Building Winning Teams

Introduction to Human Resource Management

  • Focus on building winning teams

Learning Objectives

  • Define a group
  • Explain the reasons for group formation
  • Discuss group dynamics
  • Understand group cohesiveness
  • Identify characteristics of effective groups
  • Define a TEAM and explain teamwork importance
  • Identify barriers to effective teamwork
  • Explore tools for building teams
  • Discuss Tuckman's Theory of Team Formation

Definition of a Group

  • Forsyth Definition: A group is two or more individuals connected through social relationships.
  • Handy Definition: A group is a collection of individuals who perceive themselves as a group, including:
    • Sense of identity and belonging
    • Loyalty and acceptance
    • Purpose and leadership

Classifying Groups

Types of Groups

  • Primary Groups: Small, long-term (e.g., family, friends)

    • Characterized by face-to-face interaction and cohesiveness
    • Serve as a primary source of socialization, influencing attitudes and values.

  • Secondary Groups: Larger, more organized (e.g., work groups, clubs)

    • Influence members’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

Formation of Groups

  • Planned Groups: Deliberately formed by members or external authority.
  • Emergent Groups: Gradually formed through repeated interactions among individuals.

Entitativity

  • Definition: Extent to which individuals in a group are perceived as a single entity.
  • Influenced by:
    • Common fate: shared outcomes
    • Similarities: behaviors and characteristics
    • Proximity: closeness of individuals in a group

Reasons for Group Formation

Individual Perspective

  • Satisfy social needs
  • Develop a positive self-image
  • Help achieve tasks

Organizational Perspective

  • Perform collective tasks
  • Test and ratify decisions
  • Consult and negotiate
  • Create and exchange ideas

Types of Groups Based on Structure

  • Formal Groups: Task-oriented with defined roles and authority.
  • Informal Groups: Unstructured with fluctuating membership, leaders emerge through personal power.

Group Dynamics

  • Involves the social relationships within groups, characterized by:
    • Power and fluidity
    • Living systems
    • Influential nature, shaping society

Role Theory

  • Roles are expected behaviors based on social positions:
    • Role Ambiguity: Unclear expectations leads to dissatisfaction.
    • Role Conflict: Different expectations from members.
    • Role Overload: Exceeding one’s capacity can cause stress.

Group Cohesiveness

  • Forces that act on members to remain in the group include:
    • Attraction to the group
    • Motivation to remain
    • Resistance to leaving

Characteristics of Cohesive Groups

  • Higher productivity, quality, and cooperation
  • Better communication and attentiveness

Effective Groups

Management Characteristics

  • Social skills to foster positive relationships
  • Clear understanding of roles and trust
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Inclusive decision-making and consensus

Belbin’s Ideal Group Composition

  • Effective groups include a balanced mix of nine roles:
    • Coordinator
    • Shaper
    • Plant
    • Monitor-Evaluator
    • Resource- Investigator
    • Implementer
    • Team Worker
    • Finisher
    • Specialist

Threats to Group Effectiveness

  • Pressure to Conform: Stifles creativity.
  • Groupthink: Prevents consideration of alternatives.
  • Social Loafing: Reduced effort in larger groups.
  • Risky-Shift: More risk-taking in groups.
  • Group Polarization: Increased extremity in perspectives.

Definition and Importance of a Team

  • Team Definition: Small number of people with complementary skills committed to a common purpose and mutually accountable.

Importance of Teamwork

  • Competitive advantage through:
    • Increased performance and synergy
    • Responsiveness to change
    • Innovation and motivation

Characteristics of Effective Teams

  • Shared goals and commitment
  • Trust and dependency
  • Full participation and consensus in decision-making
  • Open communication and conflict resolution

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Team Building

  • Members' needs include:
    • Sense of belonging
    • Sense of worth
    • Sense of competence

Barriers to Teamwork

  1. Personal Insecurity: Lack of confidence among members.
  2. Unhealthy Competition: Undermines collaborative efforts.
  3. Non-communication: Hinders open dialogues.
  4. Fear of Change: Resistance to adapting can prevent growth.

Overcoming Barriers

  • Encourage open communication, respect, and equal status among members.

Tools for Building Effective Teams

  • Respect, Reward, and Importance: Recognize everyone’s contributions.
  • Inspire and Motivate: Foster an environment for creativity over predictability.

Hollington’s Eight Steps

  1. Instill a sense of purpose
  2. Get processes right
  3. Recruit effectively
  4. Leadership selection
  5. Succession planning
  6. Foster fun in teamwork
  7. Allow team-driven goal setting
  8. Review performance collectively.

Tuckman’s Theory of Team Development

  1. Forming: Initial uncertainty among members.
  2. Storming: Conflict arises, authority is challenged.
  3. Norming: Norms develop, trust and cooperation increase.
  4. Performing: Team focuses on achieving goals effectively.
  5. Adjourning: Group disbands after the completion of tasks.

Team Cohesion and Its Importance

  • Strong bonds lead to motivation and satisfaction among members.
  • Successful cohesion results in high performance and job satisfaction, leading to lower turnover rates.

Establishing Team Norms

  • Norms provide acceptable behavior standards, enhancing group conformity and reducing conflict.
  • Types of norms include Appearance, Performance, Social, Resource.

Development of Norms

  • Norms may result from:
    • Previous experiences
    • Managerial influence
    • Members' prior teamwork experiences

Reasons for Team Failure

  • Attributed to both management errors and team member issues:
    • Unrealistic expectations and conflicts can hinder success.
    • Issues such as lack of ability and interest can also lead to failures.