Chapter 11: Teams - Characteristics and Diversity

Chapter 11: Teams - Characteristics and Diversity

Team Definition

  • A team comprises 2+ individuals working interdependently to achieve common goals over time.
  • Teams focus on coordinated efforts toward task-driven objectives.

Importance of Teams

  • Teams pool complementary knowledge and skills, enhancing capabilities.

Team Characteristics

  • Categories used to examine teams include task, unit, and member qualities.

Types of Teams

  • Work Teams: Long lifespan, high involvement (e.g., self-managed teams).
  • Management Teams: Integrates activities across functions.
  • Parallel Teams: Recommendations and issue resolutions with varied lifespan.
  • Project Teams: Produce unique outputs; variable engagement.
  • Action Teams: Perform under time pressure and high visibility.
  • Multiple memberships may affect individual commitment levels.

Team Development Stages

  1. Forming: Orientation phase.
  2. Storming: Conflict over ideas.
  3. Norming: Cooperation begins.
  4. Performing: Roles established; focus on goals.
  5. Adjourning: Emotional disengagement upon task completion.

Interdependence Types

  • Task Interdependence: Levels of interaction required to complete tasks.
    • Pooled, Sequential, Reciprocal, Comprehensive interdependence genres.
  • Goal Interdependence: Shared goals aligning individual objectives.
  • Outcome Interdependence: Shared rewards for team success.

Team Composition

  • Key aspects influencing effectiveness:
    • Member Roles: Defined behaviors for tasks.
    • Member Ability: Critical cognitive/physical skills related to the task.
    • Member Personality: Agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion promote team synergy.
    • Team Diversity: Differences that can enhance problem-solving or create challenges.
    • Team Size: Optimal size is around 4-5 for satisfaction, varies by team function.

Impact of Team Characteristics

  • Characteristics affect team performance and commitment.
  • Higher task interdependence can improve performance but has weak ties to team commitment.
  • Viability refers to the capacity for future team collaboration.

Compensation Dynamics

  • Outcome interdependence affects organizational reward structures, often leading to hybrid models that consider both individual and team performance.