This module discusses how teams can help organizations meet challenges. It explains that teams are more effective than individuals when tasks are complex, creativity is needed, or the path forward is unclear. It also outlines what teams need to succeed and discusses implementing change through teams, including creating a shared vision, understanding stakeholders, and developing an action plan.

1. 1-1
Chapter 1
Using Teams to Meet Today's Challenges

2. 1-1
What You Will See in This Module
I.
The Power of Teams
II.
Types of Teams
III. What Teams Need
IV. Teams and Change
V. Implementing Change

3. 1-1
The Power of Teams
Teams outperform individuals when
• The task is complex.
• Creativity is needed.
• The path forward is unclear.
• More efficient use of resources is required.
• Fast learning is necessary.
• High commitment is desirable.
• Cooperation is essential to implementation.
• Members have a stake in the outcome.
• The task or process is cross-functional.
• No individual has sufficient knowledge to solve the problem.

4. 1-2
What is a Team?
Key elements of teams:
• Members have a shared work product.
• Tasks are interdependent.
• Shared responsibility for output and results.
• Commitment to a common approach to working together.
• Members collectively manage relationships across
organizational boundaries.

5. 1-2
What Teams Can Accomplish
• Reduce lead times
• Decrease cycle time
• Cut service errors
• Manage processes
• Perform daily work
• Increase the rate of transactions
• Develop new products and services
• Operate organizational units
• Redesign systems
• Understand customer needs

6. Types of Teams
• Project Teams
•
•
Temporary
Special focus
• Ongoing or Functional Work Teams
•
•
•
•
Natural work team
Self-directed work team
Process management team
Management team
• Virtual Teams
•
•
•
Use technology-supported communications
Cross time zones, geography, and organizational units
Can be project or ongoing teams
1-3
To
1-4

7. What Teams Need
Teams need
• Clearly defined purposes and goals
• Clearly defined boundaries
• Access to people in the know
• Access to resources
1-5
To
1-6

8. 1-5
Linking the Team and the Organization
It is important to know how a team’s purpose links to the
organization’s key strategies.

9. Teams and Change
The “Laws” of Organizational Change:
• People don't resist change, they resist being changed.
• Things are the way they are simply because they got that way.
• Unless things change, they are likely to remain the same.
• Change would be easy if it weren't for all the people.
1-7
To
1-8

10. 1-9
Implementing Change
• Create a shared vision
• Understand stakeholders
• Develop an action plan

11. 1-9
Create a Shared Vision
• Communicate vividly
and regularly why things
must change.
• Describe your vision for
the change.
• Clearly describe the first
steps being taken and
directly link the team’s
work and the vision for
change.

12. Understand Stakeholders
• Identify the extent to which organizational areas and key
individuals will be affected by the change.
• Understand stakeholders’ attitudes toward change.
• Understand potential reasons for resistance.
1-10
To
1-11

13. 1-10
Understand Stakeholders’ Attitudes
= level of commitment necessary
= level of commitment currently demonstrated

14. Understand Potential Reasons for
Resistance
Reasons for resistance:
• How satisfied is this group with
its current work situation?
• How much complexity and risk
are involved for this group?
• What new knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and perceptions will
people need to successfully
implement the change?
• What specific endings and losses might this individual or
group experience?
1-11

15. 1-12
Develop an Action Plan
Based on the stakeholder analysis, decide
• How and when each stakeholder group should participate in
the change
• How to attain buy-in and acceptance during the planning phase
• How and when to communicate with stakeholders
• What training they will need to be able to succeed in the
change

16. Develop an Action Plan, cont.
As part of the action plan,
• Identify informal networks
• Build a critical mass
• Create emotional acceptance
• Keep activities synchronized
1-12
To
1-14

17. 1-12
Onion Patch Strategy
What do you do if you have trouble getting the attention of
people up high?
Think big but stay close to your roots.

18. Summary
• In many circumstances, teams can outperform individuals and
create significant improvements.
• Teams can be project teams, ongoing or functional work
teams, or virtual teams.
• Teams need defined purposes and goals, clearly defined
boundaries, access to people in the know, and access to
resources.
• Teamwork involves change, and change is seldom easy.
• Things don’t change if people won’t.