Foundations of Team Dynamics

1. 8 . C H A P T E R Foundations ofTeam Dynamics E I G H T

2. Teams at Bombardier OMC Bombardier used a team-based approach at Outboard Marine Corp. to transform inefficient production methods and solve quality problems. Now OMC produces the highest quality Evinrude and Johnson engines ever made J. Orton

3. What are Teams? • Groups of two or more people • Exist to fulfill a purpose • Interdependent -- interact and influence each other • Mutually accountable for achieving common goals • Perceive themselves as a social entity J. Orton

4. Groups versus Teams • All teams are groups • Some groups are just people assembled together • Teams have task interdependence whereas some groups do not (e.g., group of employees enjoying lunch together)

5. Types of Teams and Groups Temporary Permanent Production team Management team Task force Skunkwork Formal Teams Friendshipgroup Communitiesof practice Informal Groups

6. Why Informal Groups Exist • Innate drive to bond • Fulfil need for social interaction • Social identity • Goal accomplishment • Emotional support

7. Organizational and Team Environment Team Design Team Effectiveness • Reward systems • Communication systems • Physical space • Organizational environment • Organizational structure • Organizational leadership • Task characteristics • Team size • Team composition • Achieve organizational goals • Satisfy member needs • Maintain team survival Team Processes • Team development • Team norms • Team roles • Team cohesiveness Team Effectiveness Model

8. Team Design Features • Task characteristics • Better when tasks are clear, easy to implement • Share common inputs, processes, or outcomes • Task interdependence • Team size • Smaller teams are better • But large enough to accomplish task • Team composition • Members motivated/competent to perform task in a team environment • Team diversity

9. Resource A B C A B C A B C Levels of Task Interdependence Reciprocal High Sequential Pooled Low

10. Less conflict Faster team development Performs better on cooperative tasks Better coordination High satisfaction of team members More conflict Longer team development Performs better on complex problems More creative Better representation outside the team Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Teams Homogeneous Teams Heterogeneous Teams

11. Performing Norming Storming Existing teams might regress back to an earlier stage of development Adjourning Stages of Team Development Forming

12. Team Norms • Informal rules and expectations team establishes to regulate member behaviours • Norms develop through: • Explicit statements • Critical events in team’s history • Initial team experiences • Beliefs/values members bring to the team

13. Day 12: Peer pressure begins Day 28: Employee has doubled performance Day 20: Employee begins working alone Day 1: Employee begins job with team 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 Conformity to Team Norms 100 75 Units Pressed per Hour 50 25 0 Production Days

14. Changing Team Norms • Introduce norms when forming teams • Select members with preferred norms • Discuss counter-productive norms • Reward behaviours representing desired norms • Disband teams with dysfunctional norms

15. Influences on Team Cohesiveness Member Similarity Team Cohesiveness External Challenges Team Size Team Success Member Interaction Somewhat Difficult Entry

16. Team Cohesiveness Outcomes Trevor Pound couldn’t get away for a planned vacation, so other team members turned his work area into a mini paradise. The practical joke illustrates how members of cohesive teams support each other. J. Major, Ottawa Citizen

17. Team Cohesiveness Outcomes Members of cohesive teams: • Want to remain members • Willing to share information • Strong interpersonal bonds • Resolve conflict effectively • Better interpersonal relationships J. Major, Ottawa Citizen

18. Cohesiveness and Performance Moderately high task performance High taskperformance Team Norms Support Company Goals Moderately low task performance Low task performance Team Norms Oppose Company Goals Low Team Cohesiveness High Team Cohesiveness

19. The Trouble With Teams • Individuals better/faster on some tasks • Process losses - cost of developing and maintaining teams • Companies don’t support best work environment for team dynamics • Social loafing

20. How to Minimize Social Loafing • Make individual performance more visible • Form smaller teams • Specialize tasks • Measure individual performance • Increase employee motivation • Increase job enrichment • Select motivated employees

21. 8 . C H A P T E R Foundations ofTeam Dynamics E I G H T