BA 15 Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve Team Building: A Leadership Strategy

Chapter Preview: Team Building— A Leadership Strategy
Teamwork in an organizational setting
Common types of work teams
Characteristics of an effective work team
Behavioral science principles that support team building
Team-building skills leaders need
Team-member skills employees need

Leadership Challenges in a Changing Workplace
Rapid changes and demand for increased productivity
Greater employee stress and tension
Long-term strategies versus short-term demands
Increased diversity
Employment stability

Team Building: An Introduction
Most organizations are trying to develop a spirit of teamwork
Leadership style that promotes team building is positively associated with
Productivity
Profitability

Teamwork
Job gets done efficiently and harmoniously
Fewer interpersonal relations problems
Positive effect on the physical and psychological well-being of employees
Higher levels of job satisfaction and less stress

Synergy is another positive outcome of teamwork
The interaction of two or more parts to produce greater results than the sum of the parts taken individually
Especially important when organizations value creativity

Teamwork Doesn’t Come Naturally
Most jobs today require ongoing interaction between coworkers and managers
Requires meaningful employee participation in planning, solving problems, and developing ways to improve the organization
Teamwork flourishes under strong leadership

The Transition to Team-Based Structures
Teams have become popular because they effectively reduce costs, foster innovation, and improve quality
There are two common types of teams
Self-managed
Cross-functional

Self-Managed Teams
Assume responsibility for traditional management tasks as part of regular work routine
Increases accountability
Reduces time on dull and repetitive tasks
Taps employees full potential

Cross-Functional Teams
Task groups are staffed with a mix of specialists who are focused on a common objective
Involve developing new work procedures or products, devising work reforms, or introducing new technology
Often make decisions that directly influence improvements

Teams Take Time to Develop
Using teams is not a quick fix
Can take one or two years for members to learn all the tasks
Takes time for team to become comfortable making decisions, scheduling work, hiring, training, and problem solving
Team effectiveness determinants
People-related factors
Organization-related factors
Task-related factors

Basic Beliefs About Teamwork
One Approach
Examine careers of successful leaders who demonstrate ability to develop teamwork
A Second Approach
Review the findings of scholars who have identified the characteristics of successful leaders

McGregor’s Influence
Emphasized “unity of purpose” as the main feature of productive work units
Suggests several characteristics of an effective work team
Informal and relaxed atmosphere
They discuss work-related issues and have comfortable disagreements
Tasks and objectives are well understood
Members listen to each other
People freely express feelings and ideas

Total Person Insight
The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
General Colin Powell (Ret.)
United States Army

The Leadership Grid®
The Leadership Grid® is based on two leadership style dimensions:
Concern for people
Concern for productivity
Five most important styles
Impoverished management
Country club management
Authority compliance
Middle-of-the-road management
Team management

The Leadership Grid®
Team management style is most positively associated with
Productivity and profitability
Career success and satisfaction
Physical and mental health
Shared responsibility
High participation
Commitment

Hall’s Contributions
High-achieving managers
Have deep interest in both people and productivity
Rely heavily on participative approach
Low/moderate-achieving managers
Avoid involving subordinates in planning and decision making
Participative managers have confidence in workers’ potential

Behavioral Science Principles
Shared participation in problem solving is basis for growth, development, and contribution
Mutual trust and respect underpins productive human relationships
Open communication supports mutual understanding

Behavioral Science Principles
Conflict management by direct problem-solving confrontation promotes personal health
Responsibility for one’s own actions stimulates initiative

Life is good when trust is present. Life hurts when trust disappears. We understand this at a level so deep it is indistinguishable from our very being.
Michael Crom
Vice President, Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.

Team-Building Skills for Leaders
Successful leaders share some behavioral characteristics
Two of the most important are
Consideration
Structure
These dimensions are separate and independent of each other

Figure 12.2 - Basic Leadership Styles from the Ohio State Study

Consideration
Extent to which a manager’s relationships with workers are characterized by
Mutual trust
Respect for employees
Consideration of feelings
Warmth in interpersonal relationships
Good rapport
Two-way communication

Structure
Extent to which a supervisor is likely to direct workers toward goal attainment
Managers actively direct activities by
Scheduling
Planning
Setting goals
Communicating information
Evaluating performance

Improving Consideration Skills
Leaders with consideration skills follow law of empathy
Practices that can improve consideration
Recognize accomplishments
Provide for early and frequent success
Take a personal interest in each employee
Establish a climate of open communication
Discover individual employee values

Improving Structure Skills
The team builder gives the group direction, standards and maintains accountability
Practices that develop structure skills
Communicate your expectations
Provide specific feedback often
Deal with poor performance immediately
Coach for peak performance

Situational Leadership
Theory that most effective leadership occurs when leader’s style matches the situation
Emphasizes the need for flexibility
Two dimensions
Task behavior
Relationship behavior

Model Similarities
Relationship behavior
Consideration
Concern for people
Task Behavior
Structure
Concern for production

Model Differences
When attempting to influence others:
Diagnose readiness level in the follower for specific task
Provide appropriate leadership style for that situation

… the most effective leaders are alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence.
Daniel Goleman
Author , Working With Emotional Intelligence

Figure 12.4 – Additional Leadership Qualities

Additional Leadership Qualities
Character-- personal standards of behavior including honesty, integrity, and moral strength
Impossible to build trusting relationships without character
Emotional intelligence-- Ability to monitor your own and others’ emotions and deal with them effectively

Teamwork: The Employee’s Role
Most valued employees are willing to assume leadership roles and responsibilities
Each team member should
Assume an active part in helping the work unit achieve its mission
Be a team builder

Employees as Leaders
Effective leaders help work team members develop leadership skills
The team’s success does not always ride on one person
There is merit in establishing a diversity of leadership within the work group

Becoming a Valued Team Member
Avoid becoming part of a clique or subgroup within the team
Avoid any action that might sabotage the team
Keep in mind that effective team membership depends on honest, open communication
Do not feel the need to submerge your own strong believes, creative solutions, and ideas

Great challenges require great teamwork, and the quality most needed among teammates amid the pressure of a difficult challenge is collaboration….Each person brings something to the table that adds value to the relationship and synergy to the team.
John C. Maxwell
Author, The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player

Managing the Relationship with Your Boss
Relationships are usually more effective when both parties assume responsibility
Burden for managing relationships should not fall solely on supervisor
Supervisor will become more effective at performing his or her job

Managing the Relationship with Your Boss
Assess your own strengths
Develop an understanding of your boss
Flex your communication style
Be frank and candid

Chapter Review
Teamwork in an organization setting
Teamwork ensures that a job gets done efficiently
Successful teamwork often is the difference between profitable and unprofitable operations
The team-building leadership style is suited to most of today’s employees

Chapter Review
Common types of work teams
Self-managed teams assume responsibility for traditional management tasks
Produce a well-defined product or service
Members usually rotate among the various jobs
Cross-functional teams are a mix of specialists focused on a common objective
Often temporary units with members from different departments

Chapter Review
Characteristics of an effective work team
Effective teams tend to be informal and relaxed
People are involved, interested, and eager to participate in problem solving
Group also has clearly understood goals and objectives

Chapter Review
Behavioral science principles that support team building
Two ways to learn about teams is to study leaders who promote it and scholars who discuss it
McGregor
Blake
Mouton
Hall

Chapter Review
Team-building skills leaders need
Two important dimensions of supervisory leadership
Consideration
Structure
The Leadership Grid and the Situational Leadership Model clarify these two dimensions
Effective leaders must also have character and emotional intelligence

Chapter Review
Team-member skills employees need
Effective work groups assume effective leadership and membership roles
Members help the group achieve its mission
Everyone is a team member and team builder
Employees give guidance and support to their supervisor
Most bosses need this assistance and support to achieve success

BA 15 Chapter 12

by dpd on Jul 03, 2008

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