Team Norms Definition What Norms Describe Norms are the rules of the game that govern group member behavior. Norms are consensual, those standards that are “agreed upon” by members of the team. They can be implicit or explicit. What Norms Describe The acceptable way that team members should respond in a situation The types of behaviors that should be avoided by team members The types of rewards and punishments that team provide when standards are violated.

Development of Norms Explicit statements by members of the group (e.g., co-worker, supervisor) Setting the norm can be backed by legitimate power (supervisor), individual who is powerful member of the group (expertise, respect), or people with the resources

Development of Norms, cont’d Major Events in Team’s History A specific “good” or “bad” experience-project success or failure, ethical violations Awkward interpersonal events that should avoided in the future Critical events that occur such as arguments among team members, Milestones: half-way through a project deadline

Development of Norms, cont’d Primacy Behaviors that occur early in the teams interaction set expectations for how things may be done/unfold in the future) Early meetings held in formal manner Seating positions in team

Development of Norms, cont’d Carry-Over from Past Expectations from other (similar) work groups or situations. Many of these norms may be implicit, people expected to know them so they do not have to be relearned each time. Can be part of the tradition of the organization-the way things are done here for the last 40 yrs (socialization, rituals, stories)

Why Norms Develop and are Enforced To Ensure the Group’s Survival Protect itself from interference or harassment form members of other groups What kind of interactions are permitted with other groups and what information to reveal to other groups about own group Setting groups norms about performance to ensure jobs for team members How to deal with admitting new members into the group to endure that the group can continue.

Why Norms Develop, cont’d To Simplify What is Expected and to Make Group Members’ Behavior Predictable Aim is to reduce uncertainty Aim is to reduce cognitive effort Aim is to make certain behaviors routine Specify functions for each team member and how things are done (roles) Setting an agenda for each meeting The dealer calls the game How to deal with a check at lunch Group consensus to reach a decision

Why Norms Develop, cont’d To Avoid Embarrassing Interpersonal Situations To protect the self-image of team members Norms about interpersonal conflict (name-calling) Cards call themselves Speaking badly about team members to other teams Who provides specific resources so the group can work together (snacks for the team)

Why Norms Develop, cont’d To Represent the Central Values, Mission or Purpose of the Team Shut up and deal Let’s review where we are in three weeks, since the proposal is due on the 24th Each of us is responsible for getting an A on our part of the project

Factors Contributing To Individual Acceptance Of Group Norms Attractiveness of group Desire to achieve the group goals (identify) Attractiveness of the team’s members (friends in the group) Person feels valued and included by the group, cohesiveness of the group Desire to remain a member of the group (motivation)

Factors, cont’d Ability of the group to reward members that conform and sanction members that deviate Personality Characteristics Agreeableness: social approval, high self-monitors

Factors, cont’d To avoid a self-conception as being deviant, different.

Habitual Routines A Special Case of Behavior That Comes Under Normative Control Previously: Norms develop to simplify what is expected and to make group members behavior predictable Aim is to reduce uncertainty Aim is to reduce cognitive effort Aim is to make certain behaviors routine

Habitual Routine Characteristics Group does something in the same way each time without explicitly selecting it over an alternative course of action Flight crew take off procedures Top management team in terms of always using majority vote Always having the host provide the food Always use joking to smooth over conflict in the group

Habitual Routine Characteristics, cont’d There is a pattern of behavior that expresses the way the group responds to a given situation, issue or problem it faces. When the stimulus appears, the behavior follows.

Positive Aspects of Habitual Routines No need to invest effort to decide a strategy to deal with situation-habitual routine used once the situation is classified. Fosters collaboration among team members to get things done.

Positive Aspects, cont’d Creates a comfort level to deal with this situation-know what my role is and not likely to do the wrong thing. Minimize disagreement in group that would arise if had to decide how to respond to this situation each time.

Dysfunctional Aspects of Habitual Routines Miscoding of situation Likely to see situation as one to which they know how to respond Invoke the wrong routine, e.g., same takeoff plan used even when context different (weather, airport) Suboptimal Performance Same routine used for problem solving even if a better strategy could be used, especially when successful in the past

Dysfunctional Aspects, cont’d Stagnated Learning If everything done the same way, members may be less likely to learn new behaviors if routines were changed Things could be more enjoyable if new routine was used

What Maintains Habitual Routines Mindless behavior The more often it is used to less people think about it, the less conscious it becomes Cost of change Not have to just decide what to give up but what to change to Normative control The way we do things here Non-compliance punishment

Forces That May Compel A Change In Habitual Behavior A clear change in the situation A situation that is clearly different Take off routine is changed because there is an armed hijacker in the plan (Big change) Group experiences failure We do not always respond to failure with change Sunk cost: Continue the same strategy because we do not want to admit that we are wrong, become defensive

Forces for Change, cont’d Reaching a Milestone Midpoint of the group task Recognition that we need to get something done End of project when a formal review of what we did (evaluation norm) Change in the group’s structure and task Membership changes in the team Redesign of team task Change in the authority structure of the team-new leadership

Motto of the Story Don’t let your habitual routines become your downfall Examine the functionality of your routines Develop a team norm to periodically review the way you are doing things at some milestone in the group – middle or completion of the project or at regular intervals