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Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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One way that you could begin your coverage of these topics is to have the students watch the
CBS video “Learning their Lessons.” This approximately 2-minute video profiles how an
elementary school robotics team beat the odds. For a supplemental activity, you could have the
students evaluate the factors that contributed to the team’s success and the extent to which the
kids on the team demonstrated the characteristics of effective team members.
Topics and Tips for Discussion:
1. Why is teamwork an important skill for managers to have?
2. How can managers encourage their employees to commit to the team?
3. How can you be a better listener?
You can be a better listener by withholding judgment and showing respect by allowing
everyone the opportunity to explain their ideas without interrupting. You can ask
Section 13.5 Key Concepts:
Becoming a More Effective Team Member
• Commit to the team — Commitment to a team comes down to your willingness to put
the needs of others over self-interests.
• Support team members — You can provide emotional support in the form of the time
you take to listen to and discuss personal matters with others. Instrumental support might
entail showing someone how to complete a task or learn a new skill. It also means putting
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in extra hours to help the team achieve its goals. Sharing information and providing
positive feedback are other forms of support.
• Bring positive emotions to the team — Leave criticism and negativity outside team
Connect® Exercise
CLICK AND DRAG: How to Become a More Effective Team Member
Summary of Activity:
In this Click and Drag exercise, students will match the ways to become a more effective team
member with their appropriate examples.
Become a More Effective Collaborator
• Listen and learn — Listening is the flip side of talking. Active listening requires effort
and motivation. You can improve your listening by: withholding judgment, asking
questions, showing respect, keeping your concentration and focus in the present moment,
and remaining quiet.
Career Corner Group Exercise: Effective Listening
Exercise Objective:
1. Students will become more effective collaborators by improving their active listening skills.
Click to view activity.
CAREER
READINESS
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MANAGEMENT IN ACTION
IBM WANTS ITS EMPLOYEES BACK IN THE OFFICE
Problem-Solving Perspective
1. What is the underlying problem in this case from the perspective of CEO Ginni Rometty
and from a senior leader from human resources?
2. What are the causes of this problem?
3. What advice would you offer to solve the problem? Explain.
I would recommend that IBM make incremental shifts and measure the outcomes before
taking the drastic (and panicked) measure of completely ending their telework program.
Application of Chapter Content
1. What are some virtual best practices IBM could have employed for its remote teams?
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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Explain.
One best practice for virtual teams is building trust. This happens best through
2. Whether or not employees are collocated, describe how IBM can build effective teams.
The first step IBM should take to build effective teams is set up specific expectations
around the various aspects of teamwork. For example, one area is communication—
research by Google has shown that everyone speaking in relatively equal proportion is
3. How could IBM stimulate functional or constructive conflict in its virtual teams? Explain.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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Copyright © 2020 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
virtual teams, IBM could gamify parts of the teamwork process, giving points to team
members for finishing their tasks, innovating team ideas, etc. IBM could also pit teams
against other teams to encourage teamwork within the competitive work. Additionally, IBM
could introduce new perspectives and disrupt the teams. For virtual teams, this could mean
looping in non-team members to communication chains so that they can shake up the
conversation.
4. IBM’s leadership and many in its workforce may not agree on how to address the
company’s lagging revenues. What conflict handling style is IBM leadership utilizing to
address the conflict?
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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LEGAL/ETHICAL CHALLENGE
WHEN EMPLOYEES SMOKE MARIJUANA SOCIALLY: A MANAGER’S QUANDARY
Solving the Dilemma
1. I would not tell the vice president of human resources about Blake’s drug use. He’s doing
a good job, and I have not seen any impairment.
2. I would tell the vice president of human resources about the incident in which I observed
Blake smoking marijuana, but I also would reinforce that he is a good performer. My gut
feeling is that I need to honor the company’s zero-tolerance policy on drug use.
3. I would talk to Blake. I would explain my predicament and then ask him about the
frequency of his drug use. If Blake promised to stop smoking marijuana, I would not tell
the vice president of human resources about the incident.
4. Invent other options. Discuss.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE: Building Trust Starts with Leader Behavior
This Example suggests leader behaviors that engender trust. These behaviors include showing
vulnerability, taking responsibility for your mistakes, and asking for help. All of these increase
trust between leaders and followers which in turn leads to greater collaboration and increased
productivity.
YOUR CALL
Do you see showing vulnerability as a strength or weakness? Are there times when you feel your
feelings of vulnerability should be hidden? Why or why not?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Have your students watch Personal Vulnerability—Leadership, Innovation and Talent a TEDx
Talk by Myric Polhemus (9:29). In this talk, Polhemus discusses the synergy that can be gained
when a vulnerable leader interacts with “productive malcontents.” He points to the improved
ability to innovate successfully and productively that comes from listening to employees who
question, not just accept, a leader’s program. He points to the need for leaders to express
vulnerability, to open themselves to criticism.
After the students have watched the video, lead a class discussion utilizing questions such as:
1. What was the most compelling insight you got from this talk?
2. How do you feel about the idea that a leader should listen to criticism from subordinates?
As a follower, could you imagine yourself going to your boss and expressing such deep concerns
about a new initiative as Chris did in this video? What qualities would leaders have to
demonstrate to make you willing to trust them?
Return.
EXAMPLE: Informal Groups & Informal Learning: Sharing Knowledge in the
Lunchroom and on Social Media
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This Example asks the question “Can social interaction—in the lunchroom, on Second Life,
Instagram, or Twitter—encourage collaboration and peer-to-peer learning?” Interest in this
question comes from research that shows 70 percent of workplace learning is informal.
YOUR CALL
1. Can games (such as the online multi-player game Second Life) or other social media
(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) be used to foster informal workplace collaboration?
2. How about allowing employees to BYOD—“bring your own device” to work, such as their
own smartphone or tablet?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
You can build on this example by having students read one, two, or all three of the following
articles.
“Social Media Proves to Boost Employee Engagement.” This 2018 Forbes article provides
examples of several methods being used at companies to boost productivity, collaboration,
communication, and learning through the use of social media. These methods include
gamification of training, increased socialization among workers using platforms such as
FaceBook’s Workplace and increasing peer-to-peer recognition to strengthen corporate culture.
Consider discussion questions such as:
How would you respond to training programs at work that are gamified—that offer upgrades,
point bonuses, badges, and leaderboards? Would you be more likely to engage in training that
was provided in this fashion than in more old-fashioned methods of training?
Can you identify any downside to the gamification of training?
“Social Media at Work: Does Your Productivity Suffer?” is a 2017 article that includes several
short videos imbedded within it. The article gives a short history of social media use and calls
out its problems including social media addiction, performance loss, and distraction as well as its
benefits of greater collaboration and communication. Consider using discussion questions such
as:
Would you consider yourself addicted to social media use? Has it ever affected your
performance at school or at work?
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Should organizations be worried about social media use by its employees?
“Virtual Reality Takes On the Videoconference” discusses how virtual reality systems could one
day replace videoconferencing as a tool for business meetings. Consider using the following
discussion questions:
Describe the benefits and limitations of virtual reality technology over videoconferencing for
work-related discussion.
Do you believe that virtual reality will replace video calls and/or face-to-face meetings for
work conversations? Explain your point of view.
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TEXTBOOK PRACTICAL ACTIONS
PRACTICAL ACTION: Best Practices for Virtual Teams
This Practical Action provides eight best practices that will help students develop their abilities
as virtual team members and leaders. These include adapting communication methods, having
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
In order to build on this Practical Action, consider showing “How to Turn a Group of Strangers
into a Team” (12:51 minutes). This TED talk is by Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of
leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. Edmondson speaks engagingly of
“Teaming,” not teamwork as we generally think of it, but teamwork as it occurs more frequently.
Teaming is the coming together of individuals who may not know one another, have different
cultures, languages, time zones, and industries—fluid, constantly changing, rapidly evolving
teams. Consider using discussion questions such as:
1. Which of the best practices for virtual teams for the Practical Action box can you identify in
the stories of successful teams in this TED talk?
2. Which of the best practices do you think is most important? Why?
3. Have you worked on any teams like the ones discussed in the video? Would you like to? Why
or why not?
Return.
PRACTICAL ACTION: How to Build a High-Performing Team
This helpful Practical Action suggests methods by which teams can develop productive and
effective team norms that will increase performance and productivity. It suggests considering
what norms have worked well or poorly in past teams, the behaviors that are necessary to make
norms effective, and how teams can insure accountability for normative behaviors.
YOUR CALL
How well do you think an organization could incorporate all the suggestions listed above for
creating high-performance teams? What other strategies do you think contribute to outstanding
team results?
One method for reinforcing the lessons in this Practical Action is to start with these questions
then move to the exercise in the Additional activity section. Direct the students to think about
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Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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Copyright © 2020 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
what a company would be like, what type of leadership it would need, and what kinds of training
should be available in order for the company to be able to incorporate these suggestions.
What other strategies do your think contribute to the adoption of effective norms?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Break the students into groups of five and have each group answer the following questions:
1. Think about effective teams you have been on. What norms contributed to their effectiveness?
2. Think about ineffective teams you have been on. What norms contributed to their
ineffectiveness?
3. For each set of norms, what specific behaviors did team members exhibit?
4. For each set of norms, how were they enforced?
If your students are working in teams during the semester, ask them to meet and discuss the
norms of their groups.
Which of the productive, effective norms are they using?
Can they identify any of the non-productive, ineffective norms within their group?
How can they increase the use of their effective norms and decrease or eliminate their ineffective
norms?
Return.
PRACTICAL ACTION: Playing The Devil’s Advocate
This Practical Action presents students with tips as to how to behave if they are designated as the
devil’s advocate for their team. They are advised to listen and paraphrase the suggestion under
discussion, to be non-confrontational, to mention the positive as well as the negative, and to
refrain from continuously returning to the issues once they have made their point.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
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ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Consider using the TEDx talk “Conflict—Use It, Don’t’ Defuse It (19:12) To expand the
discussion beyond Devil’s Advocacy into managing and using conflict. This talk begins with two
very personal stories before going into the discussion using good conflict management
techniques. You could start the talk at about the 9 minute mark if you want to skip the personal
stories. The discussion is still excellent; you just miss some of the deeper links to why people
behave the way they do in conflict situations. This talk also reflects back to the discussion of
vulnerability in the section on building trust in teams. After watching the video, consider asking
questions such as:
1. What is your most frequent method for handling conflict? (You might talk about your own
tendency—this can encourage students to talk about their own attitudes towards conflict.)
2. How could vulnerability and curiosity improve your attitude towards conflict?
3. How can a team use conflict as an energy source?
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SELF-ASSESSMENTS
SELF-ASSESSMENT 13.1 CAREER READINESS
Attitudes Toward Teamwork
This survey was designed to assess students’ attitude toward teamwork.
STUDENT QUESTIONS
1. What is your attitude toward teamwork?
2. If you do not have a positive teamwork attitude, consider the reason why and identify what
you might do to foster a more positive attitude.
3. What might you say during an interview to demonstrate that you possess the competency of
teamwork/ collaboration?
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITY
Students should be put into groups based on their Self-Assessment scores. Students who have a
low teamwork attitude should be grouped together, and students who have a positive teamwork
attitude should be grouped together.
Return.
CAREER
READINESS
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SELF-ASSESSMENT 13.2
Assessing Your Team’s Productive Energy
This survey was designed to assess student team productive energy.
STUDENT QUESTIONS
1. To what extent does the team display productive energy? Are you surprised by the results?
2. Based on your survey scores, what can be done to improve the level of energy being displayed
by the team? Be specific.
3. What would the survey suggest that you should do next time you are the leader of a work or
school project team?
The survey suggests that a team leader should make sure the team is being productive and has a
collective desire to make things happen. This should include being successful at a work or school
project via caring about the team’s survival and overall success.
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITY
Students should be put into groups based on their Self-Assessment scores. There should be a mix
of different students in each group.
Groups should review the following scenario and discuss what stage the team is in, and what a
strong team leader would do:
Return.
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SELF-ASSESSMENT 13.3
Assessing Team Effectiveness
This survey was designed to assess the overall effectiveness of a team’s internal processes.
STUDENT QUESTIONS
1. How effective is the team?
2. What aspects of the team’s internal processes are most in need of positive development?
3. Based on your survey scores, what are three recommendations for improving the team’s
internal processes? Be specific.
Question 2.
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITY
Students should be put into groups based on their Self-Assessment scores. Students who scored
highly should be grouped together and students with low scores should be grouped together.
Students who scored highly should review the following examples of group effectiveness and see
if they have experienced any of the examples:
The team insures that all members receive information and that it is properly understood.
The team members make sure other team members are performing appropriately.
The team members work together to accomplish team goals.
The team members approach their jobs with professionalism and dedication.
The team members are competent and prepared for the job.
What further examples can they provide from their experiences?
Students who scored low should also review the examples and discuss how they can exhibit
these examples.
Why may these examples not be present at their organization?
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict
Return.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 13.4 CAREER READINESS
Interpersonal Conflict Tendencies
This Self-Assessment measures how well students get along with others at work and/or school.
STUDENT QUESTIONS
1. Does your score match your perception of yourself?
2. The assessment measures how well you get along with others and how they treat you--both
sources of conflict. If you were to improve the measure, what other factors do you think should
be included?
SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITY
Instructor should open class discussion by asking the following questions:
1. Is there a time when conflict is actually appropriate?
2. If so, what type of conflict?
3. What factors contribute to conflict in the workplace?
4. How can these be mitigated?
5. How can constructive conflict be stimulated?
CAREER
READINESS
