

Concept Application 8-6—Improving the Success Rate of SMTs

a 28. Top management support and commitment. For SMTs to succeed there has to be strong and

sustained top management support.

CASE ANSWERS

Frederick W. Smith—FedEx

1. How do the standards set by Fred Smith for FedEx teams improve organizational performance?

Team members have bought into the norms set by Mr. Smith. Some of these norms include quality service

2. What motivates the members of FedEx to remain highly engaged in their teams?

There is a greater emphasis on the use of intrinsic rewards that employees seem to value more. They are given

3. Describe the role FedEx managers play in facilitating team effectiveness.

4. What types of teams does FedEx use? Provide evidence from the case to support your answer.

FedEx uses self-managed teams. Teams have the authority and responsibility to act on their decisions to make

5. Leaders play a critical role in building effective teams. Cite evidence from the case that FedEx managers

performed some of these roles in developing effective teams.

The CEO, Fred Smith, has set the example for the other managers. His awards are a way of coaching team

members towards higher levels of performance. The managers’ roles have been redefined from the traditional

Cumulative Case Questions

6. The Big Five model of personality categorizes traits into dimensions of surgency, agreeableness,

adjustment, conscientiousness, and openness to experience (Chapter 2). Which of these dimensions do

you think Fred Smith possesses?