1. Describe various types of groups and teams in organisations. 2. Summarise the stages of group development and key roles members occupy within a work group. 3. Pinpoint several potential problems with group effort and know how to prevent them.

1. Teams
Dr Dorota Joanna BourneDr Dorota Joanna Bourne

2. Learning Objectives
1. Describe various types of groups and
teams in organisations.
2. Summarise the stages of group2. Summarise the stages of group
development and key roles members
occupy within a work group.
3. Pinpoint several potential problems with
group effort and know how to prevent them.

3. Groups
Interact with one another.
Are working toward some common purpose.
Perceive themselves to be a group.Perceive themselves to be a group.
Have a strong, focused leader.
Have individual accountability.
Strive to run efficient meetings.

4. Teams (Formal Groups)
Are a special type of group.
Have complementary skills.
Are committed to a common purpose.
Have a set of performance goals.
Have a defined approach to a task.
Have a team leader who shares leadership roles.
Have individual and mutual accountability.
Encourage open-ended discussion and
participation.

5. Teams versus Groups
ATTRIBUTE GROUP TEAM
Nature
Timeframe
Function
Goals
Responsibilities
Uncoordinated
Ongoing
General or multiple
General, multiple
General or common
Motivated and managed
Specific timescale
Specific (ad hoc) task
Specific, single and defined
AllocatedResponsibilities
Communication
Bonds
Motivation
Membership
Size
Integration of new
members
Leadership
General or common
Weak
Common interests
Weak
Relatively open
Large or small
Ad hoc
Weak
Allocated
High interaction
Shared commitment, objectives
Strong
Selected or complementary
Comparatively small
Organised
Clear

6. Types of Teams
Cross-functional team
A group of workers with different specialties
drawn from the same level in the organisation to
blend their talents to accomplish a task such asblend their talents to accomplish a task such as
product development.
Top-management team
Is the group of managers at the top of
organisations that collaborate in making most
major decisions.

7. Stages of Group Development

8. Stages of Group Development
Stage 1: Forming
A time of confusion, caution, communality for
members.
Stage 2: Storming
A time of hostility, infighting, tension, and
confrontation.
Stage 3: Norming
A period of quiet; resistance is overcome and
group standards (norms) are established.

9. Stages of Group Development
Stage 4: Performing
In this stage, the group is ready to focus on
accomplishing its key tasks.
Stage 5: AdjourningStage 5: Adjourning
Groups are dissolved after their tasks are
accomplished.
Key managerial challenge:
To help groups move past the first three stages
of group development into performing.

10. Roles within Groups
1. Knowledge contributor
2. Process observer
3. People supporter
4. Challenger4. Challenger
5. Listener
6. Mediator
7. Gatekeeper
8. Take-charge leader

11. Potential Problems within
Groups
Group polarization (risky shift)
Shifts in member attitudes to more or less
risky positions, which, in turn, reduces
intragroup cohesion.
Social loafingSocial loafing
Occurs when an undermotivated person
avoids individual responsibility and tries to
squeeze by without contributing a fair share of
the work.
Groupthink
Occurs when strong group cohesiveness
creates a extreme form of consensus and
interferes with effective decision-making.

12. Building Teamwork
1. Instill in teams an urgent constructive purpose.
2. Empower the group to determine how to meet
its objectives.
3. Use a consensus decision-making style to
foster participation.foster participation.
4. Feed members valid facts and information that
motivate them to work together.
5. Avoid micromanagement in supervising the
team too closely.
6. Reward the team as well as individuals.
7. Send members to outdoor (or off-site) training.