OB11 chapter 09 understanding word teams

eleventh

organizational
ior

editi
on

behav

stephen p. robbins


Chapter 9

Understanding
Work Teams
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
S T E P H E N P. R O B B I N S
E L E V E N T H
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

E D I T I O N

WWW . PRE N HALL. C OM / ROB BI N S

PowerPoint Presentation
by Charlie Cook

OBJECTIVES
LEARNING

After studying this chapter,
you should be able to:
1. Explain the growing popularity of teams in
organizations.
2. Contrast teams with groups.
3. Identify four types of teams.
4. Specify the characteristics of effective teams.
5. Explain how organizations can create team
players.
6. Describe conditions under which teams are
preferred over individuals.
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.
9–3


Why
Why Have
Have Teams
Teams Become
Become So
So Popular
Popular
 Teams typically outperform individuals.
 Teams use employee talents better.
 Teams are more flexible and responsive to
changes in the environment.

 Teams facilitate employee involvement.
 Teams are an effective way to democratize and
organization and increase motivation.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–4


Team
Team Versus
Versus Group:
Group: What’s
What’s the
the Difference
Difference
Work Group
A group that interacts primarily
to share information and to
make decisions to help each
group member perform within
his or her area of responsibility.
Work Team
A group whose individual efforts
result in a performance that is
greater than the sum of the
individual inputs.
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–5


Comparing
Comparing Work
Work Groups
Groups and
and Work
Work Teams
Teams

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

E X H I B I T 9–1
E X H I B I T 9–1

9–6


Types
Types of
of Teams
Teams
Problem-Solving Teams
Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the
same department who meet for a few
hours each week to discuss ways of
improving quality, efficiency, and the

work environment.
Self-Managed Work Teams
Groups of 10 to 15 people who take
on the responsibilities of their former
supervisors.
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–7


Types
Types of
of Teams
Teams (cont’d)
(cont’d)
Cross-Functional Teams
Employees from about the same hierarchical level,
but from different work areas, who come together
to accomplish a task.

• Task forces
• Committees

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–8

Types
Types of
of Teams
Teams (cont’d)
(cont’d)
Virtual Teams
Teams that use computer
technology to tie together
physically dispersed
members in order to
achieve a common goal.
Team
TeamCharacteristics
Characteristics
1.1. The
Theabsence
absenceof
ofparaverbal
paraverbaland
andnonverbal
nonverbalcues
cues
2.2. AAlimited
limitedsocial
socialcontext
context
3.3. The
Theability
abilityto
toovercome

overcometime
timeand
andspace
spaceconstraints
constraints

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–9


AATeamTeamEffectiveness
Effectiveness
Model
Model

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

E X H I B I T 9–3
E X H I B I T 9–3

9–10


Creating
Creating Effective
Effective Teams
Teams

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–11


Creating
Creating Effective
Effective Teams
Teams (cont’d)
(cont’d)

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–12


Key
KeyRoles
Roles
of
ofTeams
Teams

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

E X H I B I T 9–4

E X H I B I T 9–4

9–13


Creating
Creating Effective
Effective Teams
Teams (cont’d)
(cont’d)

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–14


Creating
Creating Effective
Effective Teams
Teams (cont’d)
(cont’d)

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–15


Effects

Effects of
of Group
Group Processes
Processes

+
–

©
E X H2005
I B I T 9–4Prentice Hall Inc.
E X H I B I T 9–4
All rights reserved.

=
9–16


Creating
Creating Effective
Effective Teams:
Teams: Diversity
Diversity
Group Demography
The degree to which members of a group share a
common demographic attribute, such as age, sex,
race, educational level, or length of service in the
organization, and the impact of this attribute on
turnover.
Cohorts

Individuals who, as part of
a group, hold a common
attribute.
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–17


Turning
Turning Individuals
Individuals Into
Into Team
Team Players
Players
 The Challenges
– Overcoming individual resistance to team membership.
– Countering the influence of individualistic cultures.
– Introducing teams in an organization that has
historically valued individual achievement.

 Shaping Team Players
– Selecting employees who can fulfill their team roles.
– Training employees to become team players.
– Reworking the reward system to encourage
cooperative efforts while continuing to recognize
individual
contributions.
© 2005
Prentice

Hall Inc.

All rights reserved.

9–18


Teams
Teams and
and Quality
Quality Management
Management
 Team Effectiveness and Quality Management
Requires That Teams:
1. Are small enough to be efficient and effective.
2. Are properly trained in required skills.
3. Allocated enough time to work on problems.
4. Are given authority to resolve problems and take
corrective action.
5. Have a designated “champion” to call on when
needed.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–19


Beware:
Beware: Teams

Teams Aren’t
Aren’t Always
Always the
the Answer
Answer
 Three tests to see if a team fits the situation:
– Is the work complex and is there a need for different
perspectives?
– Does the work create a common purpose or set of
goals for the group that is larger than the aggregate of
the goals for individuals?
– Are members of the group involved in interdependent
tasks?

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc.
All rights reserved.

9–20