Chapter 15: Understanding Groups and Teams

1. Chapter 15:Understanding Groups and Teams

2. Learning Objectives • Definition of a group • Why people join groups • Formal vs. informal groups • Five stages of group development • Key aspects of group structure (roles, norms, status systems, group size, group cohesiveness) and how they influence group behavior • Groupthink and social loafing • Relationship between group cohesiveness and productivity • Group Processes: Decision-Making and Conflict Management

3. Questions For You: • What group or team do/have you belong(ed) to? • Why did you join? • How long has the group been together? • Do you have any “rituals” (regular practices, activities)? • How well/poorly would you say your group work? What are some of the problems?

4. Definition of a Group Two or more people who: • Interact • Are interdependent • Come together to achieve a common objective Is our class a group?

5. Formally Established Work Assignments Specific Tasks Occur Naturally Friendships Common Interests Formal vs. Informal Groups Formal Groups Informal Groups

6. Why People Join Groups • Security • Status • Affiliation • Goal Achievement

7. Stages of Group Development Stage 1 Forming Stage 2 Storming Prestage 1 Stage IV Performing Stage V Adjourning Stage III Norming

8. Basic Group Concepts Roles Norms Status Systems

9. Basic Group Concepts Size Conformity Cohesiveness

10. Examples of Cards Used in the Asch Study X A B C

11. Cohesiveness-Productivity Relationship Cohesiveness High Low High Alignment of Group and Org. Goals Low

12. Cohesiveness-Productivity Relationship Cohesiveness High Low Strong Increase In Productivity Moderate Increase In Productivity High Alignment of Group and Org. Goals No Significant Effect On Productivity Decrease in Productivity Low

13. Views of Conflict • Traditional view • Human Relations View • Interactionist View

14. Conflict and Group Performance

15. Sources of Team Conflict • Task • Relationship • Process

16. Uncooperative Cooperative Conflict-Resolution Approaches Forcing Collaborating Assertive Assertiveness Compromising Avoiding Accomodating Unassertive Cooperativeness

17. Types of Teams - Problem-solving - Self-managing - Cross-functional - Virtual

18. Self-Managing Teams • Responsible for complete work process or segment • No boss • Plan • Schedule • Assign tasks to members • Hire • Fire • Evaluate • Troubleshoot • Can be highly effective, but… • Can take 2-3 years… • And lots of training to build

19. Advantages of Group Decision Making More Alternatives More Information Increases Acceptance Increases Legitimacy

20. Disadvantages of Group Decision Making Minority Domination Time Consuming Pressures to Conform Ambiguous Responsibility

21. Group Decision-Making Techniques • Brainstorming • Nominal Group Technique • Electronic Meetings

22. A Manager’s Dilemma • BMW – Bangle established new culture by reducing fortress design, reducing authority, encouraging open, informal culture where people say what they think. Challenge lies in maintaining team’s effectiveness when new engineers – used to the “fortress” design – join the team. What would you do?

23. Lost at Sea Exercise