Amy Agnola

OGL 320

February 13, 2022

Paper 5

Building High Performing Teams

Building high performing teams is essential to the organization. It brings different

ideas and perspectives to the table. In a video clip with Steve Jobs in regards to

“wonderful arguments”, he makes a valuable point when it comes to hiring great people

and having them stay working for you. Allowing them to make a lot of the decisions

creates less of a hierarchy. Good people don’t stay unless the best ideas win.

In reading the PowerPoint for Module 5, the acronym PERFORM is the seven key

characteristics found in all high performing teams that I believe is useful to know and

apply to real life. (1) purpose and value, (2) empowerment, (3) relationships and

communications, (4) flexibility, (5) optimal productivity, (6) recognition and

appreciation, and (7) morale. Being able to apply this to future leadership positions, the

more I move forward in my career as a leader, I am able to implement and use this tool to

create high performing teams that will work well together.

A great example of this is at one of the jobs I currently work at, I have been given

the opportunity to further my development into the next role by taking more initiative and

responsibilities. Though, it’s what my manager wants from me, she has also prevented

me from showing my full potential. A lot of my thoughts and ideas are sometimes shot

down without consideration, where she believes her ideas and decisions fit better. When

Steve Jobs says having good people stay working for you, having them make a lot of the
decisions makes for better ideas and different perspectives. Preventing that also prevents

high performing teams.

Dealing with Conflict

Managing people problems on your team is done in four steps. Identifying the

problem, knowing the possible causes, the potential impacts, and recommended actions.

This is a great method to use when it comes to dealing with conflict, in terms of team

structure, interpersonal, or any other conflict that may come into play.

When conflict happens and it is managed properly, it increases creativity and

better decision-making. It is said that conflict should be addressed early and in private.

Good techniques to use to resolve conflict is withdraw/avoid, smooth/accommodate,

compromise/reconcile, force/direct, and collaborate/problem solve. Working in the

customer service industry for over 10 years, I have seen a lot of conflict resolutions and

can understand how helpful it is to understand in having a functioning team. I have also

been in some myself and have taken the steps to address them early and have had private

chats that involve the person and our manager to resolve conflicts right away so we can

work together in our work environment. Plus, to avoid making others feel comfortable

with any conflict that may arise and create good energy throughout our shift.

An example of how conflict management work for the customers at Starbucks. I

have been working for this company for over five years, and we use what is called the

LATTE model, which is essential very close to managing people problems in the HBR

Guide to Project Management. The LATTE model stands for: Listen to the customer,

Acknowledge them (also apologize), Thank them for the feedback, Take Action, and
Ensure Satisfaction. Working closely with this model has helped me create best moments

and made each moment right.

Managing virtual or cross-cultural teams

Managing virtual teams can mean group messages with the company you work

for. When it comes to working for Starbucks, it is pretty easy and functional to manage

virtual messages for the store you work for and manage groups such as the whole store or

just the Shift Supervisor team. Sometimes it’s easier to virtually contact each other than

meet face-to-face since it may come as an inconvenience at times, especially when

everyone has a different personal schedule. However, managing cross-cultural teams is

different from virtual teams because it’s more specific in the types of teams that are being

managed. This is communicating with people of different cultures and languages. Being

able to manage cross-cultural teams prepares and understands a person’s culture, mind-

set, sensitivities and communication styles. Whether it is working in America or in

another country, it’s good to understand and learn about cross-cultural teams so we are

respectful of one another and can communicate properly so we aren’t to offend anyone.

Living in America, especially in California, it’s a big mixing pot where we are culturally

diverse. I am surrounded by employees of different race, background, culture, and I find

it better to communicate with one another by getting to know them as a person first. I

believe that’s the best way to avoid any misunderstandings.

Overall, learning about each of these different ways of essential things to know

about running a successful organization gives me knowledge in understanding how to

apply that to my future teams.