DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Identify several different groups that you belong to and classify them as one of the group types
discussed in this chapter.
2. Think about an effective team you have been on. What made it effective? Think about an
underperforming team you have been on. Why was it underperforming?
I serve on a grants committee, a virtual team comprised of board members of the Texas Medical
Association Foundation (TMAF). Our clearly defined goal is to review applications and award grants
for worthy medical projects. The team is effective because the carefully selected team members
I serve on a team at Clover House, a residential facility for substance abusers, in Odessa, Texas. The
3. Are any of the groups to which you belong too large or too small to get their work done? If so,
what can the leader or the members do to alleviate the problem?
If a group is too small, additional members might be recruited or the task might be redefined to make
4. List two norms each for two of the groups to which you belong. How are these norms enforced?
The textbook defines a norm as the expected behavior or behavioral pattern in a certain situation.
5. Discuss the following statement: “Group cohesiveness is the good, warm feeling we get from
working in groups and is something that all group leaders should strive to develop in the groups
they lead.”
Students probably will agree with the statement that “group cohesiveness is the good, warm feeling
6. Some say that changing to a team-based arrangement “just makes sense” for organizations.
What are the four primary reasons why this might be so?
The four primary reasons for changing to a team-based organization are the four primary benefits that
should result for the organization: (1) enhanced performance for the organization; (2) better employee
7. Do you think a team contract would improve the effectiveness of teams? Why or why not?
Yes. A team contract is a written agreement among team members establishing ground rules about the
8. Which do you feel is more important to team performance, informational diversity or
demographic diversity? Why? Do multicultural teams increase this type of diversity? If so,
how?
Informational diversity, diversity in knowledge and experience, is more important to team
performance. Because team members’ unique knowledge enlarges the team’s knowledge resources and
GROUP EXERCISE
Learning Objective: This exercise demonstrates the benefits a group can bring to accomplishing a task.
Summary: Students perform the same task both individually and as part of a group.
Task:
Part 1: Students need a pen or pencil and an 8 x 11 sheet of paper. Have them work alone and do the
following:0
00. Write the letters of the alphabet in a vertical column down the left side of the paper: A–Z.
00. Randomly select a sentence from any written document and read out loud the first 26 letters in that
sentence. Instruct students to write these letters in a vertical column immediately to the right of the
alphabet column. Everyone should have identical sets of 26 two-letter combinations.
00. Ask students to think of a famous person whose initials correspond to each pair of letters and to
write the name next to the letters (for example, MT, Mark Twain). Give them ten minutes. Only one
name per set is allowed. One point is awarded for each legitimate name, so the maximum score is 26
points.
00. After time expires, have students exchange papers with other members of the class and score each
other’s work. Settle any disputes about the legitimacy of names. Students should keep their scores
for use later in the exercise.
Part 2: Divide the class, as evenly as possible, into groups of five to ten people. Instruct each group to
follow the procedure given in Part 1, writing the letters of the alphabet down the left side of a sheet of
paper, but this time in reverse order: Z–A. Dictate a new set of letters for the second column. The time
limit and scoring procedure are the same. The only difference is that the groups will generate the names.
Part 3: Each team identifies the group member who came up with the most names. Create a new group of
these “best” students. Then all groups repeat Part 2, but this time the letters from the reading will be in the
first column and the alphabet letters will be in the second column.
Part 4: Each team calculates the average individual score of its members on Part 1 and compares it with
the team score from Parts 2 and 3. Write the groups’ average individual scores and the team scores for
each group on the board.
Pfeiffer, an imprint of Jossey-Bass, Inc., Publishers. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Follow-Up Questions
1. Are there differences in the average individual scores and the team scores? What are the
reasons for the differences, if any?
Students probably will find that team scores are higher than individual scores. Research suggests that
2. Although the team scores in this exercise usually are higher than the average individual scores,
under what conditions might individual averages exceed group scores?
Individual average scores might exceed group scores when there is a problem in group dynamics. As
depicted in Figure 9.2, the initial stage of group development may reflect poor group performance
VIDEO EXERCISE
Evo Teamwork
Summary: For years Evo has supported athletic teams, but only recently did the Seattle-based e-
commerce company launch a formal work team. The new group, which is comprised of a photographer,
designer, and copywriter, is responsible for producing Evo’s magazine ads, promotions, and website
content. To help the members learn to work together, Nathan Decker, director of e-commerce, became the
team leader. As a skilled negotiator, Decker makes sure his talented trio steers clear of dysfunction and
delivers the goods. Due to Decker’s leadership and skillful negotiation of conflicts, members of the
creative services team are learning how to communicate in ways never before possible.
1. What organizational dilemma was hurting Evo’s creative output, and how did management
resolve the problem using teams?
Evo’s advertising and promotions campaigns were suffering due to the fact that the graphic designer,
2. How might Nathan Decker lead effectively as the team starts “norming”?
During the team’s norming phase, Decker should try to emphasize the ways in which the team has
To be fully effective, leaders of teams must create conditions that enable team members to function
3. Can you relate the group performance factors of composition, size, norms, cohesiveness, and
informal leadership to Evo?
The composition of the group appears homogeneous as each member does their job well and aims for
the best overall finished product. With three members, this is a small group but this is all the
Now What?
Imagine being part of a group meeting with two coworkers and the boss to discuss a situation with a
customer who wants a 30 percent discount on an order because it will be a week late. The team can’t
agree on whether to give the discount to keep the good customer happy or not give the discount to make
more money on the sale, and is having trouble making a decision. What do you say or do? Go to this
chapter’s “Now What?” video, watch the challenge video, and choose a response.
OB Concepts Applied: team efficacy; cohesiveness; goal conflict; social loafing; problem solving teams
Discussion Questions
1. Which team performance factors have the most influence on the decision-making process?
2. What teamwork competencies were most important for achieving a resolution and why?
The most important competency appeared to be Alex’s conflict resolution and communication
abilities. His encouragement, support, and listening skills helped but asking for Ryan’s involvement
3. As a manager, what might you have done to handle the situation better? Please use group or
team concepts from the chapter.
This team needs to develop its team abilities for this situation and for the future.
Conflict resolution abilities:
The ability to recognize and encourage desirable and discourage undesirable team conflict.
Goal-setting and self-management abilities
Communication abilities