SOPHIA KROON GR11516 MSBC-662-BC2Z Exploring Unproductive, Disconnected Teams

OVERARCHING ISSUE: Underperformance Productivity of team has plummeted Recent addition of several new members

UNDERLYING ISSUE: Group Socialization Team expansion: old-timers vs. newcomers  50% “seasoned employees”  50% “green” Outgroup  Perspective of both groups Group Entitativity  Very low since new additions, only 25%

Group Socialization: EVALUATION 3 Critical Concepts Evaluation  Cost-benefit analysis: Team to new members AND New members to team  Newcomers – no value  Old-timers – no skills to keep up with “today”

Group Socialization: COMMITMENT Old-timer view of newcomer commitment  Fleeting  Socializing  Watercooler talk, long lunches, working remotely, etc.

Group Socialization: ROLE TRANSITION Newcomers “joining” the group  Old-timers feel lack of trust  Threatened

Integrating New Members 3-Fold Approach  LEADER: newcomer’s role  OLD-TIMERS: pre-existing standards, strengths and weaknesses  NEWCOMERS: strive for understanding

Method: RETREAT Must address underlying conflict within group for success Standard form: ropes courses, trust falls, etc.  Trust is not present  Disconnect exists  Members that do not want to be there

Method: VIRTUAL FORUM Virtual Forum  ALL participate, including team leader  Introductions and explanations  Fix the underlying lack of trust and knowledge of group members  Allow stereotypes to be disproven

Conclusion Virtual forum success  Members learned value of team individuals and as whole  Trust increased  Threat decreased  Group Entitativity increased by 50% to 75%

References Thompson, L.L. (2014). Making the team: A guide for managers. New Jersey: Pearson.