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Group Dynamics and Teamwork

Class 5

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A good definition…..

A small group of people…..

with complementary skills….

who are committed to a common purpose, goals, and approach….

for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

• From Katzenbach and Smith “Wisdom of Teams”

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Types of teams

• Teams that recommend things

• Teams that make or do things

• Teams that run things

What are the differences between a working group and a team?

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Stages of a Team*

Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning

•Excitement•Anxiety•Testing

•Resistance to different approaches•Sharp attitude changes•Competitiveness and defensiveness•Tension and disunity

•Increased satisfaction•Developing trust and respect•Giving feedback to others•Sharing responsibilities•Making decisions

•High level of interaction•Increased performance•Members are comfortable with each other•Confident and optimistic

•Often overlooked•Wide range of emotions are experienced•Work levels shift•Transition must be acknowledged and managed

*“Developmental Sequence in Small Groups” by Bruce Tuckman

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Table Discussion

Think about the best team you’ve ever been on (work, school, sport, volunteer, etc)

• What were the characteristics that made it great?

Think about the worst team you’ve ever been on • What made it ineffective?

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Team Effectiveness Defined

• The team’s output (at least) meets the standards of quality, quantity, etc. of the clients

• The team is operating in ways that make it better as a performing unit over time

• On balance, the team contributes to (more than it undermines) the learning and well-being of individual members

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“Condition 0” A Real Team

• Bounded

• Stable

• Interdependent for a common purpose

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Four Essential Conditions for Team Effectiveness

1. Clear, engaging direction

2. Enabling team structure

3. Supportive organizational context

4. Available, expert, coaching

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1. Clear, Engaging Direction

Ends specified? yes no

yes

no

Mea

ns s

peci

fied

?

Chaos and wasted effort

Wastedhuman

resources

De-motivation

Engaged,goal-directed

work

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2. Enabling Team Structure

• Appropriate team composition

• A motivating team task

• Core norms of conduct

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3. Supportive Organizational Context

• Rewards for excellent team performance• An information system that provides to

the team the data it needs to plan its work

• Available training and education, including in teamwork skills

• Basic material resources

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4. Available, Expert Coaching

• Motivational coaching, aimed at enhancing team-level effort

• Educational coaching, aimed at helping the team learn from its work

• Consultative coaching, aimed at helping the team plan, evaluate, and execute its work strategy

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Direction Structure Context -----> Process

• Consequential

• Clear

• Challenging

• Effort

• Strategy

• Talent

• Motivating team task

• Core norms

• Composition

• Rewards

• Information system

• Education system

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Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni

• Results

• Accountability

• Commitment

• Conflict

• Trust

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Building Effective Teams in Real Time

• Share personal background informationIntroduce yourselves to each other using the Iceberg Model: – Describe the skills and knowledge (above the water line) you

bring to the team– Describe the behaviors/motivating drives (below the water

line) you bring to the team

• Ask team members what worked for them in the past• Describe how the team will work together• Optimize individual strengths• Clarify how decisions will be made• Ensure a free flow of information

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Project TeamsGroup 1

Akintan, Oyegbemi

Brown, Jennifer

Durkin, Pierce Christopher

Francozi, Rodrigo Kusek

Kiefer, Brian James

Mellion, Rose Conner

Putta, Swetha

Group 4

Del Vento, Benjamin Vincent

Lomosi, David Imbukule

Long, Gwen Ann

Mcentire, Linden Kathleen

Mueller, Thomas Jay

Yasseri, Talayeh

Ye, Huang Zhong

Group 2

Bastille, Lisa M

Benowitz, Allan

Gebremichael, Yoseph A

Kuprasova, Nataliya

O'Rourke, Katherine

Tiamiyu, Abraham Oluwatoyin

Group 5

Cox, Matthew

Holmes, Kathryn M

Omichessan, Yacine Adebayo O.

O'Shea, Adam James

Szpoganicz, Silvana

Wang, Yun

Group 3

Flanagan, Bridget Eleanor

Gosselin, Hilary

Kinney, Earl (Bob)

Koon Kam King, Vincent

Mayawala, Kapil

Salgado, Alina Maria

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Team ProjectSelect and research an OB topic from class to explore

more deeply: Deliverables:• 30 minute presentation/facilitation, which includes

how the topic relates to the individuals, groups, and organizations, and examples of best practices in this area from real world organizations

– 15 minutes of group presentation– 15 minutes of discussion facilitated by your group with

Q&A• A model, job aid or framework that helps us

understand and apply what you’ve uncovered in your research.

• A Team Evaluation (assessment of team member contribution) based on the criteria for