MGT 305 1nd Edition Lecture 18 Outline of Last Lecture I Key Components of Groups and Teams II Group Formation and Development III IV Punctuated Equilibrium Model Group Behavior Model a Group member resources b Group structure Outline of Current Lecture I Group Structure continued a Group size b Group cohesiveness II Group processes III Team Effectiveness IV Additional ways to create and build teams Current Lecture Managing Teams Part 2 Group Structure Continued Group Size number of members in the group team o No best size o Depends on purpose Group Cohesiveness the degree to which members are attracted to a group and share the group s goals o Ways to increase cohesiveness Make the group smaller Increase time spent together isolate These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Increase group status and admission difficulty Stimulate competition with other groups Give rewards to the group not individuals Group processes Decision making Advantages of group decision making o More complete information making more complete information and knowledge o A diversity of experience and perspectives o Increased acceptance of a solution Disadvantages of group decision making o Groups almost always take more time o Dominant and vocal minority can influence the decision o Groupthink Conflict Perceived incompatible differences resulting in some form of interference or opposition Types of conflict o Functional conflict vs dysfunctional conflict Relationship conflict Task conflict Process Conflict Group isn t necessarily equal to the sum of its members o Example Ringelann s Rope Pulling Experiment Groups face many common blunders Common problems in groups teams Social facilitation Social Loafing Group polarization Groupthink Conformity Deindividuation Social Facilitation Process whereby the presence of others enhances performance on easy tasks but impairs performance on complex tasks o Evaluation apprehension Social Loafing When contributions are pooled individuals reduce their effort Ways to combat o Identify and evaluate individual performance o Members believe their efforts are necessary for the outcome o Punish poor performance Poor performance is noticed acknowledged o Groups should be small and cohesive Group Polarization Exaggeration of initial tendencies in the thinking of group members through group discussion o If everyone has a similar opinion about a topic you re likely to develop stronger views on the topic o Tends to account why groups make more risky decisions than individuals Ways to combat o Avoid group decisions poll people individually o Delay time between decisions and implementation Groupthink Excessive tendency to seek concurrence among group members Most likely to occur in highly cohesive groups with similar backgrounds in stressful situations where decisions need to be made quickly Ways to combat o Keep group size small o Encourage good conflict o Appoint a member to play devil s advocate o Combine individual and group decision making process nominal group technique Deindividuation Loss of a person s sense of individuality and the reduction of normal constraints against deviant behavior Ways to combat o Hold both individuals and groups accountable o More face to face communication or richer media Team Effectiveness Characteristics of Effective Teams Clear goals Relevant skills Mutual trust Unified commitment Good communication Negotiating Appropriate leadership Internal support External support Building emotional intelligence in teams Best way to manage emotions if to acknowledge that they exist and use them to strength groups o Trust identity efficacy Additional ways to create and build effective teams overview Selection o Select people to make team more effective Rewarding o Align for task interdependence and outcome interdependence Rewarding people for working together Reward both group and individual and group efforts Selection General mental ability Conscientiousness Preference for group work Assess KSAs relevant to group work Rewards Align for task interdependence and outcome interdependence Team development activities Team building interventions Encompasses WIDE range of activities programs Goal varies often team cohesion communication appreciation for differences inclusion trust Share as much as you can about the challenge and why it s important to the company Involve members in brainstorming Offer a chance to gain new skills to meet the challenge Make it fun actionable and visible Team Member Training Generic teamwork skills Team coordination training Self management Team self correction training