Managing Groups & Teams

Managing Groups and Teams Chapter 12 Ready Notes For in-class note taking, choose Handouts or Notes Pages from the print options, with three slides per page.

Chapter Objectives
Define the term group , and explain the significance of cohesiveness, roles, norms, and ostracism in regard to the behavior of group members.
Identify and briefly describe the six stages of group development.
Summarize the relevant research insights about organizational politics, and explain how groupthink can lead to blind conformity.
Define and discuss the management of virtual teams .

Chapter Objectives (cont’d)
Discuss the criteria and determinants of team effectiveness.
Explain why trust is a key ingredient of teamwork and discuss what management can do to build trust.

Fundamental Group Dynamics
What Is a Group?
Two or more freely interacting individuals who share a common identity and purpose.
Types of Groups
Informal groups: a collection of people seeking friendship and acceptance that satisfies esteem needs.
Formal groups: a collection of people created to do something productive that contributes to the success of the larger organization.

Figure 12.1 What Does It Take to Make a Group?

Fundamental Group Dynamics (cont’d)
Attraction to Groups
Attractiveness of the group
Cohesiveness of the group
Roles
Socially determined ways of behaving in a specific position.
A set of expectations concerning what a person must, must not, or may do in a position.
The actual behavior of a person who occupies the position.

Norms
The standards (degrees of acceptability and unacceptability) for conduct that help individuals judge what is right or good or bad in a given social setting.
Are culturally derived and vary from one culture to another.
Are usually unwritten, yet have a strong influence on individual behavior.
May go above and beyond formal rules and written policies.

Reasons that groups enforce norms
To facilitate the survival of the group.
To simplify or clarify role expectations.
To help group members avoid embarrassing situations.
To express key group values and enhance the group’s unique identity.
Ostracism
Rejection by the group for violation of its norms.

Group Development
Characteristics of a Mature Group
Members are aware of each other’s assets and liabilities.
Individual differences are accepted.
The group’s authority and interpersonal relationships are recognized.
Group decisions are made through rational discussion.
Conflict is over group issues, not emotional issues.
Members are aware of the group’s processes and their own roles in them.

Six Stages of Group Development
Stage 1: Orientation
Uncertainty about most everything is high.
Stage 2: Conflict and change
Subgroups struggle for control; roles are undefined.
Stage 3: Cohesion
Consensus on leadership, structure, and procedures is reached.
Stage 4: Delusion
Members misperceive that the group has reached maturity.

Six Stages of Group Development (cont’d)
Stage 5: Disillusion
Subgroups form; disenchantment, diminished cohesiveness and commitment to the group.
Stage 6: Acceptance
A trusted and influential group member steps forward and moves the group from conflict to cohesion so that it becomes highly effective and efficient.
Member expectations are more realistic.

Organizational Politics
What Does Organizational Politics Involve?
The pursuit of self-interest at work in the face of real or imagined opposition.
Impression management: trying to influence how others perceive you.
Political infighting is a primary impediment that slows down change in organizations.
Political maneuvering: all self-serving behavior above and beyond competence, hard work, and luck.

Organizational Politics (cont’d)
Positive Effects
Exchanging favors
“ Touching bases”
Forming coalitions
Seeking sponsors
Overcoming internal barriers
Negative Effects
Hinders organizational and individual effectiveness.
Is an irritant to employees.
Can have significant ethical implications.

Research on Organizational Politics
The perception that the higher the level of management, the greater amount of politics.
The larger the organization, the greater the politics.
Staff personnel are more political than line managers.
Marketing people are the most political; production people were considered the least political.
61% of employees believed organizational politics helps advance one’s career.
45% of employees believed that organizational politics detracts from organizational goals.

Political Tactics
Posturing: “One upmanship” and taking credit for others work.
Empire building: gaining control over human and material resources.
Making the supervisor look good: engaging in “apple polishing.”
Collecting and using social IOUs: exchanging reciprocal political favors by making someone look good or covering up their mistakes.

Political Tactics
Creating power and loyalty cliques: facing superiors as a cohesive group rather than alone.
Engaging in destructive competition: sabotaging the work of others through character assassination.

Antidotes to Political Behavior
Strive for a climate of openness and trust.
Measure performance results rather than personalities.
Encourage top management to refrain from political behaviors.
Strive to integrate individual and organizational goals through meaningful work and career planning.
Practice job rotation to encourage broader perspectives and understanding of the problems of others.

Groupthink
Groupthink (Irving Janis)
A mode of thinking (blind conformity) that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members’ strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.
Symptoms of Groupthink
Excessive optimism
An assumption of inherent morality
Suppression of dissent
A desperate quest for unanimity

Groupthink (cont’d)
Preventing Groupthink
Avoid using of groups as rubberstamps.
Urge each group member to think independently.
Bring in outside experts for fresh perspectives.
Assign someone the role of devil’s advocate.
Take time to consider possible effects and consequences of alternative courses of action.

Team, Teamwork, and Trust
Cross-Functional Teams
Task groups staffed with a mix of specialists from various organizational areas who are focused on a common objective.
May or may not be self-managed.
Membership is assigned, not voluntary.
Challenge is getting specialists to be boundary spanners.

Team, Teamwork, and Trust (cont’d)
Virtual Teams
Task groups with members who are physically dispersed yet linked electronically to accomplish a common goal.
Face-to-face contact is minimal or nonexistent.
Primary forms of communication are electronic interchanges (e-mail, voice mail, web-based project software, and videoconferences).

Building a Virtual Team
Identify the team’s sponsors, stakeholders, and champions.
Develop a team charter that includes its purpose, mission, and goals.
Select team members.
Contact team members and introduce them to each other.
Conduct a team orientation session.
Develop a team process.

What Makes Workplace Teams Effective?
Innovative ideas
Goals accomplished
Adaptability to change
High person/team commitment
Being rated highly by upper management

Trust: A Key to Team Effectiveness
Trust: a belief in the integrity, character, or ability of others.
The primary responsibility for creating a climate of trust falls on the manager.
Trust is the key to establishing productive interpersonal relationships.
Trust encourages self-control, reduces the need for direct supervision, and expands managerial control.

Six Ways to Build Trust
Communication: keep people informed.
Support: be an approachable person.
Respect: delegate important duties and listen.
Fairness: evaluate fairly and objectively.
Predictability: be dependable and consistent.
Competence: be a good role model.

Managing Groups & Teams

by Khalid Nasr

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