Groups and Teams

How can we move this heavy box?

 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team  Patrick Lencioni (2002)  “Dysfunctions are absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results”  “Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.”

 Describe the basic nature of groups: the dynamics of group formation and the various types of groups.  Discuss the implications that research on groups has for the practice of management.  Explain the important dynamics of informal groups and organizations.  Analyze the impact of groupthink.  Present the newly emerging team concept and practice.

Relaxed, comfortable, informal atmosphere Task well understood & accepted People express feelings & ideas Members listen well & participate

Consensus decision making Conflict & disagreement center around ideas or methods Clear assignments made & accepted Group aware of its operation & function

 The Dynamics of Group Formation  Propinquity  George Homans- AIS  Balance Theory  Exchange Theory  Group Stages  FSNPA

(Continued)

 Types of Groups  Primary Groups  Coalitions  Other Types of Groups ▪ Membership ▪ Reference Group ▪ In-Group ▪ Out-Group (Continued)

Norms of Behavior - the standards that a work group uses to evaluate the behavior of its members Group Cohesion - the “interpersonal glue” that makes members of a group stick together

Social Loafing - the failure of a group member to contribute personal time, effort, thoughts, or other resources to the group Loss of Individuality - a social process in which individual group members lose self-awareness & its accompanying sense of accountability, inhibition, and responsibility for individual behavior

 Implications from Research on Group Dynamics  The Schachter Study  Implications of the Schachter Study  Group/Team Effectiveness (Continued)

Norms and Roles in Informal Groups Strongly enforced if: - Aid in group survival and provision of benefits - Simplify or make predictable behavior expected - Help avoid embarrassing interpersonal problems - Express values and goals of the group and clarify identity The Dynamics of Informal Groups

 Norm Violation- limited research support  Role Ambiguity and Conflict  Risky Shift Phenomenon  Dysfunctions in Perspective

 Sucker effect  Group Size  Lack of performance feedback  Tasks that are not intrinsically motivating  Lack of individual assessment capability

(Continued) What do we as managers and group members do about this?

 Cross-Functional Teams  Between divisions  Trend toward flatter organizations  Virtual Teams  Sky-rocketing in use  Recent Research: Next several years ¾ of the U.S. population will spend 10 times longer per day interacting virtually.  Level of virtuality and media richness is worth considering  Self-Managed Teams  Performance, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment

 How to Make Teams More Effective  Team Building  Group Leadership  Cultural/Global Issues (Continued)

Questions