Part I Team Strategy Plan You Are Part Of A Group Of New Hir
Part I Team Strategy Planyou Are Part Of A Group Of Newly Hired Team
Part I: Team Strategy Plan You are part of a group of newly hired team superintendents with Riordan Manufacturing. Your group was hired to lead new teams and begin production of the newly designed CardiCare Valve heart valves. This will be at the organization’s Pontiac, MI, location that is currently manufacturing custom plastic parts. Many of the production employees are current employees from other divisions, and the company expects to hire some new employees. Resources: Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization, and University of Phoenix Material: Team Strategy Plan Review the Riordan Manufacturing intranet site and the Human Resource section under Demographics, Employees, Employee Files, and Reports.
Prepare a plan to create the teams. Address the following in your plan: · Identify various strategies available to build teams. · What challenges or barriers may happen? · How will the best strategy be determined? · What measures will you use to determine if the team is operating successfully
Paper For Above instruction
In establishing effective teams for the production of the CardiCare Valve heart valves at Riordan Manufacturing's Pontiac facility, it is essential to adopt strategic team-building approaches that foster collaboration, trust, and performance. The selection of an appropriate team strategy is critical to ensuring project success, especially given the mixture of current employees from different divisions and new hires. This paper outlines various strategies for team formation, potential challenges, criteria for selecting the most suitable approach, and measures for assessing team effectiveness.
Strategies for Building Teams
Several strategies are available for creating productive teams. One common approach is the agent-based strategy, where team members are selected based on their skills, expertise, and experience pertinent to the project (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). For Riordan Manufacturing, this could involve selecting employees with prior experience in plastics manufacturing or related medical device production. This ensures that the team has the technical competence necessary for the complex task of developing the CardiCare Valve.
Another approach is self-directed team formation, which emphasizes team members' autonomy, accountability, and collaborative decision-making. This strategy encourages members to self-select based on mutual understanding of their strengths and roles (Salas et al., 2015). Implementing self-directed teams can foster a sense of ownership and motivation, critical factors for innovation and efficiency in new product development.
Additionally, a cross-functional team strategy involves assembling members from different divisions or departments to integrate diverse skills and perspectives. Given Riordan’s current manufacturing focus and the need to produce the CardiCare Valve efficiently, this approach promotes comprehensive problem-solving and innovation by leveraging varied expertise (Anantatmula & Shrivastava, 2012).
Finally, an mentoring or pairing strategy pairs less experienced employees with seasoned workers to facilitate knowledge transfer and team cohesion, which can be particularly effective during transitions involving new product lines and personnel (Popov, 2014).
Potential Challenges and Barriers
Several challenges may hinder the formation and functioning of these teams. Resistance to change from existing employees accustomed to other divisions can create friction, reduce morale, or hinder collaboration (Cohen & Bailey, 1997). In addition, cultural differences, communication barriers, and unclear role definitions can impair team cohesion and effectiveness (Jehn et al., 1999).
Resource constraints, such as limited time for training and team development, may also pose barriers, especially given the pressure to start production swiftly (Klein et al., 2009). Moreover, conflicts like the one between David Nguyen and James Deal, if unresolved, can undermine team morale and productivity. Such interpersonal issues need proactive management to prevent escalation and disruption.
Determining the Best Strategy
The optimal team formation strategy should be determined based on several criteria: alignment with project goals, team members' skills and experience, organizational culture, and resource availability. A thorough needs assessment, including skill gap analysis and employee readiness evaluation, is essential. Engaging stakeholders in selecting and designing the team approach promotes buy-in and ensures alignment with organizational priorities (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993).
Furthermore, pilot testing different strategies in small-scale settings can help identify which approach yields the best team dynamics and productivity, informing larger-scale implementation. Flexibility and responsiveness to ongoing feedback during team development are vital for refinement.
Measures of Team Success
To evaluate whether the teams are operating successfully, multiple measures can be employed. Performance metrics such as quality of output, adherence to production schedules, and efficiency rates are primary indicators (Campion et al., 1993). Additionally, team cohesion and satisfaction surveys provide insights into collaboration levels and morale. Regular feedback sessions and peer evaluations can identify emerging issues early, enabling timely intervention.
Another important measure is the team’s ability to innovate and solve problems quickly, especially relevant in new product launches. Monitoring these metrics over time helps ensure continuous improvement and alignment with organizational objectives. Ultimately, a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures provides a comprehensive assessment of team effectiveness.
Conclusion
Building effective teams for Riordan Manufacturing's new CardiCare Valve production involves selecting appropriate strategies such as skill-based, self-directed, cross-functional, or mentoring approaches, each with distinct advantages and challenges. Recognizing potential barriers like resistance to change and interpersonal conflicts, such as the issue between David Nguyen and James Deal, enables proactive management. The best strategy should be selected based on organizational needs, resources, and culture, with ongoing assessment using performance, cohesion, and innovation metrics. An integrated, flexible approach to team formation will enhance productivity, foster collaboration, and ensure the successful launch of the new product line.
References
- Anantatmula, V., & Shrivastav, B. (2012). Evolution of project teams for Generation Y workforce. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 5(1), 9-26.
- Campion, M. A., Medsker, G. J., & Higgs, A. C. (1993). Types of work teams: Implications for team performance. Journal of Management, 19(4), 775–793.
- Cohen, S. G., & Bailey, D. E. (1997). What makes teams work: Group effectiveness research from the shop floor to the executive suite. Journal of Management, 23(3), 239-290.
- Jehn, K. A., Northcraft, G. B., & Neale, M. A. (1999). Why differences make a difference: A field study of diversity, conflict, and performance in workgroups. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(4), 741-763.
- Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. Harvard Business Review Press.
- Klein, C., Nelson, T., & Westbrook, F. (2009). Real-world challenges facing team leaders. Harvard Business Review.
- Popov, V. (2014). Mentoring as a strategy for organizational learning. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 17(3), 304-319.
- Salas, E., DiazGranados, D., Klein, C., Burke, C. S., Stagl, K. C., Goodwin, G. F., & Halpin, S. M. (2015). Does team training improve team performance? A meta-analysis. Human Factors, 57(2), 231-251.