Foundations of Business: Teamwork in Business

TEAMS VS. GROUPS

  • Teams: share accountability, function interdependently.

  • Groups: members work independently, limited interdependence.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF TEAMS

  1. Share accountability for common goals.

  2. Function interdependently.

  3. Require stability.

  4. Hold authority & decision-making power.

  5. Operate in a social context.

WHY ORGANIZATIONS NEED TEAMS

  • Address challenges in market, operations, and culture.

  • Teams can enhance productivity and workplace performance significantly.

TYPES OF WORK TEAMS

  • Manager-led Team

  • Self-managing Team

  • Cross-functional Team

  • Virtual Team

EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK

  • Depend on and trust each other.

  • Boosters encouraging each other to excel.

TEAM COHESIVENESS

  • Influenced by size, similarity, success, exclusiveness, and competition.

OBSTACLES TO SUCCESS

  • Groupthink and conforming pressures.

  • Lack of motivation and managerial support.

  • Poor cooperation or conflict management.

SKILL SETS NEEDED

  1. Technical skills

  2. Decision-making and problem-solving skills

  3. Interpersonal skills

TEAM MEMBER ROLES

  • Task-facilitating Roles: Drive accomplishment of goals.

  • Relationship-building Roles: Enhance team dynamics.

  • Blocking Roles: Negative behaviors that hinder performance.

TEAM STRUGGLES

  • Lack of trust, unclear goals, and relationship issues can hinder performance.

LEADING A TEAM

  • Demonstrate integrity and communicate clearly.

  • Generate positive energy and manage agreement/disagreement effectively.

  • Encourage and coach team members.

  • Share information and provide support regularly.