1.1 What can lead to problems experienced in teams:
- Lack of a common aim = lack of focus of group
- Different ideas on how they want things done
- People work at different speeds = can hold up the entire group
- Does not have the correct skills
- No specific leader = multiple people trying to take charge
- Conflict between members = may distract the team from task
- Personal egos may be in conflict with team goal = detract from the work
that needs to be done
1.2 Establishing effective teams:
- Learning how to analyse and classify types of teams (understand how
they work; decide which format is best)
- Learning the different team roles that are essential for effective working
(traits best for)
- Understanding team processes
- Understanding team dynamics
- Learning how to manage conflict in teams
2.1 Informal Teams:
- Gravitate towards each other due to common interests or shared goals.
- Advantages: Sense of identity, Friendship and support, Opportunity to
discuss or participate in an interest or hobby with like-minded people,
being part of an informal communication network (grapevine)
2.2 Formal Teams:
- Created by management
- Work towards achieving the collective goals of the organisation
- Democratic management: choice of which team
- Organisational goals are only achieved by dividing them into subgoals
such as providing specific aspects of work, developing new ideas,
Kate Adendorff 1 Business 2020
, managing a process, resolving conflict or problem solving, improving
working conditions and motivation of employees
- Benefits of working through teams to achieve these goals:
- Increased motivation
- Productivity
- Decreased costs and wastage (avoiding duplication; not duplicating
work)
- Improved decision making
- Less duplication of effort (learn from each others mistakes)
- Greater flexibility and ability to adapt change
3. Team Roles:
LTCD -> more complex (clearly defined to avoid problems)
3.1 Aspects the need to be considered when allocating roles:
- The aim of the team
- The size of the team (small = double up on roles; big = several
members doing similar roles)
- The expected lifespan of the team
- The strengths and weaknesses of each member (leadership qualities
are important; too many similar strengths = conflict; weakness that are
not compensated for = serious problems)
- The available resources (resources such as financing and equipment
can, in some cases, compensate for some of the above problems. Eg, if
sufficient funds are available, someone can be hired to do the computer
work needed)
- Accountability (for each task in the group or the co-ordinating;
responsibility)
3.2 Team Roles:
1. Initiator: Person who gets everything going; instruct; organise voting for
leader; contribute new ideas
2. Investigator: Do the research; find contacts; follow up on leads
regarding resources
3. Administrator: do the paperwork; keep track of attendance at meeting;
do agendas and minutes; typing up final presentations
4. Motivator: “people’s person”; caring; gets everyone excited about the
task; encourages (especially when things are going badly); make sure
Kate Adendorff 2 Business 2020
, everyone is happy, involved and has an opportunity to contribute; notice
when someone is withdrawn or hurt - try rectify
5. Coordinator: ensure all resources are allocated and properly used;
everything is coming together correctly; in charge of timing issues
(deadlines)
6. Activator: actual work is done
7. Leader: takes all the other activites to a new level; decision-making;
crisis management; ability to solve problems; managing the ongoing
process; keep an eye on the bigger picture; step in where there are
problems
4. Team Processes
1. Forming: Members come together; allocated or spontaneously come
together
2. Storming: finding their roles; testing roles; ideas, discussion,
disagreement and dissension; members’ past experience should be
noted as a potential future resource
3. Norming: team starts to gel; begins to work towards a common goal;
team roles are assigned or assumed; unworkable ideas are discarded;
agreement reached that all members are happy with; team briefing =
leader allocated roles, specific aims and sets up working methods; find
a workable solution (prioritise, analyse different ideas)
4. Performing: actual work is done; sub-teams; break off to complete
allocated tasks; barriers and problems are addressed and solved to
enable the team to proceed; productivity is determined by the cohesion
and buy-in of the group members; longest
5. Adjourning: disbanding of the group when the task is completed or
realisation that it can not be successful. If unsuccessful: mourning may
occur; members will need to reflect. If successful: period of celebration;
achievement-reflection. Many cases the team will transform and restart
a new project, sometimes with different members or new goals.
5. Team Dynamics:
How well a team works together.
5.1 Problems arise mainly through the following:
- Lack of communication
- Lack of strong leadership and management of team processes
Kate Adendorff 3 Business 2020
, - Personality differences and underlying tensions
- Not having the correct skills and resources to complete the task
successfully
- Lack of direction or clear goals (or team members put their personal
goals ahead of the team's goals)
- Inadequate role allocation and organisation
- Lack of commitment from team members who do not work to their full
potential or at all
- Other issues such as prejudice, beliefs, values and diversity affecting
the interaction of team members.
5.2 Team Attitude/spirit:
- Attitude is a fundamental building block in creating success in team
dynamics
- Enthusiasm, motivation
5.3 Team Briefing:
COMMUNICATION. Leaders role to analyse the available information,time
and budgets and summarise them effectively for the team.
Team briefings should adhere to some specific criteria:
- Be led by the team leader, and reinforce his/her role in the team
- Give direction and focus to the team
- Be short and to the point
- Be clear in communicating aims, roles and responsibilities
- Specify time lines and expected outcomes
- Avoid general, non-specific discussions
- Allow for questions to be asked and answered
- Be motivational and inspire members to do their best
- Assist individuals and groups to cope with change and innovation
- Quantify the type and extent of support structures
5.4 Team Synergy:
Synchronised energy. Process of optimal cooperation where the team together
achieves more than the individuals could on their own.
5.5 Team Dynamics in Practice:
The problem of a weak link can arise in 2 ways:
Kate Adendorff 4 Business 2020
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