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Practice Being a Manager
CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT
Exercise Overview and Objective
This exercise uses the familiar campus context as the basis for an exercise on teams. The aim is to for
students to gain experience at chartering, or launching, a successful team. The discussion questions in this
exercise guide students through some of the basic steps of the team chartering process.
Preparation
No student preparation is required for this exercise. You may want to decide in advance on assignment to
the work groups. Although existing teams might seem the obvious choice for this exercise, you may find
In-Class Use
Once groups are organized, they should begin work by reading Step 2 and then beginning work on Step 3.
In chartering these new teams, students may benefit from some reflection on their prior team experiences.
These might include sports teams, musical groups/bands, project teams within student organizations, as
well as any experiences with teams at work. You may want to prompt this reflection in either the session
prior to conducting the exercise, or just before these new teams begin their chartering process. Some
possible prompts for reflection on past team experiences include:
• Have you ever been a member of an outstanding team? This might include a sports team, musical
group, or a project team within a student organization. Whether or not this team “won the
After allowing time for these new teams to complete Step 4, allow each team to briefly report on its
charter and initial plans. Then move directly to the class discussion of the questions found in the exercise
Step 4:
• Is this the sort of project that is well-suited to using a work team? Why, or why not?
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Students should recognize that this complex task is well-suited to a work team. No individual is likely to
possess the information necessary, and the task is one that calls for multiple perspectives (not to mention
the representation of multiple constituencies. Student discussion of norms, cohesiveness and team size
should track with the reading—but with specific application to this context. For example, a university
Develop Your Career Potential
A QUICK CHECK OF YOUR TEAM SKILLS
Purpose
Not everyone is well suited to teamwork. The point of this assignment is to give students some insight
into their capabilities as team members.
Setting It Up
For the Develop Your Career Potential (DCP), tell students to come to class with the inventory completed
and their scores calculated. If your students are part of teams and those teams have had a chance to work
Reviewing Scores
This inventory has 5 components: honoring team values and agreements, promoting team development,
helping make team decisions, coordinating and carrying out team tasks, and handling difficult issues with
the team.
If the class is small, ask each student to report their subscores on each dimension and plot those
frequency distributions on the board or an overhead for others to see. This gives students some normative
data for judging their strengths and weaknesses.
Or, before discussing the scores, have each group come up with 3 things it’s not doing well and 3
things it is doing well. Have each group present that list to the class. Also, have each group give itself a
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EVALUATE YOUR TEAM SKILLS
Step 1: Answer the following questions the way that you think other members of your team would if
they were describing your actions. Use this scale for your responses:
1 Almost never
2 Seldom
3 Sometimes
4 Usually
5 Almost always
I. Honor Team Values and Agreements
As a team member, (your name):
a. shows appreciation for other team members’ ideas. _____
Total for Section I: _____
II. Promote Team Development
As a team member, (your name):
a. volunteers for all types of tasks, including the hard ones. _____
Total for Section II: _____
III. Help Make Team Decisions
As a team member, (your name):
a. analyzes what a decision entails. _____
Total for Section III: _____
IV. Coordinate and Carry Out Team Tasks
As a team member, (your name):
a. helps identify the information, skills, and resources necessary to accomplish team tasks. _____
b. helps formulate and agree on a plan to meet performance goals. _____
c. stays abreast of what is happening in other parts of the organization and brings that information to
the team. _____
d. finds innovative ways to meet the needs of the team and of others in the organization. _____
e. maintains a win-win outlook in all dealings with other teams. _____
Total for Section IV: _____
V. Handle Difficult Issues with the Team
As a team member, (your name):
a. brings team issues and problems to the team’s attention. _____
b. encourages others on the team to state their views. _____
c. helps build trust among team members by speaking openly about the team’s problems. _____
d. gives specific, constructive, and timely feedback to others. _____
e. admits when he or she has made a mistake. _____
Total for Section V: _____
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Step 2: Transfer the section totals to this table:
Category
Total
Score
Honor team values and agreements.
_____
Interpreting Scores
A score of 20 or above in any activity indicates an area of strength.
A score of below 20 in any activity indicates an area that needs more attention.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Looking at your scores, what areas are strengths? How can you maintain these strengths? What areas are
weaknesses? What steps can you take to turn these areas into strengths?
Reel to Real – Biz Flix
Because they are so short, the Biz Flix videos are best used to supplement your lesson plans. They are
designed to illustrate the content rather than convey all of the chapter concepts.
Video: Failure to Launch
Segment Summary:
In the 2006 romantic comedy Failure to Launch, Matthew McConaughey plays Tripp, a thirty-five year
old confirmed bachelor who lives a great life in a nice house – his parents’. Whenever a woman starts
Discussion Questions from Text:
1. Do you think Kit and Ace make a good team? How well do they work together to first shoot the bird
and then save it?
Most students will agree that Kit and Ace make a good team during this scene. By hiding behind the
2. Is there a clear leader? Who is making most of the decisions in this scene?
The clear leader in this scene is Kit, though this leadership may stem from the fact that the scene
Help make team decisions.
_____
Handle difficult issues with the team.
_____
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3. Is there any evidence of team conflict?
The type of conflict found in this scene can best be described as cognitive conflict, which focuses on
problem-related differences of opinion. Individuals can harness this type of conflict to resolve
Additional Discussion Questions:
1. How would the scene have been different if Kit decided to get rid of the bird on her own rather than
with a friend? How does this relate to the advantages and disadvantages of teams as they are
described in chapter ten?
A number of things would have been different if Kit had decided to get rid of the bird on her own,
2. Referring to the types of teams described in chapter ten, which type would you consider Kit and Ace
to be in this scene?
Teams can be classified based primarily based on level of autonomy, or the degree to which workers
Reel to Real – Management Workplace
Management Workplace videos can support several in-class uses. In most cases you can build an entire
50-minute class around them. Alternatively, they can provide a springboard into a group lesson plan. The
Management Workplace video for Chapter 10 would be a nice companion to your introduction to the
course on the first day teaching this chapter.
Video: Holden Outerwear
Leading Teams
Summary:
At Holden Outerwear, it’s all about teamwork. Founder Mikey LeBlanc believes that teamwork is critical
to the company’s position as an innovation leader. Holden’s use of teams is something that emerged out
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Discussion Questions from Text:
1. What type of team did Nikki Brush participate in when she was a freelancer?What type of team
does she participate in as a full-time employee at Holden?
When Nikki Brush was an outside freelancer working on Holden projects, she was a member of a
virtual team. Virtual teams are comprised of members who are geographically dispersed but who
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using teams at Holden? What can managers do to
help avoid the disadvantages?
The use of teams at Holden Outerwear has several positive benefits. It helps employees develop
trust in one another. Teams also increase the level of creativity and inspiration at the company by
3. What steps do the leaders of Holden take to insure that their workgroups have high levels of
cohesion?
The leaders of Holden are very intentional, and yet very careful, to create a team that works well
together. One way in which they encourage cohesion is by recognizing the very importance of
teams. Though an individual could do all of the work, he or she would get spread too thin, and the
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Workplace Video Quiz
Video Segment 1
Video segment title
Managing Teams
Start time (in sec)
0:00
Stop time (in sec)
2:38
Quiz Question 1
Holden designer Nikki Brush recalls a team project that failed because
individual members refused to take ownership and responsibility. This is a
Feedback for option b
Correct. Social loafing occurs when workers withhold their efforts and fail
to perform their share of the work.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Social loafing occurs when workers withhold their efforts and
fail to perform their share of the work.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. Social loafing occurs when workers withhold their efforts and
fail to perform their share of the work.
Quiz Question 2
Designer Nikki Brush states that a team’s success is based upon all the
following except:
Option a
Effort by all members
Option b
Trust
Option c
Competition between team members
Option d
Common goals
Correct option
c: Competition between team members
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. According to Nikki Brush, the success of a team is based on
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. According to Nikki Brush, the success of a team is based on
cooperation and mutual trust.
Feedback for option c
Correct. According to Nikki Brush, the success of a team is based on
cooperation and mutual trust.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. According to Nikki Brush, the success of a team is based on
cooperation and mutual trust.
Quiz Question 3
According to Holden founder Mikey LeBlanc, why are teams
advantageous for product development?
Option a
Teams bring together people with expertise
Option b
Teams enhance inspiration
Option c
Teams do work that could be done by a single person
Option d
Both a and b
together people with different skill sets and enhance inspiration.
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. Teams are good for product development because they bring
Option a
Groupthink
Option b
Social loafing
Option c
Norming
Correct option
b: Social loafing
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. Social loafing occurs when workers withhold their efforts and
fail to perform their share of the work.
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together people with different skill sets and enhance inspiration.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Teams are good for product development because they bring
together people with different skill sets and enhance inspiration.
Feedback for option d
Correct. Teams are good for product development because they bring
together people with different skill sets and enhance inspiration.
Video Segment 2
Video segment title
Managing Teams
Start time (in sec)
2:39
Stop time (in sec)
4:22
Quiz Question 1
The small size of Holden’s garment design team is likely to result in all of
the following except:
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. Because a small team has less members, it is less likely to have a
diversity of skill sets.
Feedback for option b
Correct. Because a small team has less members, it is less likely to have a
diversity of skill sets.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Because a small team has less members, it is less likely to have a
diversity of skill sets.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. Because a small team has less members, it is less likely to have a
diversity of skill sets.
Quiz Question 2
Which fact about Holden’s design process indicates the occasional use of
virtual teams?
Option a
Holden teams often include outside freelancers
Option b
Option c
Option d
All of these
Correct option
a: Holden teams often include outside freelancers
technology to accomplish a task.
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. Virtual teams are groups of geographically or organizationally
dispersed coworkers who use telecommunication and information
technology to accomplish a task.
Feedback for option c
technology to accomplish a task.
Incorrect. Virtual teams are groups of geographically or organizationally
dispersed coworkers who use telecommunication and information
Option a
Strong work relationships
Option b
The broadest diversity of team member skills, creativity, and
characteristics
Option c
Effective interpersonal communication and coordination
Option d
Timely decision making
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Quiz Question 3
What likely persuaded Holden to include outside freelancers into its
garment-design team process?
Option a
The company needed maximum control over its process and outcomes
Option b
The company wanted to divulge sensitive corporate information
Option c
The company believed that freelancers could collaborate with teams
remotely, effectively, and affordably
Option d
All of these
Video Segment 3
Video segment title
Managing Teams
Start time (in sec)
4:24
Stop time (in sec)
6:30
Quiz Question 1
Nikki Brush was hired on at Holden to work with other employees on a
common set of tasks, goals, and responsibilities. This indicates that Brush
was a member of a:
Option a
Group
Option b
Work team
Option c
Company
Option d
Focus group
Correct option
b: Work team
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. A work team consists of a small number of people with
complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for
pursuing a common purpose.
Feedback for option b
Correct. A work team consists of a small number of people with
complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for
pursuing a common purpose.
Feedback for option c
complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. A work team consists of a small number of people with
complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for
Incorrect. A work team consists of a small number of people with
Quiz Question 2
According to designer Nikki Brush, the team at Holden is small, has a
good working relationship, has clearly defined goals, and is comprised of
people with the right expertise. This indicates that the team is:
Option a
A horizontal team
Option b
A vertical/functional team
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. The principal advantage of virtual teams is that employees can
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. The principal advantage of virtual teams is that employees can
Feedback for option c
Correct. The principal advantage of virtual teams is that employees can
work with each other regardless of time, location, or affiliation.
Option c
Highly cohesive
Option d
Storming
Correct option
c: Highly cohesive
Feedback for option a
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. Cohesiveness is the extent to each team members are attracted to
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. Cohesiveness is the extent to each team members are attracted to
Incorrect. Cohesiveness is the extent to each team members are attracted to
Quiz Question 3
Product design is work that requires significant creative output from
individuals. Holden’s teams could interfere with this output because:
Option a
Teams promote conformity
Option b
Teams can produce groupthink
Option c
Teams tend to eclipse individualism
Option d
All of these
Correct option
d: All of these
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. All of these are disadvantages to using teams.
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. All of these are disadvantages to using teams.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. All of these are disadvantages to using teams.
Feedback for option d
Correct. All of these are disadvantages to using teams.
Review Questions
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of teams?
The major advantages are: increased customer satisfaction; improved product and service quality;
2. How does a manager know when to use teams and when not to use them?
Teams should be used for a clear purpose, when the work requires that people work together, when
3. Sketch the team autonomy continuum and describe the five teams with different levels of autonomy.
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• (A) Traditional work group: composed of two or more people who work together to achieve a
shared goal.
• (B) Employee involvement team: provides advice or makes suggestions to management
4. Describe the three types of special teams that do not fit easily onto the team autonomy continuum.
Cross-functional, virtual, and project teams do not easily fit onto the team autonomy continuum.
5. Outline the stages of team development and briefly describe what happens at each stage.
Stages of team development are:
• Forming: the first stage of team development in which team members meet each other, form
initial impressions, and begin to establish team norms.
because the team has matured into an effective, fully functioning team.
Teams do not necessarily stay together forever once they reach the performing stage. The stages
teams go through as they break up reflect a reversal through the stages they passed through to reach
performance level:
• De-norming: a reversal of the norming stage, in which team performance begins to decline as
6. What role does cohesiveness play in team performance?
Cohesiveness is another important characteristic of work teams. Cohesiveness is the extent to which
team members are attracted to a team and motivated to remain it. To start, cohesive groups have a
better chance of retaining their members. As a result, cohesive groups typically experience lower
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7. Describe two main types of conflict that occur in teams. How can teams use conflict effectively?
Conflict and disagreement are inevitable in most teams. The key to dealing with team conflict is to
maximize cognitive conflict, which focuses on issue-related differences, and minimize affective
cognitive to affective conflict if the discussion turns personal and tempers and emotions flare.
So, what can managers do to manage team conflict? They can:
• Work with more, rather than less, information.
• Develop multiple alternatives to enrich debate.
• Resolve issues without forcing a consensus.
8. What should managers consider when selecting employees for teamwork?
Managers need to consider whether an individual has a preference for teamwork, whether the team
level is high enough, and how diverse the team is. An individual with a preference for teamwork
shows a strong preference for working interdependently, rather than independently. As such, that
9. What must happen for stretch goals to motivate teams?
Four things must occur for stretch goals to effectively motivate teams. First, teams must have a high
degree of autonomy or control over how they achieve their goals. Second, teams must be empowered
10. What challenges do companies face when compensating employees for work done in teams?
Compensating teams correctly is very difficult. For instance, one survey found that only 37 percent of
Additional Assignments and Activities
Out-of-Class Project: “Model Teams.” Divide the class into small groups. Each group should
thoroughly research a particular team that they believe has been successful. The team can be an industrial
In–Class Activity: “Two or More Heads Are Better Than One.” Write the word “management” on the
board and ask students to make as many words out of that word as possible. (For example, the words
In–Class Activity: “Develop Your Managerial Potential.” Divide the class into small groups. Complete
the exercise under this chapter’s “Develop Your Managerial Potential.”
Sports Teams. Look up the Web site of your favorite sports team (any sport). What are the characteristics
of this team? What makes them so successful (or unsuccessful, if that is the case)? Why has the team
survived so many years?