CE Exam #1 - Management

What are the four pillars of management?

Planning

Control

Organizing

Leading

planning

-setting goals

-developing strategies

control

-measuring results against objectives

-monitoring

-rewarding

-taking corrective actions

organizing

-allocating resources

-assigning tasks

-establishing procedures

leading

-guiding

-motivating

-persuading

-providing vision

What increases as the number of people decrease?

-awareness

-interactions

-shared goal/purpose

What is Tuckman’s model of team development?

1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Performing

forming

-team members meet, form initial impressions, and establish team goals and roles

-questions: what are we to do? who will lead?

-expected behaviors: silence from many, self-conscious, waiting to be told what to do

-what to focus on: identify purpose, build relationships, establish expectations

storming

-team members disagree over what to do and how to do it

-questions: how can we make decisions amidst disagreements? how can we communicate negative information constructively?

-expected behaviors: cliques being formed, disagreement and/or competition among team members, challenging viewpoints

-what to focus on: manage conflict, concentrate on issues, not personalities, fostering consensus building

norming

-team members settle into their roles

-results in growth of team cohesion and development of positive team norms

-questions: are people in the roles they should be in? are norms being followed?

-expected behaviors: conformity and cooperation; ignoring disagreements…leads to groupthink (no good)

-what to focus on: facilitate participation and diversity of views; build trust, provide clear feedback on performance

performing

-performance improves as team matures into an effective functioning team

-synergy present

-questions: what can I do? how can i help?
-expected behaviors: high mutual trust, support of team members, full commitment to team efforts

-what to focus on: continued process and output improvement; encourage diverse views; foster strong communication; delegate

What can be said about the progression of Tuckman’s model

Once team’s are formed, the storming phase negatively impacts the team, but once this phase has passed, team performance improves as it reaches the norming phase, up to when it peaks in the performing phase.

What can be said about the linearity of Tuckman’s model?

A team could bounce back and forth between stages, such as between storming and norming until performing has be achieved.

What can be said about the potential cyclic nature presented by Tuckman?

After teams form, teams can be in a perpetual cycle of storming, norming, and performing

False

T/F: Effort = Performance

Punctuated Equilibrium Model (PEM) - Gersick Model

proposes that teams develop through long periods of stability followed by sudden bursts of change, rather than gradually improving over time

PEM Model Phases

1. First Meeting and Inertia

2. Midpoint Transition

3. Action and Completion

First Meeting and Inertia

-organization

-norms build upon assumptions which may or may not be true

-inertia: locked into initial habits

Midpoint Transition

-at halfway point, alarm clock goes off, panic ensues

-old habits dropped, conflict over new direction, changes made in approach

-new plan made: fresh strategy focused on achieving goal

Action and Completion

-fast execution and high energy

-old ineffective habits are abandoned

-inertia resumes at new level of performance

-final burst of intense activity to deliver the goal

How do teams progress between Tuckman and Gersick’s models?

Tuckman: Linearly, sequentially

Gersick: sudden bursts of progress

Whose model is people-oriented? Whose is task-oriented?

Tuckman: People

Gersick: Task

What is the focus on between Tuckman and Gersick’s model?

Tuckman: Interpersonal
Gersick: Deadline

When does storming happen in Tuckman’s model? In Gersick’s?

Tuckman: Early

Gersick: Midpoint

No

Do teams strictly follow one model?

False

T/F: Only one model (Tuckman vs Gersick) can be presently seen in a team at any given time

True

T/F: Gersick’s phases might influence Tuckman’s stages and vice versa

groupthink

-reaching an agreement without proper vetting of alternatives to prevent conflict

-causing members to ignore alternative ideas, concerns, or potential problems

5 Dysfunctions of a Team

1. Absence of Trust

2. Fears of Conflict

3. Lack of Commitment

4. Avoidance of Accountability

5. Inattention to Result

Absence of Trust

-can you depend on one another to get things done?

-are you comfortable stating your opinion on a team even if it may mean disagreeing?

-ex: employee makes a mistake but hides it because they are afraid of judgement

Fear of Conflict

-team members avoid honest disagreements and difficult conversations

-driver of groupthink

-teams that successfully engage in conflict:

• put critical topics on the table

• wait the silence out

• don’t accept “I don’t care” as an option

• have lively discussions

Lack of Commitment

-team members don’t fully support or commit to team’s decisions

-a team that commits:

• uses an inclusive/inquiry-based decision-making process

• creates clarity around direction and priorities

• fosters an inclusive environment

Avoidance of Accountability

-team members don’t hold each other accountable for meeting expectations

-a team that holds each other accountable:

• makes it routine

• has defined roles and plans

• ensures poor performers feel pressure to improve

  • establish respect among team members who are all held at the same high standards

Inattention to Results

-team members focus on individual interests rather than team’s overall goals

-a team that focus on collective results:

• puts team goals before individual goals

• avoids distractions

  • celebrates successes and suffers failures together

Diversity of thought

Actively fighting dysfunction

Affection

What makes a team successful?

Time suck

Why do people hate meetings?

5 P’s of Effective Meetings

Purpose

Participants

Plans

Participation

Perspective/Postmortem

Participants

-does the meeting include decision-makers

-two pizzas should be enough to feed the number of participants in the rom

Plans

-come to the meeting with an agenda already made

-it should be sent out 24 hours before the meeting

• gives participants time to prepare

-time management is crucial

Participation

-encourage everyone to contribute ideas, ask questions, and stay engaged

-silence =/ agreement

Perspective/Postmortem

-consider different view points

-summarize decisions that were made

-establish next steps: who, what, where…

-feedback

-confirm minutes

It’s where decisions are made

Why is it important to get meetings right?

5 Factor Model

Extroversion

Agreeableness

Consciensciousness

Stability

Openness

extroversion

captures one’s comfort levels with relationships

agreeableness

refers to a person’s propensity to defer to others

conscientiousness

refers to the number of goals of which a person focusesem

stability

refers to a person’s ability to withstand stress

openness

refers to one’s range of interests

decision environment

set of external and internal conditions, information available, and variables present when making a decision

certain environment

-alternative courses of action and their outcomes are known to decision maker

-low risk

-programmed decision

risk environment

-decision maker’s views alternatives and their outcomes in terms of probabilities

-medium risk

uncertain environment

-decision maker doesn’t know all alternatives and outcomes, even as probabilities

-high risk

-nonprogrammedW

What are the two types of problems and decisions?

1. Structured Problems/Programmed Decision

2. Unstructured Problem/Nonprogrammed Decision

Structured Problems/Programmed Decision

-routine and repetitive

-clear, complete information

-less risky

-certain environment

Unstructured Problem/Nonprogrammed Decision

-one-time, not routine, unique

-less straightforward than programmed decisions

-incomplete information - unknown unknowns

-more risky

-uncertain environment

Rational Decision-Making Process

1. Identification of Problem/Opportunity

2. Search for Alternative Solutions

3. Evaluation of Alternatives

4. Determine Solutions

5. Implementation

Pros Group Decision-Making

-diversity of thought

-more alternatives

-”buy-in”

Cons of Group Decision-Making

-time consuming

-relationships can cloud judgement

-groupthink

Decision-Making Flaws/Reality

-bounded rationality (satisficing) - making a decision that is good enough but not perfect

-heuristics - simple rules of thumb to make decisions

-biases - leaning, preference, or prejudice for or against something usually in a way that prevents fair or objective judgement

confirmation bias

favoring information that supports what you already believe

recency bias

giving too much importance to the more recent information

availability bias

relying to heavily on information that is easy to remember or comes to mind quickly

bandwagon (groupthink)

adopting an idea or decision because many other people support it

How to avoid Groupthink

-value all viewpoints

-keep a second solution alive

-appoint a devil’s advocate

-beware of time pressure

escalation of committment

human behavior where people invest time, money or effort (sunk costs) into a failing choice despite clear signs that it won’t work

analysis paralysis

perfect decisions are the enemies of timely onesx

True

T/F: When it comes to making a decision, weighing criteria can be a good idea

Establish Decision Rules

-majority

-super majority

-highest number of votes

-how will you vote?

lateral thinking

-looking at problems from unconventional approach and generate creative alternatives

-ie: thinking outside the box

nominal group technique (NGT)

-structured method for group brainstorming that encourages contributions from everyone

-Process: Define Problem —> Individually Think/Brainstorm —> Share Ideas —> Discuss —> Anonymous Vote/Rank

Benefits of Nominal Group Technique

-reduces groupthink

-generate more ideas

-encourages participation

-prevents dominating personalities

Downside of Nominal Group Technique

TAKES UP A LOT OF TIME

Strategic Management Process

1. Vision, Values, and Mission

2. Goals and Objectives

3. Situation Assessment

4. Formulate Strategy

5. Execution

Which types of goals perform the best?

Difficult specific goalsW

Which types of goals perform the worst?

Easy goals

False

T/F: Easy goals are better than no goals

SMART Goals

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Time-bound

Everest/Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG) Goals

-inspirational, innovative

-clarity/focus

-involves all parts of an org

-unifying

-big stretch

-innovativeg

goal

-broad, general outcome you want to achieve

-ex: improve company’s profits

objective

-specific, measurable action or result to help achieve a goal

-ex: increase profits by 10% by the end of the year

strategic (leading) objectives

-focus on future performance and the action that will drive future results

-things the organization can influence now

-includes an action verb

-causes future results

-ex: achieve customer retention rate of X%

financial (lagging) objectives

-focus on financial results that have already occurred

-show whether past decisions and actions were successful

-measures past results

-ex: X% increase in annual revenue

strategic plan

-describes the strategy and operations of that business

-top level

-encompass all parts of the operation

-sets out organizational goals (“ends”)

work scheduling

-strategic plan cascades down through goals/objectives

-scheduling in small increments

-explains how resources are to be used (“means”)

Gannt Chart

-ideal for planning projects

-tracks multiple tasks at once

-needs to be kept “live”

-demonstrates parallel vs sequential tasks

control

monitoring and regulation of an organization that performs in relation to its goals and objectives

What is control applied to?

-quality of output

-employee behavior

-financial processes

-resource allocation and usage

Types of Control

1. Input

2. Process

3. Output

Input Controls

-feedforward

-check information and resources before work begins to anticipate problems

Process Controls

-concurrent

-monitor activities while work is being performed to correct problems as they happen

Output Controls

-feedback

-evaluate final results after work is complete and correct problems after they occur

Control Process

1. Establish standards

2. Monitor ongoing organizational behaviors and results

3. Compare actual behaviors and results against standards

4. Evaluate and take action

1. Establish standards

Set —> Measure —> Compare —> Correct

clan control

-uses shared beliefs, norms, and cultures to guide employee behavior

-internal

-company has strong culture of teamwork, so cooperation is expected

bureaucratic control

-uses rules, procedures, and policies to control behavior

-interal

-ex: employees must follow established procedures for purchase approvals

market control

-uses external market forces and performance measures to evaluate performance

-external

-ex: company comparing price and profits to competitors to determine whether they are performing well

Dysfunctional Side of Control

-inflexible/unreasonable standards

-unfocused

-incomplete

Balanced Scorecard

Financial

• key ratios

• cost reductions

Learning/Growth

• skill development

• employee satisfaction

• turnover

Customer

• customer satisfaction

• customer retention

• market share

Internal Processes

• Efficiency

• Quality control

• New product development

Qualities of Effective Control

-accuracy

-timeliness

-flexibility

-understandability

True

T/F: Too much control is a bad thing

What are current communication trends?

-reliance on technology

-dominance of email

-text/chat growing

-less face-to-face

-AI influence