Understanding Teamwork

Summary

Chapter 10 of the transcript delves into the dynamics of teamwork and its increasing prevalence in organizations. It explores the reasons behind teams' popularity, such as leveraging individual talents and fostering flexibility. The chapter distinguishes between groups and teams, highlighting the coordinated effort and shared goals that define a team. It outlines various types of teams, including problem-solving, self-managed, cross-functional, and virtual teams, and discusses the importance of context, composition, and process in creating effective teams. The chapter also addresses the challenge of transforming individuals into team players, especially in individualistic cultures, and emphasizes the need for managers to select the right team members, provide training, and establish a reward system that encourages teamwork. Finally, it advises on when teams are the best solution, suggesting that not all tasks are suited for team efforts.

Takeaways

• 🤝 Teams are popular because they can leverage collective talents and are more flexible and responsive to change, potentially increasing motivation and job satisfaction.
• 📈 The use of teams in organizations has grown significantly over the last decade due to their ability to enhance employee talents and encourage participation in decision-making.
• 🔍 There is a distinction between groups and teams; groups share information without joint effort, while teams work in coordinated efforts towards a common goal.
• 👥 Teams require a synergy where the collective performance is greater than the sum of individual efforts, unlike groups where synergy is neutral.
• 🛠 There are different types of teams: problem-solving teams, self-managed teams, cross-functional teams, and virtual teams, each with unique characteristics and purposes.
• 💡 Effective teams are characterized by adequate resources, effective leadership, a climate of trust, and performance evaluations tied to team contributions.
• 🧩 Team composition is crucial for success, with factors such as member abilities, personality, roles, diversity, and team size playing significant roles.
• 🎯 Teams must have a strong commitment to a common purpose, specific and challenging goals, and the belief in their ability to succeed, known as team efficacy.
• 🔄 The process of a team, including how it handles conflict and social loafing, can significantly impact its effectiveness.
• 🌐 Virtual teams, which use technology to connect members, are becoming more prevalent but require strategies to overcome challenges like time zones and limited direct interaction.
• 🤔 Not all situations call for teams; managers should consider the complexity of work, common purpose, and interdependence of tasks when deciding whether to use a team or an individual.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Chapter 10 on understanding work and teams?

The main focus of Chapter 10 is to analyze the growing popularity of teams in organizations, understand why organizations are developing more diverse teams, and to explore how to create effective teams and when to use individuals instead of teams.

Why have teams become increasingly popular in organizations?

Teams have become popular because they can achieve more collectively, utilize individual employee talents better, are more flexible and responsive to change, and can help keep employees engaged and motivated.

What is the difference between a group and a team?

A group primarily shares information and makes decisions without requiring joint effort, whereas a team works together in a coordinated effort to achieve a specific goal, with each person's work directly linked to others.

What are the five types of teams mentioned in the script?

The five types of teams mentioned are problem-solving teams, self-managed teams, cross-functional teams, virtual teams, and multi-team systems.

What is the role of problem-solving teams in an organization?

Problem-solving teams are put together to brainstorm potential solutions to problems and present them to top managers for decision-making, but they are rarely given the authority to implement their suggestions.

How do self-managed teams differ from traditional teams?

Self-managed teams are larger groups of employees who perform highly related and interdependent jobs and take on the responsibilities of their supervisors, such as work planning and scheduling, without a direct boss.

What challenges do virtual teams face, and how can they be overcome?

Virtual teams face challenges like less direct interaction, time zone differences, and difficulties in establishing trust. They can be overcome by using technology effectively, finding ways to establish trust, and having close monitoring and publicizing of results.

What are the key elements of creating effective teams according to the script?

The key elements include context (adequate resources, leadership, structure, climate of trust, performance evaluations, and rewards), composition (abilities, personality, roles, diversity, size, and flexibility), and process (common purpose, specific goals, team efficacy, conflict levels, and social loafing).

Why is trust important in teams, and how does it contribute to team success?

Trust is important in teams because it is essential for group cohesiveness, allowing team members to open up, share ideas, and work together effectively, which contributes to the team's success.

How can managers ensure that teams are composed of the right members?

Managers can ensure the right team composition by carefully selecting members based on the required skills and abilities, considering personality traits, assigning appropriate roles, and maintaining diversity to encourage idea generation.

What is the role of conflict in team effectiveness, and how can it be managed?

Conflict can impact team effectiveness positively or negatively. Teams with lower levels of conflict are more effective as they avoid wasting time on counterproductive personality clashes. Managing conflict involves navigating through disagreements and fostering an environment where conflicts can be resolved constructively.

When might teams not be the best solution for a task or project?

Teams might not be the best solution when the work is simple and does not require diverse perspectives, when there is no common purpose larger than individual goals, or when tasks are not interdependent, meaning each member's work does not affect the others.

What are the implications for managers when creating and managing teams?

Managers should consider the need for trust, smaller team size, opportunities for significant contributions, and team self-belief. They should also provide training in problem-solving, communication, negotiation, conflict management, and cooperation skills, and establish rewards that support team efforts.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Teamwork and Organizational Dynamics

This paragraph introduces Chapter 10, focusing on understanding work and teams. It discusses the increasing prevalence of teams in organizations due to their ability to leverage collective talents, adapt to change, and potentially boost motivation and job satisfaction. The script differentiates between groups and teams, emphasizing that teams require coordinated effort towards a common goal, unlike groups that may share information but do not necessarily work interdependently. The paragraph also outlines the objectives of the chapter, which include analyzing team popularity, understanding the development of diverse teams, and identifying characteristics of effective teams.

05:02

🔍 Types of Teams and Their Distinctive Features

The second paragraph delves into the various types of teams, including problem-solving teams that brainstorm solutions but lack implementation authority, self-managed teams that operate without direct supervision, cross-functional teams that combine diverse expertise, and virtual teams that work remotely using technology. The paragraph highlights the unique challenges and benefits of each team type, such as the autonomy of self-managed teams and the geographical flexibility of virtual teams, while also discussing the importance of synergy, accountability, and complementary skills within a team.

10:03

🛠 Creating Effective Teams: Context, Composition, and Process

This paragraph discusses the factors that contribute to the effectiveness of teams, categorized into context, composition, and process. Context includes providing adequate resources, effective leadership, and a structure that facilitates success. Trust and performance evaluations that reward team contributions are also emphasized. Composition factors involve the abilities and personalities of team members, the allocation of roles, diversity, and team size. Process aspects include having a common purpose, specific goals, and managing conflict and social loafing to maintain group health and effectiveness.

15:07

🚀 Enhancing Team Performance and Overcoming Challenges

The fourth paragraph continues the discussion on team effectiveness by examining the team process and its impact on overall performance. It introduces the formula for group effectiveness, which accounts for potential gains and losses due to process issues. The importance of a strong commitment to a common purpose, setting specific and challenging goals, and fostering team efficacy are highlighted. The paragraph also addresses the need to navigate through conflict and social loafing to maintain a productive team environment.

20:09

🤝 Transforming Individuals into Team Players and Selecting the Right Team Members

This paragraph explores the challenges of turning individualistic employees into effective team players, especially in cultures that emphasize individualism. It stresses the importance of selecting employees who are predisposed to teamwork and the need for training in problem-solving, communication, and conflict management. The paragraph also discusses the role of rewards in encouraging cooperative efforts over individual ones and the importance of managers in creating an environment conducive to teamwork.

25:11

🤔 Deciding When to Use Teams and When Not To

The final paragraph of the script wraps up the chapter by summarizing the key points discussed, including the growth of teams in organizations, the characteristics of effective teams, and the strategies for creating better team players. It also addresses the question of when teams are the appropriate solution, suggesting three criteria to consider: complexity of work, the presence of a common purpose, and interdependent tasks. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of managers knowing when to deploy teams and when individual work might be more effective.

Keywords

💡Teamwork

Teamwork refers to the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way. In the video's theme, teamwork is the central concept, as it discusses the importance of teams in organizations and how they can be more efficient and flexible in response to change. The script mentions that 'teams can come together to better utilize individual employee talents collectively,' highlighting the collective advantage of teamwork over individual efforts.

💡Diverse Teams

Diverse teams are groups composed of individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. The script emphasizes the growing popularity of organizations developing more diverse teams, suggesting that such diversity can lead to enhanced creativity and problem-solving. The concept is integral to the video's narrative, as it discusses how teams with varied skills and viewpoints can be more effective in the workplace.

💡Group vs. Team

The script contrasts the concept of a 'group' with that of a 'team.' A group is defined as a collection of individuals who may work towards a common goal but do not necessarily work interdependently or collaboratively. In contrast, a team involves coordinated effort and interdependence among members to achieve a specific goal. This distinction is crucial to understanding the video's message about the unique advantages and requirements of teams.

💡Synergy

Synergy in the context of the video refers to the phenomenon where the performance of a team is greater than the sum of its individual members' performances. The script uses the adage '1 + 1 equals 3' to illustrate the concept, emphasizing that teams can produce more results than individuals working separately due to the combined efforts and complementary skills of team members.

💡Accountability

Accountability in teams means that team members are responsible for their actions and are answerable to each other and the team as a whole. The script mentions that accountability can be individual or mutual, but it is often more mutual in teams, indicating that members hold each other responsible for contributing to the team's goals and outcomes.

💡Self-Managed Teams

Self-managed teams are groups of employees who perform highly related and interdependent jobs and take on the responsibilities typically held by supervisors. The script describes these teams as having the autonomy to plan and schedule their work, make operating decisions, and interact with customers without direct supervision. This concept is significant in the video's discussion on the types of teams and their effectiveness.

💡Cross-Functional Teams

Cross-functional teams are composed of members from different areas within an organization, bringing together diverse skills and perspectives to accomplish a task. The script explains that these teams are effective at developing new ideas and solving complex problems that require input from various departments, such as sales, marketing, finance, and operations.

💡Virtual Teams

Virtual teams are groups that work together using technology to connect across different geographical locations. The script discusses the increasing prevalence of virtual teams and the challenges they face, such as time zone differences and the need for trust and effective communication. These teams are relevant to the video's theme as they represent a modern approach to teamwork.

💡Team Composition

Team composition refers to the selection and arrangement of team members based on their abilities, personalities, and roles. The script highlights the importance of team composition for success, stating that managers must carefully select members with complementary skills and personalities to ensure the team's cohesiveness and effectiveness.

💡Team Process

The team process involves the way in which a team functions, including aspects like setting goals, managing conflict, and maintaining motivation. The script discusses the importance of having a strong commitment to a common purpose, specific and challenging goals, and effective management of team dynamics to enhance the team's overall effectiveness.

💡Social Loafing

Social loafing is the phenomenon where individuals in a group put in less effort than they would when working alone, relying on others to do the work. The script addresses social loafing as a challenge in team settings, where one member's lack of contribution can be demotivating and counterproductive to the team's goals.

💡Team Player

A team player is an individual who works well within a group, contributing to the collective effort and goals of the team. The script discusses the importance of turning individuals into team players, especially in cultures that are more individualistic, and the need for managers to select and train employees with the right interpersonal and technical skills to succeed in team environments.

💡Interdependence

Interdependence in teams means that the work of team members is interconnected, and their tasks rely on one another for successful completion. The script uses the concept of interdependence to explain why some tasks are better suited for teams, where the collective efforts of members are required to achieve the overall goal.

Highlights

Teams are popular for achieving more collectively, enhancing individual talents, and increasing flexibility and motivation.

Organizations develop diverse teams to remain competitive in the global market.

Teams have grown exponentially in organizations due to their ability to adapt and engage employees.

Groups and teams differ in their goals, synergy, accountability, and required skills.

Work groups primarily share information, while work teams collaborate for collective performance.

There are five types of teams: problem-solving, self-managed, cross-functional, virtual, and multi-team systems.

Self-managed teams eliminate the supervisory role and require high coordination and efficiency.

Cross-functional teams combine diverse perspectives to solve complex company-wide problems.

Virtual teams use technology to connect members across the globe, overcoming time and space constraints.

Creating effective teams involves context, composition, and process considerations.

Trust is essential for team cohesiveness and success.

Team composition should include a balance of abilities, personality, roles, and diversity.

Team process involves commitment to a common purpose, specific goals, and managing conflict and social loafing.

Not all employees are team players, and cultural differences can affect teamwork.

Managers should select team members carefully and discourage social loafing to ensure team effectiveness.

Teams are not always the best solution; three questions help determine if a team approach is appropriate.

Managers should foster trust, provide opportunities for significant contributions, and encourage team belief in its capabilities.

Allowing teams to form themselves can increase ownership and reduce conflicts among members.

The chapter concludes with an analysis of when to use teams versus individuals, considering team burnout and individual problem-solving capabilities.

Transcripts

hi and welcome to chapter 10

understanding work

teams so in this chapter we are going to

talk about

teamwork and after studying this chapter

you should be able to analyze the

growing popularity of teams and

organizations understand why

organizations are developing more and

more diverse teams and team strategies

contrast groups and teams contrast to

five types of teams identify the

characteristics of effective teams show

how organiz ations can create team

players and decide when to use

individuals instead of teams so why are

teams so popular well basically they're

popular because you can achieve more in

a team so the increased competition from

companies

worldwide has forced companies to become

more competitive and one way to become

more competitive and more efficient is

to develop teams and teamwork so teams

can come together to better utilize

individual employee talents collectively

they're more flexible and responsive to

change and they also serve to possibly

motivate people so over the last Deca

decade we have seen the use of teams

grow exponentially in organizations

there are a number of reasons why this

is true teams can enhance the use of

employee talents and tend to be more

flexible and responsive to change teams

can help to keep employees engaged in

their work and increase the

participation in decision- making and

thus increasing their m motivation and

job satisfaction however teams are not

always effective uh so it is important

to take a look at how to deploy teams

and when to best use

them groups and teams are not the same

thing a group is primarily there to

share information and make decisions no

real joint effort is required a teamwork

however a team is more coordinated in

effort to achieve a particular goal so a

group is just any group of people who

are working in a

company that are all working to the same

goal maximizing shareholders well

however they're not working closely

together like a team

would okay so that's that's an important

thing to new so there a lot of work

groups

departments um and organ organizations

that can be considered a group but a

team has to be something that is people

working together in a coord ated effort

with one

another that are where each person's

work is directly linked or tied to

someone else's

effort okay so let's so group groups or

work groups and work teams differ in

their goals level of synergy

accountability and skills uh their

function is different so work groups

share information while work teams work

together for more Collective

performance the the Synergy in groups is

neutral whereas

Teamworks teams have more of a positive

Synergy so Synergy is really that adage

1 + 1 equals 3 so the Synergy in a team

means that the team can produce more

results than groups of people working

individually so accountability can be

individual for both um groups or teams

but is uh is more often Mutual in teams

the skill in a group can be varied

wherever the skill in the team need to

be complimentary meaning that they the

skills

are together the combination of skills

of the people on the team help to create

something more powerful more effective

at work so here in this diagram we have

you know work groups of just people who

may share information work for the same

company uh neutral individual working in

their own offices working on their own

tasks and it's kind of random and Vary

where work teams are more Collective and

this is so this is the connectivity so

it's more Collective performance it's a

more positive experience where people

are are um working directly on the same

type of work often the same projects um

and

assignments so and their skills are more

complimentary to each

other okay now there are four different

types of teams there's a team

specifically put together to solve a

problem there are self-managed teams

where the the teams themselves don't

have a super supervisor or a direct boss

they manage themselves in producing

their

returns they're are cross functional

teams which are teams of people that are

pulled from multiple places within the

in the company's hierarchy and there are

virtual teams teams that work online or

in an alternative work

space okay so problem solving teams

members are can often be from the same

department or the same group so they

share ideas and suggest and suggestions

for improvement but they're rarely given

the authority to implement their

suggestions they're sort of a

brainstorming team so they come together

to POS potential solutions to problems

which will probably present the top

manager to decide what to do now the

self-managing teams this could be teams

a little bit bigger teams maybe 10 to 15

employees um and they're comprised

groups of people who perform highly

related and interdependent jobs and take

on the responsibilities of their for

supervisors so the effectiveness of this

type of group greatly depends on the

situation and the goals of the group so

you know so team the team itself is sort

of eliminating the supervisory role of a

manager and they are doing their own

work planning and scheduling their own

task assignments uh this their operating

decisions actions working with the

customers

now this can be a very difficult team to

put together and work effectively

because some teams do better when you

have a leader or supervisor motivating

directing them so a self-managed team

would really have to be a group of

Highly coordinated efficient team

members people who are good at working

in teams if you're not good at working

in a team you're probably not good at

being a part of a self-managed team it's

one of the most difficult teams to set

up and and establish but can be one of

the most cost effective and efficient

teams once is going and working well

cross functional teams are a gather

workers from many different work areas

that come together to accomplish a task

that needs to utilize multiple

perspectives so this type of group is

good at developing new ideas and solving

problems or coordinating complex

projects across the company you know

given that their tasks are normally

complex and diverse it takes some time

for the groups to develop into a more

effective and efficient productive teams

so the cross functional teams solve

problems that affect generally affect

the whole company so it's some sort of

problem that you would need people from

sales and marketing Finance and

Accounting and operations to be involved

to help solve so uh so you get a very

diverse group of individuals who have a

diverse background and knowledge about

all areas of the company so that's what

helps to solve problems that affect that

generally affect the entire Company by

having pulled in experts from each area

of different departments in the company

okay so virtual team this is going to be

something that's going to be much more

uh prevalent in the future and you may

have already been part of a virtual team

and you're basically just using

technology like Skype uh Adobe Connect

to connect teams across the world so it

can be difficult because when you're not

meeting face to face there can be less

direct interaction less social

opportunities you know but virtual teams

are increasing in their use that's for

sure and this type of Team uses computer

technology to bring people together to

achieve that common goal typically these

team these types of teams get to work

with little socializing but they need to

overcome time and space constraints um

to accomplish their task and one big

problem could be time zones so if you

have multiple people in multiple time

zones it's hard to find a time that's

convenient for everybody um so in order

to be effective virtual teams need to

find ways to establish trust among the

members and have and have close

monitoring and results to be publicized

so dispersing information can be

challenging in an online team research

shows that virtual teams are better at

sharing unique information but they tend

to share less information overall can

also be challenging to find the best

amount of the best way to communicate so

low levels of virtual communication can

mean high levels of information sharing

but high levels of virtual communication

can hinder information sharing so

basically you know low levels of virtual

communication could be something like

email where you can share a lot of data

um but very high levels of virtual

communication like Skype May hinder some

information

sharing mostly because the time it takes

to meet up and the limited time you have

to talk in those uh and some of the

connectivities issues with something

like Skype okay multi-team system so

research shows that multi-team systems

perform better when they have

um boundary spanners who um whose job is

to coordinate the members of the sub

teams so the multi-team system can be

bet can be the best choice when teams

are too large to be effective or when

teams are with distinct functions need

to be highly coordinated so this is

managing groups of teams so collections

are two more teams that need to be

coordinated so and that's getting more

and more true in work world today that

there are managers dealing with multiple

multiple teams that they have to keep on

track and keep

coordinated okay so creating effective

teams we have uh context

composition and

process so for each of

these

um we're going to talk about the each of

these a little bit moving forward but

for each of these you know for the

context adequate resources you know

basically these three components of

effective teams um have Sub sub areas so

in context is adequate resources

leadership and structure climate of

trust performance evaluations and

rewards on

composition uh abilities of members

personality allocating roles diversity

size of teams member flexibility member

preferences and process common purpose

specific goals team efficacy conflict

levels and social loafing so let's talk

about the these are all elements in

making the team

effective um understanding the context

is important for teams to be effective

the team needs the right resources to do

the job well members also need effective

leadership and structure to facilitate a

process that will help the team succeed

it's important that teams fit together

so they can successfully utilize the

individual skills inside the group so

trust is also an important aspect of

teams and essential for group

cohesiveness as is

seen as we've seen previously finally

the reward system need to be adequate

and based on team contributions so these

are some cont context factors in making

a successful team so you could see how

um a team is going to need adequate

support and resources without that

they're really not going to be

successful having effective leadership

and structure is critical for team to

function and the climate trust is

probably the most important element here

where team members trust each other in

their leadership that they're going that

they have the the tools to become

successful and that the their team

members are people they can trust people

they can open up to uh on a work level

and people that they can share their

success with and that ties into

performance evaluations as far as how

you perform in a team and the type of

reward reward you receive for being an

effective team member or being a part of

an effective team and one of those

generally are bonuses that are

specifically tied to team

membership so team composition and

success so the ability of the

members is definitely a key aspect so a

manager must play coose attention to how

a team is put together to assure the

group's cohesiveness and Effectiveness

so each member should have been selected

based on the type of skills and

abilities needed to accomplish the task

at hand however abilities are not the

only characteristic that managers need

to pay attention to personality is also

important uh that the team can bond form

trust together and that the team has the

P personalities of the team work well

together because fighting in um people

not getting along due to personalities

is probably the biggest reasons teams

fail so in addition manager must be sure

he assigns the right people to fill the

roles as needed but maintaining adequate

diversity so the idea generation can

still occur so the manager must also pay

attention to the size of the team to

ensure that the members want to be on

the team and enjoy the

teamwork uh

organizational organizational diversity

um in attributes such as age

uh can help predict better team

formations so let's just back up for

minut so if you're going to have a

successful team the members should have

you know technical expertise problem

solving skills interpersonal skills the

ability to get along with people the

personality of the team members team

member you have better team members with

people who are very conscientious and

thoughtful and open-minded you know

people who will readily listen to ideas

think about them research them and not

just reject them just because they

personally feel a certain way or reject

them out of their ignorance

um and the allocation of roles so the

roles that people play Within the team

need to be defined so they understand

what how and what they are going to

contribute and of course the diversity

of members helps

to bring strengths to the team you don't

want all like-minded people on the team

you want people from different

experiences different backgrounds to

help make a more well-rounded team that

can make more well-rounded

decisions okay

all right so the team process and

success so you have potential

um

potential group

Effectiveness plus process gains minus

process Lo losses equal actual group

Effectiveness so team should create so

team's output should be greater than the

sum of the inputs so this is just

basically a graphical representation of

the impact and the group's overall

effectiveness so

whatever the team or group does they're

ultimately achieving for Success

Solutions and

Effectiveness in their

performance so A team's process can have

a big impact on its Effectiveness teams

must have a strong commitment to the

common purpose that provides Direction

but yet incorporate you know

reflectivity so that it plans can be

adjusted when necessary the goals of the

team must be set up so they're specific

measurable and realistic yet challenging

in order to keep the team members

engaged um members must believe they can

succeed and have the group have a mental

map of how to get the work done to

assist the process of accomplishing

their task um and the members must na

navigate through conflict and social

loafing to encourage a healthy and

effective group so for a team to be

successful there has to be a road map or

purpose for what this team is doing

specific goals um to what they're

looking to achieve now team efficacy is

what efficacy is basically believing the

team having faith and believing that the

team put together can solve the task

that they can do it that they have the

skills and they just need to roll up the

sleeves and get it done so it's really a

confidence in the team

um so teams with lower levels of

conflict among team members are more

effective because a lot of time and

effort can be wasted in

counterproductive personality conflicts

you know and one of the biggest gripes

of any team you've been on student teams

and you know this where you have social

loafing so you you get a team together

maybe to do a simulation or to do a

project and one person kind of just sits

back and through sheer laziness is very

unreactive and waits for other team

members to complete the project to do

their work and really is really

difficult to bring them in to get them

to contribute that's a difficult

solution how do you solve that you know

you don't want to be you know seeming

like you have the personality conflict

about with when you complain about this

person so dly the best solution is for

the team members to try to encourage the

social loafer to stop being a loafer and

participate and contribute to the team

and if that doesn't work at a certain

point the team members need to get

together and talk to a superior and say

listen this person isn't working out

they're not contributing please find a

better team or better fit for them uh

because it's really affecting our

ability and we really feel that you know

we're not going to work hard if

someone's just going to sit here and get

all the credit for what we're doing and

they're doing nothing it's really it's a

really uh demotivating to have a social

loafer on your

team okay turning individuals into team

players okay so not all employees are

team players and specifically in States

it's a more individualistic culture that

can create challenges for people to work

in teams that's why if you're a student

in the United States you or you're from

the United States and you're currently a

student you know you hate Teamwork

because you want to do things by

yourself it's easier to work by yourself

it's a more individualistic Society you

grew up in so teamwork does not come so

naturally to you like it may for other

societies so in fact it's not always

possible to turn everyone into a team

player so so when formulating teams it's

important to carefully select the right

employees who are more tuned to the

teamwork and manager should be careful

to craft or reward system encourage

cooperation um efforts rather than

competitive efforts so in addition while

managers need to recognize individual

contributions to the team they also need

to discourage social loafing so if it's

easier it's always easier to work by

yourself because it's more effective

more and efficient and deciding what to

do do in doing something may not be more

successful as far as the results of your

efforts and your Solutions as a team but

most people prefer working alone because

you don't have to deal with other people

and that's that's a huge for a lot of

people it's a huge struggle to deal with

other people so for managers you really

have to select the right people who have

the interpersonal skills and technical

skills to succeed in the team and then

you have to train you know people in the

workforce need to be trained on their

problem solving skills communication

skills negotiation Conflict Management

these coaching skills and coaching

skills and Cooper skills of cooperating

so a lot of times employees need to be

retrained and then the rewards have to

support um the efforts of the team over

uh individual ones when someone's

involved in the team effort so if the if

the team there's no reward for being

part of the team uh or the team

successes it's discouraging okay um

teams aren't always the answer so um

we've looked at a number of ways to make

teams effective and encourage good

teamwork however teams are not always

the answer there are three questions um

to ask whether team whether team

solution fits the situation so number

one um is the work complex and is there

a need for different perspectives number

two does the work create a common

purpose or set of goals for the group

that is larger than the aggregate goal

of the individual and three are members

of the group involved in interdependent

tasks so if the if these questions can

all be answered with a yes then a team

might be a solution so you really have

to think about the complexity of the

work can a group do it can a team do it

better than an individual person the

common person does the the common um

purpose does the does the work create a

common purpose or a set of goals that

people um in a team can more

successfully achieve and are the members

of the team of the group interdependent

meaning does their work touch each

other's work in a way that um trying to

solve the problem you need all the

pieces of the puzzle not just the one

piece that you complete okay so

implications for managers um there are a

number of common characteristics of

effective teams that can be um the

manager should keep in mind such as the

need for trust uh small small in size a

chance to contribute significant tasks

and a team who believes in itself so

managers need to to modify the Environ

that help team succeed and pay closer

attention uh careful attention to the

makeup of the team and the members to

ensure success so for managers if you

have successful teams you'll get more

done and you'll be a more successful

manager

but you have to know how to create

effective teams you know they're they're

common characteristics ICS that make

teams effective uh and often times

smaller teams work better than larger

teams um Team you have to as a

manager get your members of your teams

to believe in themselves and believe in

the capabilities and commitment to their

purpose you know so selecting the

individuals who have the best

interpersonal skills to be effective

team players team members team leaders

and providing training and and teamwork

skills uh and reward for individuals for

Cooperative efforts will definitely help

your teams become more effective as a

manager but keep in mind um if a team

can uh properly select its members it

will be more effective so the the um

this solution can be based on the

ability skill and appc the traits based

on the situation so if non-personnel

conflicts can be fostered it may lead to

better team decisions so basically we're

saying here that

um sometimes the in making a proper

selection

um teams should sometimes be giving be

allowed to have inputs on who their team

members should be and so even though the

manager is going to most often puts a

team together it's important to allow

team members um to decide and who they

want to work with in some cases so let

sometimes it may make sense to let teams

form

themselves and this and this way if it's

possible if they feel they have

ownership in the creation of the team

then they're more likely to work

together and get along I found this

directly I found this concept to be very

effective for me as when I teach your

classes with teamwork when I used to

just Auto assign people into teams and

just randomly put people in teams I

found was a lot of conflict and a lot of

problems so then allowing members you

know putting students in the group and

saying okay I want you guys to self-

select inform form teams of four and

giving the team the responsibility of

picking their team members or the people

coming together in in groups of teams

often reduce that stress among who

they're working with and who they're

getting stuck with and greatly uh reduce

my stress of having to deal with uh

conflicts of team members who didn't get

along okay just for a quick summary for

this chapter we in this chapter we

analyze the growth and popularity of

teams and organizations we contrasted

groups versus teams talked you about the

difference of the two talked about the

five different types of teams identified

the characteristics of effective teams

showed how organizations can create team

better team players and decided when to

use individuals rather than teams so you

know there that's a really important

thing to think about there are

are certain problems that individuals

can solve better so being part of being

an effective manager of course is

knowing when to deploy a team and when

not to deploy a team because sometimes

people can have Team burnout if they're

on too many teams simultaneously that's

can be a very stressful environment for

people so sometimes uh it's best when

problems can be solved in individual

basis not the former team because it

that's just counterproductive and

wasteful okay that's it for this chapter

I will see you soon for the next chapter

take care