Chapter 10

Managing Teams

MGMT
Designed & Prepared by
Chuck Williams B-books, Ltd.

1
Copyright ©2008 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved
 Why Work Teams?

After reading these sections,

you should be able to:

1. explain the good and bad of using teams.

2. recognize and understand the different kinds of
teams.

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The Good and Bad of Using Teams

Advantages
of Teams

Disadvantages
of Teams

When to Use
And
Not Use Teams

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 The Advantages of Teams
Customer Satisfaction

Product and Service Quality

Speed and Efficiency in Product Development

Employee Job Satisfaction

Decision Making

Multiple perspectives More alternate solutions

Commitment to decisions
1.1
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 The Disadvantages of Teams
Initially High Employee Turnover

Social Loafing

Disadvantages of
Group Decision Making

Groupthink Minority domination

Inefficient meetings Lack of accountability

1.2
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 The Disadvantages of Teams
Factors that Encourage People
to Withhold Effort in Teams

1. The presence of someone with expertise

2. The presentation of a compelling argument
3. Lacking confidence in one’s ability to contribute
4. An unimportant or meaningless decision
5. A dysfunctional decision-making climate

1.2
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 When to Use Teams
USE TEAMS WHEN… DON’T USE TEAMS WHEN…

 There is a clear purpose  There is no clear purpose

 The job can’t be done  The job can be done
unless people work independently
together
 Team-based rewards  Only individual-based rewards
are possible exist
 Ample resources exist  Resources are scarce
 Teams have authority  Management controls

1.3
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 Kinds of Teams

How Teams Special Kinds

Differ in of
Autonomy Teams

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 Autonomy, the Key Dimension
Self-
designing
Self- Teams
managing
Semi-
Teams
autonomous
Work
Employee
Groups
Involvement
Traditional Teams
Work
Groups

Autonomy
2.1
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 Special Kinds of Teams

Cross-Functional Virtual
Teams Teams

Project
Teams

2.2
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 Cross-Functional Teams

• Employees from different

functional areas
• Attack problems from
multiple perspectives
• Generate more ideas and
alternative solutions
• Often used in conjunction
with matrix and product
organizational structures
2.2
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 Virtual Teams
Tips for Managing
Successful Virtual Teams
• Select self-starters and strong communicators
• Keep the team focused on clear, specific goals
• Provide frequent feedback
• Keep team upbeat and action-oriented
• Periodically bring team members together
• Improve communications
• Ask team members for feedback on how well
team is working

2.2
• Empower virtual teams
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 Project Teams
• Created to complete specific, one-time
projects within a limited time
• Often used to develop new products, improve
existing products, roll out new information
systems, or build new factories/offices
• Can reduce or eliminate
communication barriers
and speed up the
design process
• Promote flexibility

2.2
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 Managing Work Teams

After reading these sections,

you should be able to:

3. understand the general characteristics of

work teams.
4. explain how to enhance work team
effectiveness.

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 Work Team Characteristics

Team Team
Norms Cohesiveness

Team Team Team

Size Conflict Development

3
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 Team Norms

• Informally agreed-on standards that regulate

team behavior

• Powerful influence on work behavior

• Regulate the everyday behaviors of teams

3.1
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 Team Cohesiveness
• The extent to which members are attracted to
the team and motivated to remain in it

• Cohesive teams:
– retain their members
– promote cooperation
– have high levels of
performance

3.2
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 Promoting Team Cohesiveness

1. Make sure all team members are present at team

meetings
2. Create additional opportunities for teammates to work
together
3. Engage in nonwork activities as a team
4. Make employees feel that they are part of a “special”
organization

3.2
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 Team Size
Performance

Size

3.3
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 Team Conflict
• C-type Conflict
– cognitive conflict
– focuses on problems and issues
– associated with improvements in team performance
• A-type Conflict
– affective conflict
– emotional, personal disagreements
– associated with decreases in team performance
• Both types often occur simultaneously

3.4
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 How Teams Can Have a Good Fight

1. Work with more, rather than less, information

2. Develop multiple alternatives to enrich debate
3. Establish common goals
4. Inject humor into the workplace
5. Maintain a balance of power
6. Resolve issues without forcing
a consensus

3.4
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 Stages of Team Development

Performing
Team Performance

Norming

Storming

Forming

3.5 Time
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 Enhancing Work Team
Effectiveness
Setting
Team Goals and
Priorities

Team Selecting
Training Team Members

Team
Compensation

4
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 Setting Team Goals and
Priorities
 Team goals enhance
team performance

 Goals clarify team priorities

 Challenging team goals help

team members regulate effort

4.1
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 Requirements for Stretch Goals
to Motivate Team Performance

• Teams have a high degree of autonomy

• Teams are empowered with control resources
• Teams need for structural accommodation
• Teams need bureaucratic immunity

4.1
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 Selecting People for
Teamwork

Individualism- Team
Collectivism Level

Team
Diversity

4.2
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 Team Training
Interpersonal Skills

Decision Making
and Problem Solving

Conflict

Technical Training

Training for Team Leaders

4.3
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 Team Compensation and Recognition

• The level of reward must match the

level of performance

• Three methods of compensating

team participants:
– skill-based pay
– gainsharing
– nonfinancial rewards

4.4
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 Team Compensation and Recognition

Evidence of the challenge presented by developing

team-based compensation:

According to one survey, only of companies 37%

are satisfied with their team compensation plans.

Only 10%
are extremely positive about their team
compensation plans.

4.4
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