Team Building and Teamwork Chapter 15 Team Building and Teamwork

Learning Objectives Explain the rationale for teamwork Explain the four step approach to teambuilding Explain the coaching aspect of supervision Demonstrate how to handle conflict in teams Explain the supervisor’s role in rewarding team and individual performance Explain the supervisor’s role in recognizing teamwork and team players.

Overview of teamwork Teamwork is fundamental to success in the modern workplace. A team is a group of people with a common, collective goal. On a well coached team, the team’s ability is more than the sum of the abilities of individual members. This is the primary rationale for teamwork. Teamwork is what occurs when employees put aside their personal goals and preferences and work together cooperatively to achieve the team’s goal.

Learning to work together A group of people does not make a team. Supervisors must find ways to deal with human factors that can work against success: 1. Personal identity of team members: The work of a team cannot proceed until team members feel as if they fit in. 2. Relationship among team members: Time spent by supervisors helping team members get acquainted and establish common ground is time well invested. 3. Identify within the organization: Helping employees understand where their team fits into the organization is the supervisor’s responsibility.

Team Performance Supervisors are key in determining performance of teams: ten commandments: 1. Interdependence: Depend on each other for information, resources, task accomplishment, and support. 2. Stretching tasks: Teams need to be challenged or stretched. 3. Alignment: Members are willing to put aside individualism. 4. Common language: Explain phrases and terms when used. 5. Trust/respect: Time spent building trust and respect is time well spent. 6. Shared leadership/followership: Draw out the special talents of each member so leadership and followership is shared. 7. Problem solving skills: Much of business of teams is problem solving. 8. Confrontation/conflict handling skills: Learning to disagree without being disagreeable – attack ideas not people. 9. Assessment/action: How are we doing? Monitor continually. 10. Celebration: Recognition of job well done with a celebration.

Human Diversity Human diversity is an advantage in any organization. Sports and the military have led American society in the drive for diversity. Diverse people bring new ideas and different perspectives - what an organization needs to be competitive.

Institutional Bias Institutional bias is bias that has become ingrained in an organization’s culture. For example a company that had historically been predominantly male now has a workforce in which women are the majority. The facility still has ten men’s restrooms and only two for women.

Structural Inhibitors of Teamwork A structural inhibitor of teamwork is an administrative procedure, organizational principle, or cultural element that works against a given change – change from individual work to teamwork. Responsibility: employees are responsible for their individual performance – can bean inhibitor to teamwork. Compensation and recognition: Traditional organizations recognize individual performance. Teamwork has to be compensated.

Nonmonetary Rewards Nonmonetary rewards can be just as effective as actual dollars. Movie tickets, gift certificates, time off, event tickets, free attendance at seminars, getaway weekends for two, airline tickets, and prizes such as electronic or household products. Different people respond to different incentives. Don’t assume – ask. Employees know what appeals to them. Survey the employees. Select an incentive system and let employees select rewards that appeal to them.

Summary Teamwork is fundamental to success in the modern workplace. A team is a group of people with a common, collective goal. Diverse people bring new ideas and different perspectives - what an organization needs to be competitive. Institutional bias is bias that has become ingrained in an organization’s culture. Different people respond to different incentives. Don’t assume – ask. Employees know what appeals to them. Survey the employees. Select an incentive system and let employees select rewards that appeal to them.

Home Work Answer questions 1 and 4 on page 231-232. 1. What is a team and why are teams important? 4. List and explain the 10 commandments.