Kiersten Umberger

Effective Integration – Within and Across Teams

● Prompt #2: Many organizations contain multiple teams. Thompson (2018)
discusses how “cross-business unit collaboration is central to the creation of value in
large organizations” (p. 264). We can evaluate this collaboration in terms of
multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams. After watching the videos in the
Activity section contrast the concepts of "multidisciplinary" and "interdisciplinary"
based on the changes that went on at Boeing Aircraft (4 points). What degree of
task interdependence do you believe best represents the Boeing 777 development
team (1 point)? Why (2 points)? Which type of team listed in Chapter 10 do you
believe best describes Boeing’s 777 design / build team (1 point)? Why (2 points)?

The biggest change Boeing made was establishing the importance of teamwork
over the product itself (Thomas, Video 1, 0:52-1:16). There are many different teams that
make an aircraft, all with different skills, and prior to changes each group was not
depending on each other and instead only working with their group. This was more of an
assembly line style of creating a product. Also referred to as multidisciplinary, where the
big picture did not matter to each team and rather each team was only focused on their
tasks or branch. The tree metaphor describes each team as a branch working together to
help the entire tree grow taller. The question with multidisciplinary teamwork is, does the
tree continue to grow upward as the branches grow outward, are the branches still
connected (Thomas, 2011, pg 2)? Boeing changed to a more interdisciplinary style that
connects the teams and unifies them, “several disciplines collaborating around one
problem or issue” (Thomas, 2011, pg 3).
Another way of describing the Boeing Aircraft company prior to the changes would
be sequential interdependence meaning that each team segment did their part on the
plane and passed it to the next group like an assembly line. Now, Boeing has more of a
pooled interdependence where work is combined among teams for the bigger picture
(Thompson, 2014, pg. 82). Phil Condit, the president of Boeing at the time mentioned
that he has the different teams actually coming together and working side by side to
provide a better outcome (Thomas, Video 1, 1:30-1:45). The goal was to get to a more
reciprocal approach where each member is dependant on others to make things happen
(Thompson, 2014, og. 83). To describe it simply, pooled means that each group works
solely with their group and do not work with or in cahoots with other groups. Sequential
means that the project is being worked on by each group and then passed on to the next
group. Reciprocal is where everyone works collectively toward the same outcome.

● Prompt #3: Thompson (2018) discusses how people have different attachment
styles and feelings about membership in groups and organizations. She also
discusses how the importance of teams can vary per individual. Complete the scale
in Exhibit 4-1 for each question pertaining to relationships and group memberships.
What areas did you strongly agree? Disagree? (4 points) What is your attachment
style? Is it primarily geared towards one-on-one relationships or more collective,
based on team and group memberships? (2 points) People also hold different beliefs
 about groups. Within the 4 categories listed in Exhibit 4-2 where do you fall? (2
points) Why do you think you have this attachment style and feelings towards
groups? Is it based on previous experiences? (2 points)

I strongly agree that my close relationships are an important part of who I am, as
well as the groups I belong to. I do not strongly agree that these groups and friends are
the most important part of my own identity, but they are still important to me. I spend a
large amount of my time with the groups I belong to and this does create a sense of
identity. I feel that when I was put into a leadership role in my current group my identity
changed to be more collective, as in my attachment is based on group membership. I care
more now about the entire group and what we can all accomplish. I feel that since I have a
leadership position I identify more with the group as a whole. Prior to this I absolutely
was more attached to my individual bonds I formed within the group, or relational
attachment (Thompson, 2014, pg. 107). I was younger and I looked forward to the social
aspect of this group work rather than accomplishing any goals, so of course I focused my
energy on creating bonds with people.
Over time, the goals starting fitting in because the individuals I cared about were
goal oriented. This led to collective efficacy because I saw what these individuals and I
could do as a team, I then believed heavily in our ability to succeed (Thompson, 2014, pg.
109). As I transitioned into a leader role it became much more about the goals and being
on the same page with everyone. I have group preferences when it comes to work because
I believe that a group can accomplish more than an individual, two heads is better than
one as the expression goes. This diversity that a group brings also brings new ideas and
creativity, also I feel that there is much less pressure when in a group than alone.

References

Thompson, Leigh L. Making the Team: A Guide for Managers. NY NY: Pearson, 2018.
Print.
Thomas, David A. PhD. IDS Key Concepts. 2011.