Work Teams And Team Building Chapter 18

Work Teams And Team Buildingchapter 18copyright 2021 By Jones Bart

Work Teams and Team Building Chapter 18 Learning Outcomes After completing this chapter, the student should be able to understand: Difference between stable teams and teaming Various types of teams. Difference of a virtual team as compared to conventional types of teams. Learning Outcomes Various approaches for building team performance. Various organizational barriers to effective team building. Common characteristics of successful teams.

Team Defined Small group of people committed to a common purpose, who possess complimentary skills and who have agreed on specific performance goals for which the team members hold themselves mutually accountable. (Katzenback & Smith, 1993) Operating Room- Is this a team? Teaming When people with different skills come together quickly to solve a specific problem, then disband “Teamwork on the fly†Common in health care where clinicians work together on a specific case or patient, then form new configurations of clinicians for the next patient Popularity of Teams Teams are very popular in the workplace Almost every organization uses some form of problem-solving team. The most common being the self-managing work teams, which are used in 78 percent of the Fortune 1000 companies.

Types of Teams Work teams Parallel teams Project teams Management teams Virtual Teams Because of advances in communication technologies, a new kind of team, the virtual team, has emerged. Unlike conventional teams, a virtual team works across space, time, and organizational boundaries through various communication technologies. 70% of workers work remotely at least one day per week (Lipnack & Stamps, 1997; Browne, 2018)

Building Team Performance Eight steps to building team performance: 1 Establish urgency and direction 2 Select members based on skills and skill potential, not personality 3 Pay attention to first meetings and actions 4 Set clear rules of behavior Building Team Performance 5 Set and seize upon a few immediate performance-oriented tasks and goals. 6 Challenge the group regularly with new information 7 Spend time together. 8 Use the power of positive feedback, recognition, and reward.

Barriers to Effective Teamwork The barriers to effective teamwork fall within four categories: Lack of management support Lack of resources Lack of leadership Lack of training Team Performance Curve Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization (p. 84). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. McKinsey & Company. Used with permission.

Effective Teaming Modified from Edmondson, A. C. (2012). Teamwork on the fly. Harvard Business Review, 90(4), 72–80. Common Characteristics of Successful Teams Clear goals Defined roles Open and clear communication Effective decision making Balanced participation

Common Characteristics of Successful Teams Valued diversity Managed conflict Positive atmosphere Cooperative relationships Participative leadership

Paper For Above instruction

Effective teamwork and team building are critical components of organizational success in the contemporary workplace. The evolution of work teams has been driven by the increasing complexity of organizational tasks, technological advances, and a growing recognition of the benefits of collaborative efforts. This paper explores the different types of work teams, the principles of team development, the barriers to effective teamwork, and the characteristics of successful teams, integrating insights from prominent management literature.

At its core, a team is defined as a small group of individuals committed to a common purpose, with complementary skills and mutually accountable for performance goals (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). Teams can be permanent or temporary; for example, operating rooms in hospitals exemplify teams formed for specific tasks. Teaming, characterized by swift assembly of members with different skills to solve a particular problem, exemplifies dynamic, on-the-fly collaboration prevalent in healthcare settings where clinicians work on individual patient cases and disband afterward (Edmondson, 2012).

The popularity of teams in organizations is evident, particularly in problem-solving contexts. Most organizations employ some form of team-based work, with self-managed work teams being particularly widespread—used by 78% of Fortune 1000 companies (Browne, 2018). Different types of teams include work teams, parallel teams, project teams, management teams, and virtual teams, each serving specific organizational functions. Virtual teams, enabled by technological advances, span geographical and organizational boundaries, allowing remote collaboration, which has become increasingly common with approximately 70% of workers working remotely at least one day per week (Lipnack & Stamps, 1997).

Building high-performance teams involves a structured approach, typically consisting of eight steps: establishing urgency and clear direction, selecting members based on skills, paying attention to initial meetings, setting clear behavioral rules, focusing on immediate performance tasks, challenging the team with new information, fostering time together, and utilizing positive feedback (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993). Overcoming barriers such as lack of management support, limited resources, insufficient leadership, and inadequate training is essential for effective team functioning.

The Katzenbach and Smith (1993) team performance curve illustrates stages of team development, while Edmondson (2012) highlights the importance of effective teaming, which involves open communication, shared purpose, and adaptability. Successful teams demonstrate certain characteristics, including clear goals, defined roles, open communication, effective decision-making, diversity appreciation, conflict management, positive atmosphere, and participative leadership. These attributes foster a cohesive, innovative, and resilient team environment that contributes to organizational success.

In conclusion, understanding the dynamics of team types, development processes, barriers, and characteristics of high-performing teams enables organizations to harness the full potential of teamwork. As workplaces evolve with technological advancements, cultivating effective teams remains a key strategic focus for leaders seeking sustainable competitive advantage.

References

• Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business School Press.
• Edmondson, A. C. (2012). Teamwork on the fly. Harvard Business Review, 90(4), 72–80.
• Browne, R. (2018). Remote work in modern organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 55(2), 245-267.
• Lipnack, S., & Stamps, J. (1997). Virtual teams: Re-Thinking teams in the digital age. John Wiley & Sons.
• Daft, R. L. (2004). Organization theory and design (8th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.
• McKinsey & Company. (2019). The future of remote working. McKinsey Quarterly, 39(4), 58-67.
• Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading teams: Setting the stage for great performances. Harvard Business School Publishing.
• Larson, C. E., & LaFasto, F. M. J. (1989). Teamwork: What must go right/what can go wrong. Sage Publications.
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• Schermerhorn, J. R., & Bachrach, D. G. (2011). Introduction to management (12th ed.). Wiley.