MAKING TEAMS WORK

Students= Guide

I. Establishing Teams

A. Effective Teams

Team Functions - Team members

trust and have confidence in each other;

are attached and loyal;

help each other;

frankly share relevant and valuable information;

encourage everyone in the group to participate in the group task; and

stress teamwork.

Task Parameters

Clearly define team goals and boundaries.

Create a vision that=s supported by explicit tasks.

Set clear short-term as well as long-term goals.

Encourage the development of team norms.

Establish and maintain team traditions.

Reinforce good attendance at team meetings.

Measure and provide feedback.

Recognize and reward success.

Celebrate when the team achieves a goal.

Ensure interpersonal communication.

Support each other.

Are flexible.

Do what they say - Walk the talk.

B. Team Membership

1. Assigned Membership - Most Realistic

The usual procedure for Areal world@ organizations.

2. Team Selected Membership

Advantage - Often the most productive teams

Disadvantage - Can be too homogenous - Too many A or C students

Too many of a single major, etc Can Lack Diversity - Individuals often select like individuals.

(Birds of a feather flock together!)

Team membership should be as diverse as possible to gain different perspectives..

C. Team Foundation

1. Clarify Expectations (Faculty=s Expectations)

The faculty member should clearly specify what the team is expected to accomplish; the final outcome.

2. Clarify Parameters (Faculty Imposed Parameters, if any)

For example, if the faculty member wants there to be at least five references from the internet, or none from the internet, or at least four references from the last three years, etc., these parameters should be stated Aup front.@

D. Team Formation

1. Team Leader

Assigned/Appointed

Elected

Naturally selected

At times a team might find it advantageous to utilize more than one leader. For example, assume that the team has been given the assignment to research a topic and present the topic to the class. The team might want to select one individual to coordinate the research on the topic, another individual to coordinate the organization of the research into cogent units, and a third individual to coordinate the actual presentation.

Such shared team leadership can be extremely successful.

2. Team Reporter/Scribe

Keeping written records of the activities of the team, e.g., Goals/Objectives, Action assignments, brief team meeting minutes, progress, etc.,

Inform the Instructor of the selected team leader(s) and reporter/scribe.

II. Getting Organized

A. Exchange of Information

Phone Numbers

E-Mail Addresses

Available Meeting Times

The faculty member should be supplied with a copy of the team members= names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses as well as the selected team leader and reporter.

B. Mission (Purpose)/Goals/Objectives

1. What do you want to accomplish?

At what level

What is to be the team activity and outcome?

What is the extent of the outcome, e.g., a thirty page paper on a given topic, or a series of completed problems, team decisions (maybe for a simulation game), or some other project?

2. Establish a Project Completion Time (Usually allowing time for integration, revision and additions.

The faculty member should be supplied with a copy of the Mission/Goals/Objectives.

In some cases the faculty member may want to comment on the documentation and ask for clarification, or additions to the documentation.

C. Establish Team Purpose and Objective

1. Defining what must be accomplished

2. In what order

D. Rules of Conduct

Expected Behavior

Expectations of Members

Notification of illness

Major events

Interaction with the team

Establishing Discipline

Missing Meetings

Late for Meetings

Unprepared for Meetings

Incomplete or Late Assignments

Inappropriate or Counter Productive Behavior

No Participation

Establish consequences for improper actions or inaction.

These issues must be resolved by the team members, possibly with faculty facilitation if problems arise.

Establishing Discipline

All of the above Rules of Conduct should be established Aup front@ so that each member knows what is expected of him/her as well as the consequences of not meeting the expectations.

E. Develop A Strategy to Achieve the Desired Outcome.

How are you going to reach your objectives? Develop a plan of action and sequencing of activities.

III. Working Processes

A. Roles

1. Leader=s Role

Confirming meeting time and place

Confirming frequency of meetings

Establishing agenda for meetings

Running meetings

Confirming task assignments and completion times to group members

Follow-up on assignments

Encouraging participants

2. Scribe=s Role

Record objectives

Record assignments and due dates

Record brief Aminutes@ of team meetings.

Prepare and distribute handouts and materials required.

Integrate and report final document

3. Members= Roles

Attend meetings

Be prepared to participate.

Participate and contribute

Do assigned work on time

B. Decision Process/Problem Solving

1. Decision Making

Defining problem - clearly, concisely

Just exactly what do we need to do?

` What process must we follow to accomplish the task?

Gathering information

Discussing information

Coordinate information

Getting suggestions

Evaluating suggestions

Selecting the approach

Implementing the approach - Doing the work

Completing the project

2. Action Plans/Making Action Assignments

Determining what is to be done

Making specific assignments - Who is to do what?

Determining definate due dates (By when)

Follow-up on assignments

C. Group Processes

1. Obtaining Consensus (Commitment)

Consensus is selecting an approach that everyone can agree upon. It is not necessarily selecting an approach someone or everyone thinks is the best. There are usually more than one acceptable approach or solution to solve most problems. Consensus can be expedited by holding open and honest communication. This means discussing the issues, nothing else.

Obtaining consensus facilitates obtaining commitment and thus the participation of the team members.

2. Resolving Conflict

Six Steps to Conflict Resolution

Step 1. Acknowledge that conflict exists

Step 2. Identify the Areal@ conflict

Step 3. Hear all points of view

Step 4. Together explore ways to resolve the conflict

Step 5. Gain agreement on, and responsibility for, a solution

Step 6. Schedule a follow-up session to review the resolution

Avoiding - Avoiding conflict completely usually leads to further conflict. Ignoring the Conflict, not participating in the solution. Uncooperative, Unassertive

Accommodating - Attempting to satisfy the other party=s concerns which also leads to later conflict. Letting the other party win, trying to maintain apparent harmony. Cooperative, Unassertive

Competing/Confronting/Forcing - Struggle to win. May fall back of formal authority and rules to win. A win lose mentality, Uncooperative-Assertive

Compromising - A solution oriented approach. Negotiation is usually involved where parities give and take. Trying to partially satisfy everyone=s needs. Partly Cooperative, Unassertive.

Collaborating - The best solution oriented approach. Working through issues, problem solving. Cooperative, Assertive

Obtaining Resolution (Principles for Obtaining Agreement)

Separate the people from the problem (No name calling or accusations).

Focus on the issues, not personalities.

Focus on interests, not positions.

What is each side trying to obtain, not what they want done to obtain it.

Generate other possibilities, make the pie bigger.

Insist that results be based on some objective standard.

3. Utilizing Discipline

Discipline must be fairly and consistently administered. It must be a team effort.

Ignoring problems requiring discipline can be and almost always is disruptive to the team effectiveness. Problems that are ignored do not go away, they usually fester and become worse.

Rules should be agreed upon Aup front,@.before they become necessary. If they are not agreed upon front they can be viewed as being directed toward a particular individual. When this happens it is usually perceived as being Aunfair.@

4. Action Planning

Dividing the work

Make specific assignments to specific individuals

Set levels of expected performance

Set due dates for completed work

Follow-up

D. Contributions to Effectiveness

Cohesiveness

Commitment

Trust - Two Facets

1. Trust the instructor

2. Trust the group members

Trust that the individual will do the assignment

Trust that the individual can do the assignment

Being Trustworthy

Open

Honest

Consistent

Forthcoming

Do the work you commit to do

Do the work thoroughly

Do quality work - The team should not accept less!

Confronting conflict and conflict resolution

Maintaining discipline

Utilizing Consensus

James A. Buckenmyer DBA

Supported by

Stanley Stough Ph.D.

Diane Pettypool DBA

Professors of Management

Southeast Missouri State University