Unit 7 -- Teamwork

Karen Foreman Professor

Groups and Teams

What is a working group?

What is a team?

Different types of teams

How many different type of teams can you think of or have worked as

a part of?

Differences in traditional and team

environments Traditional Environment Team Environment

Managers determine and plan the work. Managers and team members jointly determine and plan the work.

Jobs are narrowly defined. Jobs require broad skills and knowledge.

Cross training is viewed as inefficient. Cross training is the norm.

Most information is “management property.”

Most information is freely shared at all levels.

Training for non-managers focuses on technical skills.

Continuous learning requires interpersonal, administrative and technical training for all.

Risk taking is discouraged and punished. Measured risk taking is encouraged and supported.

People work alone. People work together.

Rewards are based on individual performance.

Rewards are based on individual performance and contributions to team performance.

Managers determine “best methods.” Everyone works to continuously improve methods and processes.

Transforming Groups to Teams

How can a group become a real team?

There are some basic activities that mold a group into a team

Team building

Can you describe an activity that you’ve used or have been a part of for building team cohesiveness?

Failure is not an option

What are some of the reasons why groups fail?

What are some of the barriers that make it difficult for teams to succeed?

Effective Teams

How do we build effective teams?

There are three criteria

Motivating effective teamwork

What are the two things that can happen?

Conditions that help to avoid social loafing1. Group members know each other.

2. They can observe and communicate with one another.

3. Clear performance goals exist.

4. The task is meaningful to the people working on it.

5. Group members believe that their efforts matter and that others will not take advantage of them.

6. The culture supports teamwork.

 

Good Night!Until we meet again

Interpersonal behaviors and processes for effective group sessions

Group Task Behaviors

Task behaviors are concerned with a group’s efforts to define and accomplish its desired outcomes:

1. Proposing2. Building3. Information seeking4. Opinion seeking5. Information giving6. Opinion giving7. Disagreeing8. Summarizing9. Testing comprehension10. Consensus testing

Group Maintenance Behaviors

Maintenance behaviors deal with the group’s effort to survive, regulate, grow, and strengthen itself as an effective instrument for achieving its desired outcomes:

1. Encouraging.2. Harmonizing.3. Performance checking4. Standard setting.5. Tension relieving.

Gatekeeping Process

Gate keeping processes regulate the flow of group participation by bringing in and shutting out group members:

- Gate opening- Gate closing