Table of ContentsIntroduction.1Objective of the study1Classical Concept2Matrix Organization3Life Cycle of Team4Ingredients of Effective Teams7Potential Team Problems..9Consequences of social loafing..10Causes of social loafing..10Counseling the social loafer12Ways to improve social loafing......12Group composition..14Trust16Ways to restore trust in workplace.17Other problems.18The Need for Team Building...19The Process..20Specific Team-Building Issues..23Skills Useful in Team Building26Characteristics of Mature Teams..28Self-Managing Teams..31Advantages of Self-Managing Teams..31Disadvantages of Self-Managing Teams34 Virtual Teams..37Advantages of Virtual Teams.37Disadvantages of Virtual Teams39 Findings.40Conclusion.41Bibliography

IntroductionEvery organization has teams with members working as one. Every team is normally built on a foundation that bonds or ties the members together in every activity to encourage growth within the unit. This is what is known as team building. Team building pertains to a variety of activities and programs used by various organizations such as businesses, academic institutions, sports, religious and non-profit groups with a purpose of enhancing team performance.The activities are manifested using various methods and approaches, from a simple bonding activity to challenging simulations to planned team building outings and retreats aimed to develop everyone individually and collectively. Team building activities may include games, exercises, drills, and team practices.This report will explain the basic definition of a team, team concept, and the stages of a team formation in order to gain a better understanding of the concept of team building. The need for careful development of teams is stressed, and a new structure is self-managed team and virtual team will be discussed.

Objectives of the studyThe main objective of the study is to understand about team and different process of the team building.The following are the specific objectives of the study: To know about the nature of the teams Analysis a team life cycle To discuss about the ingredients of effective teams Identify the characteristics of mature team To gain in depth knowledge about self-manage and virtual teams

Classical ConceptClassical Concept Theory is the process of starting with the total amount of work to be done & divide it to peoples.So, it is basically,Division of work: Divide the work into different divisions, departments, work clusters, jobs & assignment of responsibilities to people.Delegation:Assign duties, authority & responsibility to others which results multiple level of authority in an operating hierarchy.Strength & Weakness:Classical Structure provides much support to the peoples. They act as like as mechanistic in their attempts to get people to as effectively. Peoples are specialized in many activities. So, everyone gets specialized support. They also get appropriate resources to perform the job, required security & fairly dependable conditions of work.On the other hand, there are some weak points also. It is not as good in psychological support. So the people will not get psychological support during their work. But, organization should provide both task support & psychological support for better output.

To mitigate the issues, organizations are using Modern Organizations now. Modern Organizations has three characteristics.Firstly, modern organizations are more flexible in nature. Many organizations have reduced their hierarchy by downsizing & eliminating middle management positions. A number of organizations tried to create boundary less organization system by eliminating the rigid barrier among different functional units. Organizations are now ready to change according to the need.Secondly, organizations which have dynamic business environment basically follow the organic forms of Modern Organizations which allow employees to think out of the box as there is no specific way. Organic form is best for the employees who want autonomy, openness, variety, changes & try new approaches. Last but not the least; modern Organization is also open in nature. As people can work according to their way, so people can express their feedback regarding different issues which creates an open environment within the organization.Matrix Organization:Matrix organization is basically the development to meet the changing environment needs. It is an overlay of one type of organization on another so that 2 chains of commands are directing individual employees. It is especially used for large specialized project that needs people from different skills.Though handling more than 1 supervisor by individuals for matrix organizations is complex, but its undoubtedly best in team focus on a single project, permitting better planning and control to meet the deadlines within the budgets. As people normally assigned to different role in different projects, so it gives them the great opportunity to gain expertize in different sides. Additionally, it gives the practical experience to handle the complex project.To conduct big project by using Matrix Organization, organization creates cross functional teams to achieve the goal. It basically used when you need to work across the whole organizational boundaries. BY using people from different functions, this group brings diversity in works. People from different specializations come together to work in a group for a specific goal. So, cross functional teams creates to solve or mitigate special problem by specialized people from different functions.

Life Cycle of a Team

Teams move through a series of stages, beginning when they are formed and ending when they are disbanded. These Stages of team Development are not rigidly followed but they do represent a broad pattern that may be observed and predicted in many settings across the teams together. The stages are the result of several questions and issues that team normally faces. Forming: In this stage, most team members are positive and polite. Some are anxious, as they haven't fully understood what work the team will do. Others are simply excited about the task ahead. As leader; you play a dominant role at this stage, because team members' roles and responsibilities aren't clear.This stage can last for some time, as people start to work together, and as they make an effort to get to know their new colleagues. Team members share personal information, start to get to know each other and accept one another. And begin turning their attention towards the groups task. In addition to focusing on the scope of the team's purpose and how to approach it, individuals in the formation stage are also gathering information and impressions about each other. Since people generally want to be accepted by others, during this period they usually avoid conflict and disagreement. StormingNext, the team moves into the storming phase, where people start to push against the boundaries established in the forming stage. This is the stage where many teams fail.Storming often starts where there is a conflict between team members' natural working styles. People may work in different ways for all sorts of reasons, but if differing working styles cause unforeseen problems, they may become frustrated.Storming can also happen in other situations. For example, team members may challenge your authority, or jockey for position as their roles are clarified. Or, if you haven't defined clearly how the team will work, people may feel overwhelmed by their workload, or they could be uncomfortable with the approach you're using. Some may question the worth of the team's goal, and they may resist taking on tasks.Team members who stick with the task at hand may experience stress, particularly as they don't have the support of established processes, or strong relationships with their colleagues.

Figure: Life cycle of a team

NormingGradually, the team moves into the norming stage. This is when people start to resolve their differences, appreciate colleagues' strengths, and respect your authority as a leader.Now that your team members know one-another better, they may socialize together, and they are able to ask each other for help and provide constructive feedback. People develop a stronger commitment to the team goal, and you start to see good progress towards it.There is often a prolonged overlap between storming and norming, because, as new tasks come up, the team may lapse back into behavior from the storming stage.PerformingThe team reaches the performing stage when hard work leads, without friction, to the achievement of the team's goal. The structures and processes that you have set up support this well. As leader, you can delegate much of your work, and you can concentrate on developing team members.It feels easy to be part of the team at this stage, and people who join or leave won't disrupt performance.AdjourningMany teams will reach this stage eventually. For example, project teams exist for only a fixed period, and even permanent teams may be disbanded through organizational restructuring.Team members who like routine, or who have developed close working relationships with other team members, may find this stage difficult, particularly if their future now looks uncertain.Groups are always different; consequently not all teams will clearly experience all the stages of the cycle. Some groups May temporary stuck in a certain stage and others may find themselves reverting to an earlier stage.

Ingredients of Effective Teams Supportive Environment A supportive environment helps to build successful team work .Creating a an environment teams members should act like a team A team works well when it: accepts the need for difference and diversity is supportive of each others strengths Manages members needs in times of personal or professional challenge.Employers can help create a supportive team environment by: challenging myths about physical health conditions, cultural diversity and mental illness preventing the use of inappropriate language or behaviors having regular team meetings that encourage active communicationCelebrating achievements and strengthening interpersonal relationships. This might include out of house activities like shared lunches. These events should be optional as some people who experience social phobia or anxiety may find these stressful encouraging home and work balanceSkills and role clarityA major characteristic of effective teams is clear expectations about the roles played by each team member. In such a team, action is taken and clear assignments are made. These roles are duly accepted as well as carried out. Work needs to be distributed fairly among team members, as per each persons skill and capability.

Superordinate Goals A superordinate goal is something that is big enough and compelling enough to aid individuals and groups overlook personal differences in order to achieve something significantly beyond their current reach, something that cannot be privately held by any of the members, and is instead closer in nature to a Commons. A major responsibility of mangers is try to keep team members oriented toward the overall task. Sometimes an organization policy creates obstacle against individual efforts and discourage team work.Team Rewards: Team rewards is the another important element of team work. Team rewards present a great opportunity to help foster team bonding. With the proper application of a reward and recognition program, you can help build a high-performance team, and foster cross-organizational cooperation. But team rewards are not to be treated carelessly or misapplication could lead to unhealthy competition, lack of cooperation, and ultimately severe financial consequences for the organization.

Team motivation and rewards programs should make up part of your overall employee recognition program. You need to consider a mix of team and individual rewards, and balance the mix between awards that encourage both cooperative and competitive behaviorsEmpowered Teams Above discussion mainly emphasized on four structural ingredients for effective team. Member motivation plays a powerful role in team success. Team member will feel motivated and empowered when they: Share a Sense of potency Experience Meaningfulness Are given autonomy See their impact on resultsThe combination of four forces can build an outstanding team which will be productive and proactive for their customers.Potential Team problems:

Two particularly troublesome team problems involve changing team composition and social loafing.

Social Loafing:

Definition of social loafing:

Social loafing describes the tendency of individuals to put forth less effort when they are part of a group than when they work alone. Because all members of the group are pooling their effort to achieve a common goal, each member of the group contributes less than they would if they were individually responsible.

For example, imagine that your teacher assigned you to work on a class project with a group of five with other students. If you were working on your own, you would have broken down the assignment into steps and started work right away. Since you are part of a group, however, the social loafing tendency makes it likely that you would put less effort into the project. Instead of assuming responsibility for certain tasks, you might simply assume that one of the other group members will take care of it.

It is the Tendency of certainmembersof agroupto get by with less effort than what they would have put whenworkingalone. Its twocommonmanifestations are (1) Free-rider effect, where some members do not put in theirshareofworkunder theassumptionthat others' efforts willcovertheir shortfall, and thus cause (2) Sucker effect, where the other (fully performing) members lower their efforts inresponseto thefree-riders'attitude.

The first known research on the social loafing effect began in 1913 with Max Ringelmann's study. He found that when he asked a group of men to pull on a rope, that they did not pull as hard collectively, as they did when each was pulling alone.

Consequences of Social Loafing:

Social loafing has negative consequence for both the group and the individuals in the group. The group dynamic is affected when certain individuals are seen as weak contributors to the group purpose. It tends to split the group and fosters a lack of coordination. For example, if only five of the eight members of a team are doing most of the work, it will often create an'in' group(those members that are working hard) and an out' group(those members that are not contributing as much). Resentment can easily build between the two factions, causing less productivity and more emotional tension than a cohesive group would experience.

Individuals in the group can also be affected by social loafing. When there is a disparity of effort between members of a group, individuals start to gauge their own effort based on what others are doing instead of maintaining a standard of excellence toward achieving the goal. This lowers the level of satisfaction for the task in all members of the group. For example, if a motivated team member repeatedly feels others are relying on them to do most of the work, they might deliberately reduce their workload or even stop collaborating with group members because they no longer want to feel exploited by the less productive members.

Causes of Social Loafing:

Equitable contribution: Team members believe that others are not putting forth as much effort as themselves. Since they feel that the others in the group are slacking, they lessen their efforts too. This causes a downward cycle that ends at the point where only the minimum amount of work is performed.

Sub maximal goal setting: Team members may perceive that with a well-defined goal and with several people working towards it, they can work less for it. The task then becomes optimizing rather than maximizing.

Lessened contingency between input and outcome: Team members may feel they can hide in the crowd and avoid the consequences of not contributing. Or, a team member may feel lost in the crowd and unable to gain recognition for their contributions.

Therefore, these group members lose motivation to offer their full ability since it will not be acknowledged. Additionally, large group sizes can cause individuals to feel lost in the crowd. With so many individuals contributing, some may feel that their efforts are not needed or will not be recognized.

Lack of evaluation: Loafing begins or is strengthened in the absence of an individual evaluation structure imposed by the environment. This occurs because working in the group environment results in less self-awareness. For example, a member of a sales team will loaf when sales of the group are measured rather than individual sales efforts.

Unequal distribution of compensation: In the workplace, compensation comes in monetary forms and promotions and in academics it is in the form of grades or positive feedback. If an individual believes compensation has not been allotted equally amongst group members, he will withdraw his individual efforts.

Non-cohesive group: A group functions effectively when members have bonded and created high-quality relationships. If the group is not cohesive, members are more prone to social loafing since they are not concerned about letting down their teammates

Counselling the social loafer

Private counselling: The team leader or a selected team member should confront the social loafer individually. This individual should solicit the reasons for the lacklustre effort. Additionally, the loafer should be encouraged to participate and understand the importance of his contributions. Group counselling: The entire group can address the problem to the dissenting team member and specifically address the problem(s) they have observed. They should attempt to resolve the problem and refrain from deleterious attacks on the slacking individual.

Superior assistance: After trying to address the problem with the individual both privately and as a group, group members should seek the advice of a superior, whether it be a teacher, boss or other authority figure.

Exclusion: The loafer should only be booted out of the group as a last resort. However, this option may not be feasible in some instances.

Circumvention: If all the above steps have been attempted without result, then the group can reorganize tasks and responsibilities. This should be done in a manner that will result in a desirable outcome whether or not the loafer contributes.

Ways to prevent social loafing:

Develop rules of conduct: Setting rules at the beginning will help all team members achieve the team objectives and performance goals. Establishing ground rules can help to prevent social loafing and free-riding behaviours by providing assurances that free-riding attempts will be dealt with extra caution.

Create appropriate group sizes: Do not create or allow a team to undertake a two-man job. For example, municipal maintenance crews often have crew members standing around watching one or two individuals work. Does that job really require that many crew members?

Establish individual accountability: This is critical for initial assignments that set the stage for the rest of the task (Team Based). Tasks that require pre-work and input from all group members produce a set of dynamics that largely prevent social loafing from happening in the first place. If this expectation is set early, individuals will avoid the consequences of being held accountable for poor work.

Encourage group loyalty: Not all cultures experience social loafing. In China, social striving, the opposite of social loafing, occurs. In these cases, individual performance is enhanced by being in a group (Davies, 2006). The individuals care more about the success of the group than their own success. They have a clear view of the groups objective and what leads to its fulfilment. This sense of group loyalty is created by individual awareness of the teams position in reaching the goal.

Write a team contract: Confusion and miscommunication can cause social loafing. Although it may seem formal, writing a team contract is a good first step in setting group rules and preventing social loafing. This contract should include several important pieces of information such as group expectations, individual responsibilities, forms of group communication, and methods of discipline. Choose complementary team members: When possible, carefully choose individuals to join a team. Make sure they have strengths and personalities that will complement other group members rather than deter from reaching the group goal.

Minimize group size: Whenever possible, minimize the amount of people within a group. The less people available to diffuse responsibility to, the less likely social loafing will occur.

Establish ground rules: Discuss what the teams goals and objectives are and then develop a process to meet them.

Create personal relationships: Provide opportunities for members to socialize and establish trusting relationships. Dedicated relationships cause people to fulfil their duties more efficiently.

Highlight achievement: Invite members of management to attend team sessions. Allow team accomplishments to shine through to superiors. Close meetings by summarizing their groups successes. Pat them on the back and remind them of their upcoming duties.

Establish task importance: Allow team members the opportunity to demonstrate their willingness to do their work in a timely fashion.

Evaluate progress: Meet individually with team members to assess their successes and areas of improvement. Discuss ways in which the team leader may provide additional support so the task may be completed. When possible, develop an evaluation based on an individual contribution. This can be accomplished through individual group members evaluations of others on team

Group composition

Group compositionrefers to the overall mix of characteristics among people in a team, which is a unit of two or more individuals who interact interdependently to achieve a common objective. It is based on the attributes among individuals that comprise the team, in addition to their main objective.

Team composition is usually either homogeneous, in which all members are the same, or heterogeneous, in which team members all contain significant differences. It has also been identified as a key factor that influences team performance. It factors in the individual attributes of team members (e.g. skill, experience, and ability) and how these contributions can potentially combine to dictate overall performance outcomes for the team.

In the past decade, research on team effectiveness has burgeoned as teams have become increasingly common in organizations of all kinds. Research conducted on this topic has focused on aggregated member characteristics, member heterogeneity and team size as categories associated with team composition. The fashion in which a team is configured has a strong influence on team processes and the outcomes that the team achievesThe main outcomes associated with team performance can be classified mostly as performance outcomes (overall quality/precision of work produced, etc.) internal member outcomes (group cohesion, etc.) and behavioral outcomes (absenteeism, etc.).

Group composed of members who share the same motivation (homogeneous) can be problematic Task-oriented - everyone wants to do their own thing; Self-oriented - everyone wants to be the boss; Interaction-oriented - too much chatting, not enough work.

An effective group has a balance of all types. This can be difficult to achieve software engineers are often task-oriented. Interaction-oriented people are very important as they can detect and defuse tensions that arise.

Attributes of Team composition:

Team Size: The preferred team size has a significant impact on team sport. Team size is determined by the original purpose for the team, the individual expectations for the members of the team, the roles that the team members need to play, the amount of cohesiveness and inter-connectivity optimal for team performance and the functions, activities and overall goals of the team.

Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous

Homogeneous teams may perform better due to similarities in experience and thought, while heterogeneous teams may perform better due to diversity and greater ability to take on multiple roles. For example, homogeneous groups displayed better initial performance than heterogeneous groups, but these effects dissipated across time and heterogeneous groups later performed better than more homogenous groups.

These terms, however, must be given a framework, as a team could be homogeneous for some characteristics and heterogeneous for others. The importance placed on team design derives from the need to align a team's composition with organizational goals and resources. Research on team composition has suggested that homogeneous teams are more satisfied and experience more positive reactions, while heterogeneous teams experience enhanced team creativity and also bring a wider variety of solutions to a given problem.

Demographic Traits

a section of the population sharing common characteristics, such age, age, sex, education level, income level, marital status, occupation, religion, size of a family, average age at marriage. A census is a collection of the demographic factors associated with every member of a group.

Trust: trust is also very important factor in a workplace.

Reason which breaks trust in work place:1. Failure to hold individuals accountable to their goals.2. Lack of commitment in group effort3. reluctant to engage in debate and conflict3. Mishandling of disputes 4. Unequal distribution of work5. Sense of deprivation6. Corruption of team members or leader7. Social loafing8. Politics9. Lack of democracy 10. Interpersonal conflict.

Ways to restore trust in workplace:

1. Establish and maintain integrity: It is the foundation of trust in any organization. Integrity must begin at the top and then move down. This means, among other things, keeping promises and always telling the truth, no matter how difficult it might be. If its people have integrity, an organization can be believed.

2. Communicate vision and value: Communication is important, since it provides the artery for information and truth. By communicating the organization's vision, management defines where it's going. By communicating its values, the methods for getting there are established.

3. Consider all employees as equal partners: Trust is established when even the newest rookie, a part-timer, or the lowest paid employee feels important and part of the team. This begins with management not being aloof, as well as getting out and meeting the troops. This should be followed by leaders seeking opinions and ideas (and giving credit for them), knowing the names of employees and their families and treating one and all with genuine respect.

4. Focus on shared, rather than personal goals: When employees feel everyone is pulling together to accomplish a shared vision, rather than a series of personal agendas, trust results. This is the essence of teamwork. When a team really works, the players trust one another.5. Do what's right, regardless of personal risk: We all know intuitively what's "right" in nearly every situation. Following this instinctive sense, and ignoring any personal consequences will nearly always create respect from those around us. From this respect will become trust.

Other Problems:

There are more behaviors which can distract team environment such as non-stop talking, side conversations, uncontrolled anger, interruptions etc.

There are more disturbing persons who are:1. Blocker: is a person who find minor flaws in arguments and resist and fight against almost everything.2. Aggressors: is a person who questions, attack, uses sarcasm and hurt other feelings.3. Detractors: is a person who tells anecdotes, play the role of comic, or builds up their own egos via glowing success stories.4. Controllers: is a person who dominates discussions, assert their status, and try to get their own way.5. Withdrawers: is a passive individual who daydream, stay consistently silent, or merely express personal problems in an attempt to gain sympathy.

Need of the team buildingTeam building is part of a psychological discipline called organizational psychology. It inspires groups of workers to communicate through a series of planned events that are fun & motivational.

These events can be used to determine strong points in an individuals personality, such as leadership skills. This can benefit the individual by giving them greater job satisfaction & the opportunity to progress to their full potential as their strengths are highlighted. This is a circle of reward, with positive feedback following positive action; a far more efficient way to have efficient workers.

Job satisfaction is an important part of a person's employment. Feeling worthwhile, worthy, part of a team & having a sense of achievement within the working environment are essential elements to happiness. These feelings can motivate a workforce & ensure they are at their most productive, & in turn, this attitude will motivate their colleagues.Working on the premise that happy staff are productive staff, companies often find that team-building events positively affect the productivity of individuals, teams & the company as a whole.

Team building also benefits the team as a whole. When people who rarely work together are forced to communicate, they can discover that they enjoy the interaction & continue to network & bond with different people back at the office. Those who previously may not have been getting along will have to forget their differences in order to overcome an obstacle & their dislike is be diminished as the work together for a common goal.Most offices contain allegiances between certain groups of workmates & divisions are often clear between these groups. Team building helps break down these barriers by creating a forced interaction between the established groups & creates opportunities for networks & friendships to develop.Need for team building1. Improving communication2. Making the workplace more enjoyable3. Motivating a team4. Getting to know each other5. Getting everyone "onto the same page", including goal setting6. Teaching the team self-regulation strategies7. Helping participants to learn more about themselves (strengths & weaknesses)8. Identifying and utilizing the strengths of team members9. Improving team productivity10. Practicing effective collaboration with team membersTeam Building encourages the improvement of Interpersonal Skills such as: communication, negotiation, leadership, & motivation.

Team Building Process

The team building process is a collection of steps which lead to a specific change in the approach among people, to make effective teams. It is a process that consists of about 4 stages through which team members are taught the importance of collective work in workplaces or any social place. These stages improve the team building skills of individuals. They are used to put forth the positive and negative aspects of a team before the members, so they adapt to the two sides and carry out the tasks given to them as a team. In the paragraphs below, you will read more about these stages of team development and its importance, take a look.

Exploring the TeamsIn every team building process, there have to be teams which are made by putting together a group or people to carry out a particular job or task. In a group of people, every individual is unique and has some or the other qualities. When the teams are made, it is very essential for the team members to find out the strengths and weaknesses of their team and use them accordingly for the task allotted to them. In every team, there are specific people who do an assigned job perfectly. Therefore, the team can be divided into a leader, creative people, those who make decisions faster, and those who can work faster.

Identifying the TaskThe specialty of some quick team building activities which require less than a few minutes for completion is that, they make a group of people work as a team in the shortest time period provided. They later reward the winning team, because of their collective efforts as a team. When a task is given to a team, it is very important for the team members to analyze it and then identify what are the requirements for its successful completion. Thus, when every team member is allotted with a specific job, knowing what he/she is good at, the team functions faster and more effectively.

Developing a VisionAfter the teammates are allotted their roles, there is a need to chalk out a strategy for the task to be completed either before the given time period or right on time. This too, is a team effort but can be led by the team leader, who usually has the last word. The teammates can express and share their ideas, tactics and strategies that can help in getting work done faster with effective results. They should be consulted equally and asked for their opinions before the final plan for the protocol is made by the team leader. This is known as, coming up with a vision or an insight of how the task is to be carried out and who will carry out what role respectively.

Performing as a TeamEvery team building activity has a preparation or planning duration, where the teams are supposed to build their team agendas for the tasks. Therefore, the above mentioned points can be used in this time as once the strategies are built, the implementation is not difficult. When the task is to be performed in a specific duration, the teammates are expected to carry out their respective roles appropriately at the required time. When the teammates act according to the team building techniques, there is a trust or bonding developed among them, proving beneficial for the task. This is the team spirit which is required, where each team member thinks about the success of his/her team first.

With these stages, you must have understood the team building process. This is beneficial for any team activity and when this process is used there is 100% guaranteed success.

Figure: The process of Team building

Specific team building issuesAs a team, problems are inevitable and unavoidable considering that the team members come from different cultural and social backgrounds and exhibit different values and attitudes. Of course, there are several factors to take into consideration as well, such as areas of communication, leadership abilities, and job efficiency.In any case, team problems must be dealt with accordingly otherwise these issues can create unhealthy team conflicts and dissolve a team. Once these problems within the team arise, immediate action should be done to address it before the situation worsens. The team leader must be responsible in taking the lead in attacking existing issues. There must be awareness in every team member about the current situation and everyone is expected to take action as well. This is essentially, what a team is all about. The fault of one person is the fault of the entire team, especially when the flaw is on the failure to carry out a task.What are the common team issues and problems that should be addressed by a team? How are these issues manifested and what impact do these problems bring to the team? There are many possible causes of team issues and this article will highlight three major problems that a team commonly encounters: communication, leadership, and personality differences.Communication IssuesEffective communication is being able to relay a message with clarity and understanding. When the recipient of the message is able to comprehend what is being said by proper acknowledgement and appreciation, it is good communication. Yet, there are many hindrances to be effectively communicated in a team. Here are some of the manifestations of poor communication among team members: Interruptions during a talk or in a team meeting Making personal attacks or rude gestures toward other members in the team Passive response in a team discussion Withholding information necessary for team growth Poor listening skills Poor expression of ideas or inability to express oneselfImagine how a team can survive a conflict if communication is weak and ineffective. Individuals in the team must learn how to openly express opinions and always ask questions to clarify certain issues. Even non-verbal cues communicate a lot. Therefore, when talking to fellow teammates, facial expressions and gestures have to be carefully exhibited.Leadership IssuesA team headed by an efficient leader is an effective team. The leader does not have to do everything and be everything for the team. Instead, leaders must serve as a guide to the team, keeping everyone on the right track in completing a task. Leaders are also known to be good motivators. When team members are close to the point of giving up, a leader inspires and encourages the team to strive hard. Without a leader, members will resort to having their own strategies, own goals, and approaches. Yet, some teams have issues with their team leader. An ineffective leader manifests one of the following: Failure to take responsibility on the roles of a leader Lack of respect toward team members Lack of trust to the ability of team members Poor delegation of tasks Inability to manage conflicts and arguments Manipulating the decisions for the teamAs a role model for the team, the leader must make sure to step into a full leadership role. Just like the captain of a ship, a leader must be responsible for leading the team to the right direction and destination.Personality DifferencesEven with matching skills set, individuals in a team still differ in personality traits that would include values, attitudes and behaviors. How are personality differences shown in a team? Frequent misunderstanding due to opposing values and attitudes Inability to adjust to the work styles of other individuals Little tolerance to even the minor individual differences Pushing individuals beliefs and convictions Making prejudices of a persons personalityIf individual differences are not identified and acknowledged as early as the formation stage, a team may end up experiencing personality clashes, which could lead to unwanted conflicts. A team must have a combination of values that they support and are deemed beneficial to everyone.All these team issues can be managed and prevented if the team works collaboratively to attain shared goals.

Skill useful in team buildingThe facilitators who assist the development of effective teams need to apply some skills like diagnosing issues, confliction parties, scheming programs for change), interpersonal skills, research skills, interpersonal skills.The primary skills in this process are recognizing the right issues, and tackling them in an appropriate way and an appropriate order. Team building can also take a different form depending on the size and nature of the team.ConsultationA functional guide that focuses on putting the concept of group-process consultation into actual practice! You'll learn how and under what circumstances a process consultant should intervene to make a group's work more effective. Determine the appropriate type and depth of an intervention Realize the competencies required of the group-process consultant View the role, future, and ethical considerations of group-process consultationInterpersonal skillsInterpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups. People who have worked on developing strong interpersonal skills are usually more successful in both their professional and personal lives. Employers often seek to hire staff with 'strong interpersonal skills' - they want people who will work well in a team and be able to communicate effectively with colleagues, customers and clients.

Research skills Research Skills Research activity, the systematic investigation of phenomena, problems, issues, questions, etc., to increase knowledge and understanding, is a core activity in universities. Research skills assist graduates to critically investigate issues and, where appropriate, generate and evaluate relevant data, form and test ideas, theories and hypotheses, and successfully navigate their way through the sea of information that characterizes the information age.

Presentation skills Presentations skills and public speaking skills are very useful in many aspects of work and life. Effective presentations and public speaking skills are important in business, sales and selling, training, teaching, lecturing, and generally feeling comfortable speaking to a group of people. Developing the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of an audience and speak well, are also extremely helpful competencies for self-development and social situations. Presentation skills and public speaking abilities are not limited to certain special people - anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking to a professional and impressive standard. Like most specialisms, this requirespreparationandpractice.Process consultation Process consultation is often part of team building, but it is commonly used as a separate, more narrowly focused on intervention. Teambuilding may focus on the possess of getting a job itself done. Process consultation focused on how people interact as the get job done. Team dynamics includes how the team communicates, allocates work, resolve conflict, handles leadership, solves problems, and make decisions. Training may also be conducted to improve group skills. Facilitating behaviors Observing team meetings Probing and questioning Conforming individuals Encouraging open communication Stimulating problem solving Preventing disruptive behaviors Attending to nonverbal cues Ensuring widespread contributions Encouraging learningDesired effects on team members Examine intended versus actual roles Identify problems Examine consequences of behavior React constructively to current behavioral events Explore new alternatives Think and act independently Develop cohesiveness

Figure: Process consultants use facilitating behavior to help teams function more effectively.FeedbackIn terms of open and honest communication is critical to achieving results. There are two types of feedback in this book. Team will be provided traditional feedback in the form of results, they can gauge their effectiveness. In addition a task observation from will be used whereby a team member assumes the role of and records the interaction of the team.The total quantity movements has stressed the importance of using data for action planning, decision making, problem solving , and change efforts.

Characteristics of Mature Teams CommunicationOne of the most important characteristics of a good team is open communication. Each team member must be able to communicate with the rest of the group for project updates, questions, ideas and general input. A team that encourages open communication allows everyone to be able to share their ideas and opinions without fear.RespectFor a team to be a comfortable and safe place for all members, each person must respect everyone else. Members should respect every aspect of other members, though they may not agree with it: ideas, communication abilities, background, religion, work style and cultural traditions. Because a great team requires open communication, respect can create the trust that will allow members to be vulnerable.CollaborationTeamwork requires effective collaboration; each person must figure out how her skills and talents fit with those of the other team members. For a team to work, everyone must understand what their role is and how to use it to contribute to the team's success. Depending on the team, the roles might be as simple as providing support and morale; a well-functioning team uses each person's complementary skill sets. Each member of the team should understand that everyone's part in the project is equally valid.Problem SolvingAn effective team must develop its own strategy of problem solving and conflict management. The strategy will differ from team to team based on the situation and the individual members; the individual team must work out the problem-solving methods that work best for it. When your team members can work through roadblocks together, the team will be able to work smoothly even during rough times.Common GoalA shared mission can help a group of people work together and create enthusiasm. When everyone is using their own abilities to work toward a common goal, the result is greater than the efforts of a single person. In a strong team, the good of the common goal comes before the individual preferences and interests of the members. The goal also contributes to a smooth operation; the team can resolve problems and disagreements by determining what is best for the team and the end goal.Equal contributors In a mature team no single member dominates the group. There are also no decorative pieces who do not contribute anything to the team. Everybody does his bit for the team.Feedback Team members are open to feedback and do not hesitate to ask anything that they do not understand or follow. Even criticism is done in a constructive manner.Respect and trustThere is a healthy respect for each other among team members. The members have faith and trust in the actions of the other members.Support and stabilityThere is stability in the group and members do not feel threatened by change. They encourage and assist each other. The feeling of we dominate over the feeling of Standards of excellenceQuality orientation is vital to the success of any organization. External support and recognitionAppreciation as well as appraisal is required to keep the morale of the team high. Principled leadershipLeadership defines a team. An able-bodied leadership can chart the teams path to success. Team goals are clearly understood by allCommunication is vital for achieving successful completion of any project. Each team member trusts the judgment of othersMutual trust and respect is highly important for the team. This is the only way to achieve the organization goals. The team has to be willing to take risksRisk taking is an attitude which comes with confidence. Confidence on yourself as well as on the team, besides the ability to face all consequences. Dissenting opinions are never ignoredIn fact, they are always recorded in order to be revisited in case the future situations dictate so. Teams are given realistic deadlinesExternal support as well as aid is vital to the success of any team.

Self-Managing TeamsA self-managed team is a team in which the members take collective responsibility for ensuring that the team operates effectively and meets its targets. Typically, members of self-managed teams are employees within an organization who work together, within a broad framework of aims and objectives, to reach a common goal. When setting up the team, two of the parameters that have to be defined are the levels of responsibility and autonomy that are given to the self-managed team. So teams can have varying degrees of autonomy, from teams who have considerable control over their work, and the boundaries within which they operate, to self-managed teams that are set boundaries by team leaders. In general, self-managed teams have considerable discretion over: the work done and setting team goal show work is achieved which processes are used and how work is scheduled internal performance issues distributing the work and the contribution made by each member of the team decision making and problem solving. In general, self-managed teams have considerable discretion over: The work done and setting team goals How work is achieved which processes are used and how work is scheduled Internal performance issues distributing the work and the contribution made by each member of the team Decision making and problem solving.

Advantages of self-managed teamLower Absenteeism and turnover ratesOrganizations having self-managed teams experience lower absenteeism and turnover rates. Accountability reduces costs When you get your team to work in a self-managed and accountable way, your management costs reduce substantially. You also get secondary gains because instead of in the past, where they may have left things to others to do because it wasnt in their job description, team members are more likely to lift their game to get jobs completed. This gives you employees with greater depth of knowledge within your business who are able to contribute innovation in systems and processes.Remain focused on business outcomes Self-managed teams have a greater focus on the overall business outcomes rather than being governed by project level objectives. They look for ways to achieve the company objectives through solutions to problems that they are tasked with solving, which gives you more productive outcomes from their efforts. Instead of just working on getting projects done, they constantly have one eye on the big picture.Resourcefulness and initiatives driven When teams are given greater scope and chartered with finding solutions to bigger problems, they become far more innovative and resourceful. They combine together to discover new way to do more with less and uncover areas within the business that need attention and new ways of getting things done. And, they are willing and able to start initiatives that benefit the business for growth and expansion.Conflicts are resolved internally Self-managed teamscan be useful if a business has difficulties with employee satisfaction and retention of staff. With greater scope and responsibilities, individuals find greater happiness in their employment, and when emotional difficulties arise are more empowered to find a solution from within their team. The need for an external mediator can still be required when philosophical disputes arise, however this is to be expected when you move to a more leadership and self-managed team culture within your business.Improved flexibility When teams are self-managed, roles for individuals become far more flexible. People who may have taken on the role of a manager for one project, can become an important team member that isnt the manager for another project. This dynamic shifting of roles and responsibilities allows people to get experience at different levels of accountability within your organization for personal development and growth.

Cross skilled specialists Just as roles are more flexible, individuals can also choose to become specialists in one specific area of your business. In a self-managed team, your employees are given the freedom to make role and reasonability trade-offs that enable them to govern their own career path. By having the team members arrive and a set roles and responsibilities, they develop various degrees of specialist skills. Employees can take on work that may have been hierarchically structured in the past and seen as being beyond their skills and capability with much greater confidence.Retain knowledge in the business Over time your team gains better skills across more of your business so that the intellectual property of a single individual doesnt cripple your business if they decide to move on. Having more of your team know how to do all aspects of your business keeps more of the knowledge in your business when employees leave.Identifies skills weaknessSelf-managed teams are also quicker at identifying when theres a skills and knowledge gap in your business. Through their problem solving and task delegation processes, self-managed teams are able to quickly identify when there just isnt enough information or local knowledge to get something achieved. Making it much easier to identify skills and knowledge that needs to be recruited into the business when the time comes to grow your head count.Less wastageAs self-managed teams work according to set methods. So they can ensure minimum waste.More disciplineMembers of self-managed teams ensure disciplined life during operations.High commitmentSelf-managed teams gain high level of commitment.Minimum supervisionWith minimum supervision organization can get better result and output.Many of todays organizations are moving to self-managed teams and achieving success on many different levels because of the remarkable benefits this approach demonstrates in places like Apple Computers,Google andXerox.

Disadvantage of self-managed teamHigh training investment High training investment require in order to develop skill and it is one of the biggest disadvantage of self-managed teams is that it have to investment lot of money in training. It also require time to train employee to develop certain skill. Inefficiencies due to job rotation Job rotation is a common thing in self-managed teams. But it leads to inefficiencies in job. Employees take some time to acquaint to new process and setup. It also does not consider the time wasted in training someone who does not deserve it. Frequent job rotation also leads to stress and anxiety among employee Effect on Work ProductivityA possible decrease on efficiency of employees may happen if the organization did not make the necessary preparations when shifting from a traditional structure to a more self-directed approach in the workplace. In addition, the employees work productivity will also be affected, although this is not always the case. As mentioned earlier, this can possibly occur in a company that is not sufficiently prepared to incorporate self-supervision to its employees.

Tendency to be Authoritative Some people have been used to self-supervising especially if there is a lack of support and guidance from parents while growing up. These individuals are bound to work hard to survive and direct their own lives without the assistance of other people. When they start building their own careers, it will not be hard for them to adjust to any work environment because they can handle various situations and can perform their work with less supervision.

Conflicts There is a chance that conflict may arise between group members. One may be disagree with the ideas of other member. So manager must effectively manage team to keep conflict at minimum. Employee inabilitySome employees become unable to adapt to a team structure.Demand for equal treatmentSelf-managed team members sometimes demand for equal treatment for their success.RecklessnessDue to better performance, self-managed teams become reckless and show insubordinationExtended time to implement Sometimes self-managed teams require extended time to complement plans and policies.Contrasting supervisory roles under different structureSupervisory role is very different in self-managed team structure from traditional structure. In traditional structure manager have direct authority over employee. In contrast, manager have little or no authority over self-managed team because self-managed team supervise themselves, manager need to aid or coach them to develop a particular skill. Traditional StructureSelf-Managing Team Structure

Authority figureCoach and counselor

ExpertChampion and cheerleader

TeacherResource allocator

Problem solverLiaison and boundary manager

CoordinatorFacilitator

Figure: contrast between traditional structure roles and self-managing team structure roles

From the figure it is clear that what kind of roles manager play in traditional structure and self-managed team structure. In traditional structure manage may be authority figure, expert or coordinator but in self-managed team a manager may be coach, liaison or resource allocator.

Boundary SpannersBoundary spanningis reaching across borders, margins, or sections to 'build relationships, interconnections and interdependencies in order to manage complex problems.Boundary-spanning individualsdevelop partnerships and collaboration by 'building sustainable relationships, managing through influence and negotiation, and seeking to understand motives, roles and responsibilities. Boundary spanners identify internal and external customers, ensure resource availability on a timely basis, and keep the team focused on continues improvements. Boundary spanners have little or no authority, and so their task accomplished through skills as these:

Figure: Various skill used by boundary spanners to communicate with team

Virtual teamA Virtual Team also known as a Geographically Dispersed Team (GDT) is a group of individuals who work across time, space, and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology. They have complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose, have interdependent performance goals, and share an approach to work for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Geographically dispersed teams allow organizations to hire and retain the best people regardless of location. A virtual team does not always mean teleworkers. Teleworkers are defined as individuals who work from home. Many virtual teams in todays organizations consist of employees both working at home and small groups in the office but in different geographic locations.

Advantages of Virtual TeamsCost savings The biggest advantage of virtual team enjoyed by an organization is the associated cost savings. The organization can do away with huge expenses on real estate, office spaces, utilities bills such as gas, electricity, water etc. and executives travel. Many organizations outsource their operations to the low-cost regions. Thus production cost also decreases with the reduced raw material cost, operational costs and lower wages of the employees in these geographic locations.Leverage Global Talent Virtual Teams allows organizations to look for talent beyond their country of origin. This brings together the experts and specialists from across the globe to work together on the project. Increased knowledge sharing and greater innovation happens as organizations human capital share their understanding of global and local markets as well as best business practices.

Increased Productivity & Higher Profits Members of virtual teams tend to have higher focus on the task at hand. As a practice virtual team supports flatter organization structure. The members do not have to deal with unnecessary bureaucracy which slows down the decision making. This enhances the productivity which shows as higher profits.Reduced Time to Market Since the members span the time zones, there could be different team working on the same project 24*7, so when one member sleeps there will be another one somewhere else who would start work where the former had left. This shortens the product development time as well as faster response time to demands in both global and local markets.Newer Opportunities If we see at larger societal level, virtual teams have created newer opportunities for people who are less mobile and hesitant to relocate due to either family requirement or physical challenge. Now any task that does not require the physical presence of a person and which can be supported by communication technology throws an opportunity for many deserving candidates.Less Overhead A virtual team does not need any office so they can avoid paying for office space and parking for employees. Even if they set up an office for employees, the cost remains significantly lower than renting a regular office.Flexible Scheduling Employees at tech companies often have flexible schedules anyway. But the ability to pick up the kids from school in the middle of the day, take a refreshing nap, or work after the family has gone to sleep gives your employees additional options.

Disadvantages of Virtual TeamsCost of Technology The successful working of virtual team is supported by the efficient use of multiple communication technologies such as instant messaging, emails and video-conferencing, among others. No one tool can provide the complete support. The cost associated with these installation and maintenance tools is little on the higher side.Conflicts, Lack of Trust & Collaboration The cultural differences between the members of virtual teams gives rise to number of conflicts. For example, while an American would write a straightforward email describing a bad situation, this would be perceived as impolite by a South Asian (say Japanese) member of the team. This would lead to conflicts, mistrust and difficulties in fruitful collaboration which is so vital for the success of virtual team functioning. These challenges are also precipitated by the absence of non-verbal cues so intrinsic to face-to-face interactions.Social Isolation Many members of virtual teams are adversely affected by the lack of physical interactions. Most of the communications in virtual environment is task-oriented. In todays society where job is an important social force for most of us because many of our workplace colleagues also constitute our close friends, this gives a not-so-good feeling of social isolation. This in turn counter-effects productivity as well as leads to stress. All these disadvantages can be overcome by following a different leadership/managerial approach, trainings, greater role clarity and effective communication strategies. Organization both big ones such as IBM, Microsoft, Google as well as SMEs are reaping the benefits of virtual teams for some time now. It has been a well-recognized fact that Virtual Team is not a passing tide but it is here to stay.

Findings Classical organization structures did not rely heavily on teams, despite the division of work into functional units and multiple levels. The costs associated with using team building are minuscule when compared to the benefits received. The decision to use the team building process was made primarily because the process was viewed as a proactive way to manage a project in a win-win environment. The team building process forms a group into an aligned, focused and motivated work team that strives for a common project mission. Team building is an important and continuous process which can be aided by managerial attention to process consultation and feedback skills Self-managing teams are empowered groups that are provided with the training, resources and authority to assume responsibility for many management level functions. Virtual teams are popular these day, but they also present some problems.

ConclusionTeam building will therefore be more successful when there is a structured program which will allow specific objectives to be met. Activities that allow opportunity to reveal the way we think, make decisions and react will create better and further understanding of work mates. Finally, a team building event that allow each others attitudes and behavior to surface creates better relationships in the office. However, managers are reminded that team building does not just happen in one day or two days, it has to happen in the workplace every day and it takes time. Managers must promote interaction in the workplace among work mates to learn how each member thinks and works, to allow team building to work. This might also involve several different training methods including class room training, role plays, profiling tests and many others. Managers need to contribute to the process rather than being hopeful for the best results from one or two team building events. Based on the understanding of the principles of team building as cited above, it is hoped that managers will be able to make a better decision when organizing team building events.