Teams in modern work place

Unit V (cntd)

Team
A team is a cooperative group whose members interact with each other towards the accomplishment of subjected objectives. According to Stephen P Robbins, A work team is a collection of people whose individual efforts result in a level of performance which is greater than the sum of their individual contributions.

Team Vs Group
Teams are specific kinds of groups; all groups are not Teams. A group consists of no. of people who interact with one another, are psychologically aware of one another and think of themselves as Groups. A team is a group whose members influence one another toward the accomplishment of organizational objectives. In todays business environment, teams have emerged as requirement of success. Therefore a good manager should constantly try to help groups become teams.

Teams Vs groups
Basis Work Group Work Team

Purpose

To interact & to share information Performance is summation of each group members individual contribution Must have strong & clearly focused leaders Individual Individual

Collective performance

Synergy

Generates +ve synergy through coordinated effort Have shared leadership roles Collective Both individual & mutual

Leadership

Responsibility Accountability

Team Vs Groups..(cntd)
Basis Objective Work Group Attainment of goals of Organization Work Team Have own specific objectives that they themselves deliver Have open ended active problem solving meetings Directly measured

Meetings

Have formal and efficient meetings Measured indirectly

Measurement of effectiveness Functioning

Discuss Decide & Delegate

Discuss, Decides & does real work Needed to be small

Size

Of any size

Types of Teams
1.Problem solving Teams A team set up to help resolve a specified problem within the organization & makes recommendations to the management

Types of Teams
2.Self managed Teams Also known as self directed work group. It is setup to plan, organize, influence & control its own worksituation with minimum intervention & direction from the Top management.

Types of Teams
3. Cross- functional Teams A cross- functional team is composed of personnel from different areas (viz. Finance, marketing, HRM, QC) of the organization who are focused on a specified objective.

4. Virtual teams
With the advent of advanced Technology, member can now communicate at the distance through electronic means, such as email, chat rooms, phone, conferencing, faxes, satellite transmission etc. Knowledge based tasks performed by members in remote locations can become members of so called VIRTUAL TEAMS.

 Virtual teams are classified as : 1. Synchronous technologies- effective usage of virtual teams , which allows them to interact at the sametime of work. Eg:- audio and video conferencing 2. Asynchronous technologies- emails, chat rooms, group calenders, bulletin board and web pages may be used when DELAYED interaction is possible.

Stages of Team Development

Handy identifies 4 stages of Team development: 1. Forming 2. Storming 3. Norming 4. Performing Wood cock suggests corresponding 4 stages as follows: 1. Underdeveloped 2. Experimental 3. Consolidating 4. Mature

Forming / under developed stage

During this stage new teams are varying of their leaders as well as each other. They are likely to question each other They reveal very little about themselves They play it safe

Storming / experimental stage

There may prevail varied VE opinions & contradictory feeling among team members However these conflicts are effectively handeled Then a +ve aproach may emerge. The worst of the storm is over The individual starts perceiving himself as a part of the team & begins understanding his role in it.

Norming / consolidating stage

As son as how to proceed issue is settled a general consensus takes place Memebers establish standards of behavior and agree with procedural rules There may be raised searching questions to challenge the intellect of members An attempt is also made to encourage each other to evolve an agreed plan of action embracing norms of behavior.

Performing / maturity stage

There exists high level of clarity of goals , participation, trust & creativity Members listen to each other and make decisions through consensus They are able to manage conflicts effectively