MENT 3101: Teams

Definition of a Team

A team consists of two or more people who work interdependently over some time period to accomplish goals related to a task-oriented purpose.

Key Characteristics of a Team

Two or more people who work interdependently.

Work Group

A group that interacts primarily to share information and make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility.

Goal:Share information

Synergy:Neutral (sometimes negative)

Accountability: Individual

skills: Random and varied

Work Team

A group whose individual efforts result in performance that is greater than the sum of individual inputs.

Goal: collective performance 

Synergy: positive 

Accountability: individual and mutual 

Skills: complementary

Why have teams become so popular?

• Teams typically outperform individuals

• Teams better utilize employee talents

• Teams are more flexible and responsive to changes in the environment

• Teams facilitate employee involvement

• Teams are an effective way to democratize an organization and increase motivation

Types of Teams

• problem solving teams

• self-managed teams

• cross functional teams

• virtual teams

Problem-Solving Teams

Groups of employees meet to address particular issues.

Self-managed work teams

Groups of employees performing highly interdependent jobs and taking on responsibilities traditionally performed by a supervisor.

Cross-Functional Teams:

Employees from different work areas who come together to accomplish a task.

Virtual Teams

• Teams that use technology to connect physically dispersed members to achieve a common goal.

  • Much more common after COVID.

  • Some companies are against working virtually.

What factors determine a team’s effectiveness?

• Context

• Composition

• Work Design

• Process

Factors of Team Effectiveness – Context

• Adequate resources

• Appropriate leadership and structure

• Climate of trust (hard to build, easy to break)

• Evaluation and reward system

Factors of Team Effectiveness – Composition

• Member abilities: Need technical expertise, problem-solving, decision-making, and interpersonal skills

• Personality: Conscientiousness, openness to experience, and agreeableness all relate to team performance

• Allocating roles: Place the most able, experienced, and conscientious workers into central roles

• Diversity of members: Diversity can initially lead to lower performance

• Team size: 5–9 members is ideal

• Member preference: Not everyone is a team player

Factors of Team Effectiveness – Work Design

• Skill Variety: Requirement for different tasks in the job

• Task Identity: Completion of a whole piece of work

• Task Significance: The job’s impact on others

• Autonomy: Level of discretion in decision-making

• Feedback: Amount of direct and clear information on performance

Factors of Team Effectiveness – Process

• Common Plan and Purpose: Developing goals and creating strategies to achieve the overall goal

• Specific Goals: Transform common purpose into specific goals; facilitates clear communication

• Team Efficacy: Teams that have confidence in their success are more motivated and work harder

• Conflict Levels:

  • Task Conflict: Can stimulate discussion and lead to better decisions

  • Relational Conflict: Hinders team performance

• Social Loafing: Avoided through clear communication about individual vs. joint responsibility

Teams aren’t always the answer

Three tests to determine if a team fits the situation:

1. Is the work complex and in need of different perspectives?

2. Does the work create a common purpose or set of goals larger than individual goals?

3. Are members of the group involved in interdependent tasks?

Note:

• Groups and teams are inescapable in the workplace.

• There are many drawbacks to working in teams—being aware of them helps you navigate effectively.