1. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Empowering Associates through Teamwork and Communication

2. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Empowering Employees Empowerment—giving employees authority and responsibility to make decisions about their work without traditional managerial approval and control.

3. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Empowering Employees Sharing Information Effective empowerment means keeping employees informed about the company’s: Financial performance Business environment Sharing Decision-Making Authority Employees given more authority and responsibility Making decisions that implement a firm’s vision and competitive strategy

4. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Empowering Employees Linking Rewards to Company Performance Reward employees for contributing desirable ideas and actions Make sure employees understand how their individual actions affect profits Employee Stock Ownership Plans Stock Options

5. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Teamwork Teamwork—cooperative effort by a group of workers acting together for a common cause. What is a Team? A group of employees with certain skills who are committed to a common purpose, approach, and set of performance goals. 10-5

6. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Five Types of Teams

7. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Team Characteristics Team Size Can range from 2 to 150 people Research indicates maximum results with about 6-7 people Team level Team diversity

8. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Team Member Roles

9. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Team Characteristics Teamwork in Small Organizations Small companies can benefit from teamwork In fact, small firms may function as teams Owner-manager can cultivate the characteristics of successful teams Concept of teamwork also applies to entrepreneurs

10. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Stages of Team Development

11. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Team Characteristics Team Conflict Cognitive conflict- disagreement that focuses on problem and issue related differences of opinion. Affective conflict- disagreement that focuses on individual or personal issues.

12. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. The Importance of Effective Communication The Process of Communication Communication—meaningful exchange of information through messages. Communication skills are important throughout an organization The Communication Process

13. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Forms of Communication

14. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. The Importance of Effective Communication Basic Forms of Communication Oral Communication Listening—skill of receiving a message and interpreting its intended meaning by grasping the facts and feelings it conveys. Cynical listening Offensive listening Polite listening Active listening

15. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. The Importance of Effective Communication Basic Forms of Communication Written Communication- channels for written communication include reports, letters, memos, online discussion boards and social media, e-mails and text messages. Formal Communication- flow within the chain of command. Informal Communication Grapevine—internal information channel that passes information from unofficial sources.

16. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. The Importance of Effective Communication Basic Forms of Communication Verbal communication—communication that conveys meaning through words Nonverbal communication—transmits messages through actions and behaviors

17. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Internal communication system that sends messages through channels within an organization. External Communication meaningful exchange of information through messages transmitted between an organization and its major audiences.

18. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. International Business Communication Can be a special challenge Appropriateness depends in part on an accurate translation that conveys the intended nuances of meaning Low-context cultures tend to rely on explicitly written and verbal messages High-context cultures – such as those of Japan, Latin American, and India – depend not only on the message itself, but also the conditions that surround it

19. Copyright © 2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.