Chapter 1:  Teams in Organizations

5 Key Characteristics of Teams:

1.    Exist to achieve a shared goal.

2.    Interdependent.

3. Bounded and stable over time.

4.    Have authority to manage own work and internal processes.

5. Operate within a social system context

4 Workplace Challenges that Teams May Help Address:

1.    Customer service focus (think technical support phone lines).

2.    Competition (think Microsoft).

3.    Information age (knowledge workers/integrators, little hierarchy compared to industrial age).

4.    Globalization (need to coordinate across geographic boundaries - virtual teams).

The amount of authority held by teams varies - see Figure 1.1 page 8.  Teams in BA2700 will be self-managing.

Warnings About Teams:

·        Teams can outperform the best individual, but there are no guarantees.

·        Successful teams require careful design and development.  Development requires time and resource (F>N>S>P).

·        You can't just "go through the motions" of development activities.  You need to make a commitment to improve, and step outside your comfort zone.

·        Misattribution errors are common when things go wrong due to the increased complexity of a team versus an individual.

·        Learn from your failures - they are a critical source of information.

·        Conflict is not always a bad thing.  Focus on the problem, not the person.

·        Strong leadership is not always necessary for strong teams.

Developing and sustaining high motivation was the most frequently cited source of frustration in a management survey.  See graphic page 17.