fundamentals of organizational behavior...

Group Dynamics

and Teamwork

Fundamentals of

Organizational Behavior 2e

Andrew J. DuBrinPowerPoint Presentation

by Charlie CookPowerPoint Presentation

by Charlie Cook

Chapter

9

A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western. 9–2

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the various types of groups in

organizations.

2. Summarize the stage of group development and

key roles members occupy within a work group.

3. Identify the characteristics of an effective work

group.

4. Be able to implement two different methods of

group problem solving and decision making.

5. Pinpoint several potential problems with group

effort and know how to prevent them.

6. Explain how to foster teamwork.


Types of Groups and Teams

Groups

� Interact with one another.

�Are working toward some common

purpose.

�Perceive themselves to be a group.

�Have a strong, focused leader.

�Have individual accountability.

�Strive to run efficient meetings.

Teams

�Are a special type of group.

�Have complementary skills.

�Are committed to a common

purpose.

�Have a set of performance goals.

�Have a defined approach to a task.

�Have a team leader who shares

leadership roles.

�Have individual and mutual

accountability.

�Encourage open-ended discussion

and participation.


Types of Groups and Teams

Formal Groups

� Are deliberately formed by the organization to accomplish

specific tasks and achieve goals.

Informal Groups

� Emerge over time through the interaction of workers

to satisfy a social or

recreational purpose.

Are not sanctioned

but may be tolerated by the organization.


Types of Work Teams

Cross-Functional Team

� Is a group of workers with different specialties drawn from

the same level in the organization to blend their talents to accomplish a task such as product development.

� Have individual members who think in terms of what is good

for the organization and not their specialty.

Top-Management Team

� Is the group of managers at the top of organizations that

collaborates in making most major decisions.

� Occasionally, can be a committee of two or more top

executives who claim to share power.


Types of Work Teams

Affinity Groups

� Are employee-involvement groups composed of

professional-level (or knowledge) workers.

� Meet regularly, share information, capture opportunities, and

solve problems affecting their organizations.

� Are self-directing and havea formal charter from

their organizations.


Types of Work Teams

Virtual Teams

� Are small groups of people who conduct almost all of their

collaborative work by electronic communication rather than face-to-face. Members can be located anywhere in the world.

� Advanced “cybercollaboration” techniques:

� e-mail for sharing information

and “cybermeetings.”

� groupware for simultaneous

document editing.

� desktop video conferencing

to facilitate the virtual team.


Stages of Group Development

Stage 1: Forming

� A time of confusion, caution, communality for members.

� Group members learn:

� what tasks are expected to be performed.

� what the benefits are of group membership.

� what rules must be followed and expected behaviors.

Stage 2: Storming

� A time of hostility, infighting, tension, and confrontation.

� Members argue to clarify expectations.

� Coalitions, cliques, and subgroups form within the group.



Stage 3: Norming

� A period of quiet; resistance is overcome and group

standards (norms) are established.

� Cohesiveness and commitment begin to emerge.

� Sources of “Norms”:

� The group itself sets behavioral

and performance standards.

� Organizational rules and policies

are adopted.

� Influential team members who

inspire the group.



Stage 4: Performing

� In this stage, the group is ready to focus on accomplishing

its key tasks.

� Intrinsic motivation and creativity emerge as the group

performs (“working for the cause”).

Stage 5: Adjourning

� Groups are dissolved after their tasks are accomplished.

Key Managerial Challenge

� To help groups move past the first three stages of group

development into performing.


The Stages of Group Development

Adjourning Storming

NormingPerforming

Forming

EXHIBITEXHIBIT9-19-1


Roles within Groups

1. Knowledge Contributor

2. Process Observer

3. People Supporter

4. Challenger

5. Listener

6. Mediator

7. Gatekeeper

8. Take-charge Leader


Characteristics of Effective Work Groups

Job Design

� Effective work groups follow the principles of job design (job

enrichment and the job characteristics model) to develop self-management capabilities and to ensure participation in

decision making.

A Feeling of Empowerment

� Effective work groups believe they have the authority to solve

a variety of problems without first obtaining approval from

management.

� Group experiences: potency, meaningfulness, autonomy, and

impact.



Interdependence

� Effective work groups are task interdependent:

� Interdependence increases motivation and enhances the

sense of responsibility for the work of the group as members

interact and depend on one another to accomplish the task.

� Goal interdependence involves linking individual goals to

the group’s goals.

Right size and mix

� Groups need to be large enough to do the job yet small

enough to maintain internal communications, cohesiveness,

and coordination.

� Increasing group diversity improves problem solving.



Support for the Work Group

� The availability of sufficient resources (e.g., training and

managerial support) is essential to group success.

Effective Processes within the Group

� Simply believing that the group can do anything enhances group

effectiveness.

� Social support of others, workload

sharing, communication, and cooperation all contribute to group

cohesiveness.



Follows Processes and Procedures

� Teams that can be trusted to follow work processes and

procedures tend to perform better (higher quality output).

Familiarity with Jobs, Coworkers, and the

Environment

� Group effectiveness is

increased when group

members have a high

degree of specific knowledge of their jobs,

coworkers, and the environment.


InterdependenceInterdependence

Productivity

Job Satisfaction

Productivity

Job Satisfaction

Characteristics

Enriched Job DesignEnriched Job Design

EmpowermentEmpowerment

Right Mix and SizeRight Mix and Size

Support for Work GroupSupport for Work Group

Effective ProcessesEffective Processes

Follows ProcessesFollows Processes

Familiarity with JobFamiliarity with Job

Effectiveness

Criteria

Sources: Michael A. Campion, Ellen M. Papper, and Gina Medsker, “Relations between Work Team Characteristics and Effectiveness: A Replication and Extension,” Personnel Psychology, Summer

1996, p. 431; David E. Hyatt and Thomas M. Ruddy, “An Examination of the Relationship between

Work Group Characteristics and Performance: Once More into the Breech,” Personnel Psychology, Autumn, 1997, p. 579; Brian D. Janz, Jason A. Colquitt, and Raymond A. Noe, “Knowledge Worker

Team Effectiveness: The Role of Autonomy, Interdependence, Team Development, and Contextual Support Variables,” Personnel Psychology, Winter 1997, pp. 877–904; Bradley L. Kirkman and

Benson Rosen, “Powering Up Teams,” Organizational Dynamics, Winter, 2000, pp. 48–52.


Work Group CharacteristicsRelated to Effectiveness


Group Problem Solving and Decision Making

Group Decision-Making Styles

� Consultative

� Group leader consults with

the group before deciding.

� Consensus

� Manager shares problem

with group members

who seeka solution.

� Democratic

� The group is empowered

to make decision themselves.


Group Problem Solving and Decision Making

Steps in the Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

1. Members of the group are chosen and brought together.

2. If the group is too large, it is divided into subgroups.

3. The group leader presents the question.

4. Individual members independently record their work.

5. Each group member presents one idea without discussion.

6. Once members have presented their viewpoints, evaluate all of the ideas.

7. The meeting terminates with individuals voting to create a

group ranking of the ideas.


Group Problem Solvingand Decision Making:

Steps in theDelphi Process

Source: R. J. Tersine and W.E. Riggs, “The Delphi

Technique: A Long-Range Planning Tool,“ Business Horizon (April, 1976): p. 53. Copy right © 1976 by the

School of Business at Indiana University.


StartStart

Prepare questionnairePrepare questionnaire

Determine expertise requiredDetermine expertise required

Sample experts (sample size)Sample experts (sample size)

Distribute questionnaireDistribute questionnaire

Analyze question responsesAnalyze question responses

Has consensus been reached?Has consensus been reached?

Provide requested information and tabulate responsesProvide requested information and tabulate responses

Prepare the next questionnairePrepare the next questionnaire

Problem definitionProblem definition

Compile final responses and disseminate the results (final

report)

Compile final responses and disseminate the results (final

report)

Yes


Potential Problem Within Groups

Group Polarization

� Shifts in member attitudes to more or less risky positions,

which, in turn, reduces intragroup cohesion.

Social Loafing

� Occurs when an undermotivated person shirks individual responsibility and tries

to squeeze by without

contributing a fair share

of the work.


Potential Problem Within Groups

Groupthink

� Occurs when strong group cohesiveness creates an extreme

form of consensus and interferes with effective decision making.

� Contributors to groupthink:

� strong member identification

with the group

� directive leadership

� high stress

� insulation of the group

� no built-in mechanism for

evaluating decisions


Building Teamwork

1. Instill in teams an urgent constructive purpose.

2. Empower the group to determine how to meet

its objectives.

3. Promote the idea that we are all

in this together.

4. Make frequent use of

words and phrases that

support teamwork.

5. Use language the fosters

cohesion and commitment.


Building Teamwork (cont’d)

5. Use a consensus decision-making style to foster

participation.

6. Feed members valid facts and information that

motivate them to work together.

7. Avoid micromanagement in supervising the

team too closely.

8. Create physical structures suited for teams.

9. Reward the team as well as individuals.

10. Send members to outdoor (or off-site) training.

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