Chapter 8 How Does Each Cause Problem The Group

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

Answers to Questions in the Text

Chapter 8: Managing Team Work

WORK APPLICATION SAMPLE ANSWERS

Most of the answers are actual student answers or based on student answers. You may give these

answers as part of your lecture before, after, or in place of getting student answers.

8–1. Consider your present or a past job. Did you work in a group or a team? Explain, using each of the

six characteristics in Exhibit 8–1.

When I worked as a teller at the bank, I worked in a group. There were usually only three of us working

keep the customers happy and (2) do not be over or under the cash balance.

8–2. Identify task groups used in an organization you work for or have worked for. Specify whether

each group is a task force or a standing committee.

In my junior year in college as a resident aide (RA), I was on a standing committee—the class council. We

8–3. Identify a group or team you belong to, and describe its size, composition, leadership, and

objectives.

8–4. Identify members of a group or team you have been on, and state the primary role each played in

the group.

The group I’m using is my sorority, which has seven members: (1) Sue—president (task and

8–5. Identify at least two norms that developed in a group/team of which you were a member.

Explain how you knew they were norms and how the group enforced those norms.

The group I’m using is my sorority, which has seven members. Our group norms include arriving late for

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

8–6. Identify the level of cohesiveness in a group or team of which you are or have been a member.

I spent the summer working in a factory that makes boxes. My department was a highly cohesive group

8–7. Recall a group of which you were a member. List each member, including yourself, and identify

each person’s level of status within the group. Explain why each member had the level of status you

identified.

The group I’m using is my sorority, which has seven members: (1) Sue—president (high status), (2)

8–8. Recall a group from a present or past job. Identify the group’s stage of development and the

leadership style. Did the leader use an appropriate style? Explain what can be done to improve the

group’s structure and/or process.

At the bank I worked for as a teller, all the tellers had worked there for a couple of years, so we all knew

8–9. Think about the leadership style of a present or past boss. Did that person behave as a group

manager or as a team leader? What made you classify the person this way?

At the factory I worked for, my boss was a group manager. I classify my boss as a manager because he

8–10. Give examples of team rewards and recognition where you work(ed).

8–11. Recall a meeting you have recently 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?

Our leader planned for the meetings by stating meeting objectives and what we needed to accomplish.

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

REVIEW QUESTION ANSWERS

8–1. Which are usually larger, groups or teams?

8–2. Which level of management has the most influence over organizational context?

8–3. Is there an ideal group size?

8–4. Why is diversity important to group composition?

8–5. Why are objectives important to groups?

Generally, groups with difficult but achievable, specific objectives are more productive than groups that

have no objectives, easy objectives, or are just told to do their best.

8–6. How do groups enforce norms?

8–7. Which type of group tends to terminate and which does not?

8–8. Are the four functions of management important to both groups and teams?

Yes. The management functions are important but handled differently in groups and teams. In groups,

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

8–9. Why is it important to keep records of meeting assignments?

It is important to keep a record of meeting assignments because without accountability and follow–up

8–10. Describe the six types of problem members in meetings. How does each cause a problem to the

group?

1. Silent type—They are a problem because they do not give input.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS ANSWERS

8–1. Is it really worth making a distinction between groups and teams? Why or why not?

8–2. Which part of the group performance model is the most important to high levels of performance?

Why?

8–3. Select any type of group (work, school, sports) you belong or have belonged to. Explain how each

of the group’s five structure components affects or did affect its performance.

Answers will vary.

8–4. Select any type of group (work, school, sports) you belong or have belonged to. Explain how each

of the group’s six group process components affects or did affect its performance.

Answers will vary.

8–5. Are most team leaders really capable of determining the stage of group development and using

the appropriate leadership style for the situation? Why or why not?

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

8–6. Based on your experience with meetings and what you have read and heard from others, which

part of planning a meeting is most lacking?

8–7. Which type of group problem member is most annoying to you? Why? How can you better work

with this type of group member in the future?

APPLYING THE CONCEPT ANSWERS

Applying the Concept 8–1: Group or Team

Identify each statement as characteristic of a group (A) or a team (B).

A. a group

B. a team

1. “Supervisor Sharon is the only one who conducts employee performance appraisals in our

department.”

2. “Your department has goals, Ted; we don’t. But we have been told to do the best we can to

accomplish the company mission statement.”

objectives.

3. “You know, Kim, I’d rather just get paid for my own output. I make more money with this current

bonus system because I sell more than the rest of the sales reps.”

B. A team. Teams tend to get some form of pay based on the team’s performance. Groups are evaluated

on individual performance, which this person is indicating a preference for.

4. “I get the assembled product from Jamal; then I paint it and send it to Cindy for packaging.”

A. A group. Members are performing independent parts of the production process.

5. “Tina, there are eight people in my department, and we get along well.”

6. “Our boss is great, Bill. She lets us all participate in running the department.”

Applying the Concept 8–2: Roles

Identify the type of role exemplified in each statement.

A. task

B. maintenance

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

C. self-interest

7. “Does everyone understand the objective? Any questions?”

8. “Henry, we tried your idea before you came to work here. It did not work then, so it won’t work

now. Let’s just do it my way.”

9. “Why are we talking about the football game? We are getting sidetracked.”

10. “I like Karin’s idea better than mine. Let’s implement her idea instead of mine.”

B. Maintenance. Being willing to change ideas helps to sustain the group and prevents conflicts.

11. “Wait. I want to hear Tolo’s idea before we move forward on this.”

Applying the Concept 8–3: Group Process

Identify the dimension of the group process exemplified in each statement.

A. roles

B. norms

C. cohesiveness

D. status

E. decision making

F. conflict resolution

12. “OK, team, it’s time. Let’s pick one of these four software programs.”

13. “I don’t know. Go ask Sue; she knows more about the program than any of us.”

D. Status. Sue is a high-status person due to knowledge of the program.

14. “Kennedy is the peacemaker around here. Every time there is a disagreement, she tries to get the

members to work out the problem.”

15. “Aden, you’re late for the meeting. Everyone else was on time, so we started without you. Be on

time for the next meeting.”

16. “We are getting sidetracked. What does this have to do with solving the problem we are working

on?”

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

17. “Yes! We do have occasional differences of opinion, and we have trouble agreeing on decisions,

but we really get along well and enjoy working together.”

C. Cohesiveness. The statement indicates how members stick together.

Applying the Concept 8–4: Problematic Group Members

Identify the problem type described in each statement.

A. silent type

B. talker

C. wanderer

D. bored member

E. arguer

F. social loafer

18. “Chris, I can tell you just rush through this to get it down without concern for giving us really good

data for our team presentation.”

19. Kim is usually reluctant to give her ideas, and when she does and is challenged, Kim backs down

easily. When asked to explain her position, she often changes her answers to agree with others in the

group.

20. Tony enjoys challenging members’ ideas and getting them emotional so they will let him get his

own way.

E. Arguer. Challenging ideas and making personal comments/attacks are characteristics of arguers.

21. Sonia is always first or second to give her ideas. She is always elaborating in detail on others’ ideas

as well.

22. Clarita, one of the usually active group members, is sitting back quietly today for the first time.

The other members are doing all the discussing and volunteering for assignments.

23. Sean asks if anyone in the group heard about their manager and the new girl he’s dating.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Join the Discussion 8–1: Team Players

Lussier, Management Fundamentals, 7e

JetBlue Airways is not structured around teams. However, teamwork skills and attitudes are important

to the success of JetBlue. In fact, JetBlue screens job candidates extensively to make sure that they are

team players.

1. Is it necessary to be a team player to be a successful employee at JetBlue?

2. Is it ethical and socially responsible of JetBlue to reject job candidates because they are considered

not to be team players?

Join the Discussion 8–2: Norms

Group members influence each other’s behavior through the development and enforcement of norms—

that is, essentially through peer pressure. In general, this process is positive, as it helps get the job done.

On the other side, complying with illegal or unethical norms can lead to disasters, as it did at Enron.

1. Should employees be able to “do their own thing” without group enforcement of norms?

2. Is it ethical and socially responsible for groups to develop and enforce norms? If yes, what type of

ethical standards should a group have?

Answers vary