Organizational

Behaviour

Module No. 009

Understanding Work Teams

By
Muhammad Shahid Iqbal
 Why Have Teams Become So Popular?
 A team is a relatively permanent work group whose members
must coordinate their activities to achieve one or more common
objectives. As organizations have restructured themselves to
compete more effectively and efficiently, they have turned to
teams as a better way to use employee talents. There are a number
of reasons why this is true.
 Teams can enhance the use of employee talents. Teams are more
flexible and responsive to change in the environment.
 Teams can quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband
 Teams can help to keep employees engaged in their work
 Teams increase their participation in decision making.
 Democratize an organization and increase motivation
 However, teams are not always effective and so it is important to
take a look at how to deploy teams effectively.
 Differences B/w Groups and Teams
 Purpose and Goals:
Group: A group may come together for various reasons, such as
sharing information, making decisions, or socializing. The
members may not have a common goal or a shared purpose.
Team: A team is a group of individuals who work together towards
a common goal. Team members have a shared purpose and are
collectively responsible for achieving specific objectives.
 Individual vs. Collective Accountability:

Group: In a group, individuals are typically accountable for their

own tasks, and there may not be a strong sense of collective
responsibility.
Team: Team members share a collective responsibility for the
team's success or failure. The success of the team is dependent
on the contributions of each member.
 Differences B/w Groups and Teams
 Interdependence:
Group: Members of a group may work independently, and their
tasks may not be directly related to the tasks of other group
members.
Team: Team members are interdependent, meaning that the work of
one member affects and is affected by the work of others. There
is a high level of collaboration and coordination.
 Roles and Relationships:

Group: Individual roles in a group may not be clearly defined, and

there may be less emphasis on specialized roles.
Team: Teams often have specific roles and responsibilities for each
member. Roles are often complementary and designed to
maximize each member's strengths.
 Differences B/w Groups and Teams
 Communication:
Group: Communication in a group may be less structured and may
not always be focused on achieving specific goals.
Team: Communication in a team is typically more structured and
goal-oriented. There is a need for effective communication to
ensure coordination and collaboration.
 Leadership:
Group: Leadership in a group may be informal and may not be
clearly defined. There may not be a designated leader.
Team: Teams often have a designated leader or a coach who
provides guidance, direction, and facilitates collaboration among
team members.
 Differences B/w Groups and Teams
 Synergy:
Synergy refers to the combined efforts of a group or team that
result in a greater outcome than the sum of individual efforts. It
implies that the collective impact of working together is more
powerful than what each individual could achieve alone.
The synergy in groups is neutral sometimes negative where work
teams have a positive synergy because team members
complement each other's strengths and compensate for
weaknesses, leading to enhanced productivity and better results.
 Types of Teams
Teams can make products, provide services, negotiate deals,
coordinate projects, offer advice, and make decisions. There are a
number of different types of teams.
Problem-Solving Teams:
Purpose: Problem-solving teams are specifically formed to identify
and address a particular issue or challenge within an organization.
Composition: Typically, members are selected based on their
expertise or knowledge relevant to the problem at hand.
Communication: Regular meetings and discussions are held to
brainstorm ideas, share information, and collectively reach solutions.
Leadership: A designated leader or facilitator often guides the team
through the problem-solving process.
Advantages: Problem-solving teams leverage diverse perspectives
to tackle complex issues and implement effective. They are
temporary and disband once the problem is resolved.
 Types of Teams
 Self-Managed Teams:
Purpose: Self-managed teams are responsible for organizing and
coordinating their own work, including setting goals, making
decisions, and managing resources.
Composition: Team members from diverse areas within or even
between organizations possess a variety of skills and abilities
necessary to meet the team's objectives.
Communication: Regular and open communication among team
members is crucial to ensure coordination and collaboration.
Leadership: In self-managed teams, leadership roles may rotate
among members or be shared collectively.
Advantages: Self-managed teams empower individuals,
encouraging creativity, autonomy, and ownership of their tasks.
 Types of Teams
 Cross-Functional Teams:
Purpose: Cross-functional teams consist of members from different
departments or areas of expertise within an organization,
working together on a specific project or goal.
Composition: Members come from diverse backgrounds, bringing
varied knowledge and skill sets to the team.
Communication: Effective communication is vital, as each member
contributes unique insights and perspectives based on their
respective roles.
Leadership: Leadership roles may be shared among team members
or assigned to someone with experience.
Advantages: Cross-functional teams foster collaboration, enhance
problem-solving abilities, and encourage innovation through the
integration of diverse perspectives.
 Types of Teams
 Virtual Teams:
Purpose: Virtual teams collaborate remotely, using technology to
communicate and work together on projects irrespective of
geographical locations.
Composition: Team members can be from different time zones,
cultures, backgrounds, making diversity a significant characteristic.
Communication: Virtual teams rely heavily on virtual
communication tools such as video conferencing, messaging apps,
and project management software.
Leadership: Leaders of virtual teams should be skilled at managing
remote work dynamics and fostering a sense of connection and
engagement.
Advantages: Virtual teams offer flexibility, access to global talent,
increased productivity and reduced costs related to physical office
spaces.
 Creating Effective Teams: Context
Characteristics of effective teams
In order for team
to be effective,
Caveat 1: This is a
we can organize
general guide only.
key components
into three
categories. a
combination of
conduct,
compositions,
work design, and Caveat 2: The model
process must be assumes that teamwork is
preferable to individual
brought together
work.
to assist
effectiveness in
the team. The model displayed here depicts team effectiveness.
 Creating Effective Teams: Context
 Context: What Factors Determine Whether Teams are
Successful.
 Adequate Resources: needs right resources to do the job well. A
scarcity of resources directly reduces the ability of a team to
perform its job effectively and achieve its goals.
 Effective Leadership and Structure: Teams can’t function if
they can’t agree on who is to do what and ensure all members
share the workload. leadership and structure is required to
agreeing on the specifics of work and how they fit together to
integrate individual skills requires
 Climate of Trust: Members of effective teams trust each other
and they also exhibit trust in their leaders. Interpersonal trust
among team members facilitates cooperation, reduces the need to
monitor each others’ behavior.
 Creating Effective Teams: Composition
 Performance and Rewards Systems that Reflect Team
Contributions Cannot just be based on individual effort
 Team Composition: A manager must pay close attention to
assure group cohesiveness and effectiveness.
 Abilities of Members: team’s performance depends on the
knowledge, skills, and abilities of its individual members. Need
technical expertise, problem-solving, decision-making, and good
interpersonal skills
 Personality of Members: Conscientiousness, Openness to
Experience, and Agreeableness all relate to team performance
 Allocating Roles and Diversity: assigns the right people to fill
the roles needed and maintain adequate diversity so that idea
generation still occurs.
 Size of Team: keeping teams small is a key to improving group
effectiveness. The smaller the better: 5-9 is optimal
 Creating Effective Teams: Process
 Group’s processes can have a big impact on their effectiveness.
 Commitment to a Common Purpose: that provides direction
but yet incorporates reflexivity where it can adjust plan if needed.
willing to adjust plan if necessary
 Establishment of Specific Team Goals: The goals must be
specific, measurable, realistic yet challenging in order to keep the
team members engaged. Specific goals facilitate clear
communication and help teams maintain focus on getting results.
 Team Efficacy: Effective teams have confidence in themselves;
they believe they can succeed.
 Mental Models: Mental models in creating an effective team
refer to the shared understanding and beliefs that team members
develop about their work, goals, processes, and each other. How
individuals perceive and interpret information, make decisions,
and collaborate within the team.
 Creating Effective Teams: Process
 A Managed Level of Conflict: Task conflicts are helpful;
stimulate discussion, promote critical assessment of problems
and options, and can lead to better team decisions. interpersonal
conflicts are almost always dysfunctional.
 Minimized Social Loafing: individuals can engage in social
loafing and coast on the group’s effort because their particular
contributions can’t be identified. Effective teams undermine this
tendency by making members individually and jointly
accountable for the team’s purpose, goals, and approach.
Therefore, members should be clear on what they are
individually responsible for and what they are jointly
responsible for on the team.
 Creating Effective Teams: Work Design
 Work design is a way to help increase the effectiveness of
teams. The work of teams should have certain characteristics to
help the team accomplish their assigned task.
 Freedom and Autonomy: The team should have freedom and
autonomy over their work so that they can work independently
and control how the work is done.
 Skill Variety: The team should be required to utilize a variety
of skills and talents to complete the task.
 Task Identity: The task should be definable and easy to
identify so that group knows when they have accomplished it.
 Task Significance: the task should be significant and impactful
to the organization.
Key Roles on Teams
 Turning Individuals into Team Players
 What can organizations do to enhance team effectiveness to turn
individual contributors into team members.
Selection: When formulating teams it is important to carefully select
the right employees who are more attuned to teamwork. Make
team skills one of the interpersonal skills in the hiring process.
Clearly Define Team Goals:
Ensure that everyone on the team understands the overarching goals
and objectives. This helps individuals see the bigger picture and
understand how their contributions fit into the team's success.
Effective Communication:
Encourage open and honest communication. Create an environment
where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts
and ideas. Regular team meetings and updates can facilitate this.
Build Trust: Trust is crucial for teamwork. Foster trust by being
reliable, transparent, and supportive. Team members should feel
confident that their colleagues will fulfill their responsibilities.
Encourage Collaboration: Create opportunities for collaboration
through group projects, brainstorming sessions, and team-building
activities. This allows team members to learn from each other and
understand each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Clarify Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly define the roles and
responsibilities of each team member. This reduces confusion and
ensures that everyone knows what is expected of them, promoting
accountability.
Promote a Positive Team Culture: Foster a positive and inclusive
team culture where individuals feel valued. Recognize and celebrate
achievements, and encourage a supportive atmosphere where
mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning.
Provide Training and Development: Invest in training programs
that focus on teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills
that help individuals develop the skills necessary to collaborate
effectively.
Lead by Example: Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping team
dynamics. Leaders should exemplify the behavior they expect from
their team members. Demonstrating collaboration and teamwork
sets a positive tone for the entire group.
Encourage Conflict Resolution: Teach the team how to handle
conflicts constructively. Addressing conflicts early on and in a
positive manner can prevent them from escalating and damaging
team cohesion.
Provide Regular Feedback: Offer constructive feedback regularly.
This helps individuals understand their strengths and areas for
improvement, fostering personal and professional growth.