Lisa M. Beihoff

MT302 Organizational Behavior

Unit: 6

Title of Assignment: Effective Team

Work Environment

Date: 8/12/12

Recently our company has experienced issues with employee

teamwork. Employees are not working well together. Your boss has

asked you to research ways to create an effective team work

environment. This presentation is to be delivered to the CEO and

Board of Directors on findings. This includes identifying different

types of teams, the factors that determine whether a team is

effective and how to create team players.

.

As per Robbins and Judge (2013), “A work team generates positive synergy through

coordinated energy.” Unlike a work group, the team’s individual efforts may results in

greater levels of performance then the sum of the individual inputs” (Pg. 309).

This process is great for an organizations success, as we surely want higher

performance levels.

The complementary technique of collaboration in teams is beneficial when used

properly. We can look at how to create teams and team players. Examining various

types of teams we decide which environment we should pursue.

• Problem Solving Team

• Self Managed Team

• Cross Functional Team

• Virtual Team

As per Robbins and Judge (2013),”

• Problem Solving Teams- include the discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and

the work environment. These problem-solving teams rarely have the authority to

unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.

•Self Managed Teams-are groups of employees (typically 10 to 15 in number) who

perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities

of their former supervisors

•Cross Functional Teams-employees from about the same hierarchical level but different

work areas, who come together to accomplish a task

•Virtual Teams- use computer technology to unite physically dispersed members and

•achieve a common goal. They collaborate online—using communication links

•such as wide-area networks, videoconferencing, or email” (Pgs. 310-312).

Our company can benefit from efficient team work. We will use cross

functional work teams to encourage engagement, independent

thought and work place morale. We find leaning on workers harder

may to get them to produce. As per Pearson Education (2012),

Herman Miller realized people are unique individuals, and engaging

workers is beneficial to the person and company. Personal

responsibility and creativity brings forwards talents , strengths, new

ideas and solutions. Trust and honesty matters, they realized this

helped the workplace and allowed talent to shine.

A really effective leader sets the bar high. Teams keep people

(sometimes at same level-cross sectional) participation levels

high. Teams bring great ideas, motivation and in the Miller Case –

success overall to the company. This team strategy success also

emerged a lower turnover rate for the company too. (Video).

We can use the Miller case as an example for our company to achieve the greater team work

environments we need. Robbins and Judge (2013) states “Today cross-functional

teams are so widely used it is hard to imagine a major organizational undertaking

without one. All the major automobile manufacturers—Toyota, Honda,

Nissan, BMW, GM, Ford, and Chrysler—currently use this form of team to coordinate

complex projects. The teams are the equivalent of social-networking groups that collaborate in

real time to identify new business opportunities in the field and then implement them from the

bottom up” (Pg. 311).

We realize though people may have varying perspectives on work environments molded by their

culture. Members need to be sensitive and engaging in communicating with others to have our

teams be effective.

We need to

specifically look at

effective team

factors.

Robbins and Judge

(2013), “Team

Effectiveness Model

“ (Pg. 313).

These factors in the chart determine whether our team will be effective and

how to create teams implementing these.

In examining context, with all our resources and evaluation systems we are

able to establish a strong team framework. We also look at composition

which

Is specific to team members and roles. We can then flexibly embrace

diversity so each member can exude their own creativity and personality.

This leads us to a great process where we can have common ground with

set goals and efficiently produce our purpose.

Should issues arise such as social loafing where members may “slack off”

to leave work to others we can confront this and motivate to increase team

moral once again. The opportunity for each member to express their own

ideas and perspectives will strengthen the group in our team.

Providing incentives to be good team

players will be part of this process too.

Giving members a goal to achieve, a

reward- is merit driven motivator.

Examples of awards can be company

recognition certificates, bonuses and

gifts.

The camaraderie of the team should also be a great emotional asset

(intrinsic award) to the member and the company, as it increases

social engagement and company enthusiastic moral.

We find in Robbins and Judge 2013, “The final test is to determine whether the members of

the group are interdependent. Using teams makes sense when there is interdependence among

tasks—the success of the whole depends on the success of each one, and the success

of each one depends on the success of the others.” (Pg. 325).

In insuring each team member is effective we can have the sum be greater then an individual

input. The perspectives and efforts combined should surpass what one may have contributed

alone.

As per HealthField (2012), “No matter what you call your team-based improvement effort:

continuous improvement, total quality, lean manufacturing or self-directed work teams, you

are striving to improve results for customers.” She mentions how there are a list of tactics

which can be applied to create efficient teams. Some of her suggestions include:

“Twelve Cs for Team Building”

1. Clear Expectations: Team members understand expected

outcomes.

2. Context: Members know why, they understand visuals, values

and goals.

3. Commitment: They feel the team is important and

appreciated.

4. Competence: Agreement in supporting comprehension skills

and strategy.

5. Charter: Responsibility is defined and accepted.

6. Control: Individual's have reigns where they can give input

but remain in the teams common agreement.

7. Collaboration: Problems are solved together clearly and

honestly.

8. Communication: This is defined and frequent so team

members address issues and resolve.

9. Creative Innovation: It can be Fun! Talent arises and

members stimulate new ideas.

10.Consequences: Members are accountable for, no social

loafing as each member is recognized for individual

performance.

11.Coordination: Allocations, goals and resources are planned

out.

12.Cultural Change: The organization recognizes and

embraces the newly emerged, almost state of the art

collaborative nature of the effective team. (Pgs. 1-3).

This demonstration gives the framework on which to act upon in

creating this effective and efficient workplace process.

With values formally written and shared we can empower the team

and business for success.

Concluding we find that

many organizations have

built success with

effective teams. We can

encourage our achieving

team players and success

to our company.

ClipArt (2012) Images. Retrieved from: Microsoft Office Clip Art Search

HealthField, S. (2012). How to Build Successful Work Teams. Retrieved from: http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm

Pearson Education. (2012). Herman Miller - Motivation, Leadership and Teamwork. (Video). Retrieved from: http://media.pearsoncmg.com/

Robbins, S. P. & Judge, T.A. (2013). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle  River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

REFERENCES