the care and feeding of work teams cos 4880 bruce barnard
Post on 15-Jan-2016
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The Care and Feeding of Work Teams
COS 4880Bruce Barnard
Hmmmmmm What do electronic circuits,
governmental operations, heating equipment, communication networks, social institutions, families, and the natural environment all have in common?
General Systems Theory
General systems theory is about answering that question!
What is a system?
Definition
A System is a collection of parts which interact with each other to form a whole.
Principles All systems process information. All human systems are open
systems. They must import energy to survive.
Many open systems are also guided systems – energies and resources can be directed toward achievement of specific goals
Principles Many open systems are also
adaptive systems – they can change their goals and redirect resources and energy to new goals.
All open systems have mechanisms for channeling energy.
Principles An open systems functions best
when it can process good information about its environment.
Open systems function within the limits of their environment. It is impossible to maximize the functioning of both a subsystem and the total system at the same time.
Feedback Loops Negative and Positive Loops Work
Together Negative Feedback Loops
Thermostat Predator/Prey Cycle
Positive feedback Loops Acoustic Feedback Human Population Growth Compound Interest Gossip
Feedback Loops (Positive)
Feedback Loops (Negative)
Feedback Loops (Negative)
Functions Positive feedback loops amplify
change. Negative feedback loops negate
change. All stable systems contain growth
loops surrounded by negative feedback loops
(prey/predator, supply/demand)
Feedback Loops
+ Deer Births + Wolf BirthsNeg. loop
Feedback Loops
Functions Change that does not effect both
loops will only be temporary. Any change, no matter how small, that affects the relationship between the positive and negative feedback loops will alter the long-term behavior of the system.
Teams Teams are open and adaptive
systems Teams are systems within systems What happens in the larger system
effects the team What happens in the team effects
the larger system
Teams
Every organization is perfectly designed to get the results that it gets.
Healthy Teams Teams need a purpose Teams need time Teams need access to information Teams need support Teams need autonomy Teams need to be held accountable Teams need other teams
Healthy Teams Measure performance (work
processes) Measure team performance
(decisions, teamwork) Are learning constantly Experiment Have plans for the future
Organizational Structure
Organizational Structure
shipping
research
marketing
purchasing
production
Steering
committee
Organizational StructureTraining &
Development
Production Production
Production
Steering
committee