GROUPS & TEAMWORK

Kumar Lopez
ICBT
Sri Lanka
COVID-19 RESPONSE
WORK
FROM
HOME
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
ABOUT TEAMS AND GROUPS
• Meaning of Workgroups & Team
• Difference between Group &
Team, Formal & Informal groups
• Reasons for formation of Groups
& Teams
• Factors influencing Group
cohesiveness & performance
• Characteristics of effective work
groups and impact of technology
• Nature of role relationship and
conflict
• Importance of Groups & Teams for
effective organizational
performance
A MANAGER’S PERSPECTIVE
• Meaning of Workgroups & Team
• Difference between Group &
Team, Formal & Informal groups
• Reasons for formation of Groups
& Teams
• Factors influencing Group
cohesiveness & performance
• Characteristics of effective work
groups and impact of technology
• Nature of role relationship and
conflict
• Importance of Groups & Teams for
effective organizational
performance
 INDIVIDUALS & GROUPS

Consisting most of
the below
Any number of people who
Characteristics
interact with one another;
are psychologically aware • definable membership
of one another; and • group consciousness
perceive themselves to be • shared purpose
• interdependence
a group • interaction
defined by a group of psychological team
• act in unitary manner

A sense of belonging
 INDIVIDUALS & GROUPS

You can never be working as an individual. At some point

in time you will or would have been part of a team or
group
GROUP Vs TEAM
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUP & TEAM

Team Group

Size Limited Medium or Large

Selection Crucial Immaterial

Leadership Shared or rotating Solo

Mutual knowledge
Perception Focus on leader
understanding

Role spread Convergence

Style
coordinaton conformism

Togetherness
Spirit Dynamic interaction persecution of
opponents

8
GROUP Vs TEAM
 DISCUSSION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SENIOR OR MIDDLE
MANAGEMENT

MARKETING OR
FINANCE FUNCTION

FACTORY WORKERS

How would you categorize the following? Why ?

10 mts in your groups and one person in each group to summarize
GROUP Vs TEAM
All teams are
groups but not
all groups are
teams

Time
determines
performance of
a team
 GROUP VALUES & NORMS
The Hawthorne Experiment
 Conducted at Western Electric Company USA Their Norms
 Importance and Influence of group values and
• Not to be a ‘rate buster’
norms
 14 men working in the Bank wiring room
• Not to be a ‘chiseller’
 Despite financial scheme, small groups were • Not to be a ‘squealer’
formed • Not to be a ‘officious’
 natural leadership emergence
 decided on an output per day (6000 units per Source : Western Electric Company Hawthorne
Studies Collection, Baker Library, Harvard Business
day) School.
 well below their capabilities
 Group and Peer pressure stronger on
Individuals

IRA ISIS LTTE HAMAS

 GROUP NORMS - DEFINITION
Definition - assumptions or expectation
Around here we always….
It doesn’t do to..
We never….
When that happens we….
Evolve - develop
Behavior
Decision making
More rigid
Changing
Group consensus
Address factors that help change

Value
Provides order / Standard
Protection
We
Influence behavior
“we – they”
vs
Unsupporting
Informal “Shadow organization” They Source : Training Learning Consultancy Ltd, Bristol
 GROUPTHINK & SYMPTOMS

• ILLUSION OF INVULNERABILITY
• RATIONALISATION
• INHERENT MORALITY OF THE GROUP
• NEGATIVE STEREOTYPING
• PRESSURE TO CONFORM AND REACH CONSENSUS
• SELF-CENSORSHIP
• ILLUSION OF UNANIMITY
• EMERGENCE OF MIND GUARD
 THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK
Ideal Individual

Team

foundation Outcome

Teamwork depends not just on technical competence

of the individuals composing the team, but on their
ability to ‘gel’
Guirdham
Source :European study - making teamwork work, Management and
Organizational Behaviour, 7/e , By Mullins
 THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK
Manifesto for professional team-thinking
Reach the best decision

Competition between Ideas and not between individuals

Wiser to seek and listen before commenting

Rejected ideas will have clear explanation with courtesy

Think when you think and act when you act

Professional decision making & Implementation

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK

Groups’ and Teams’ Contributions to

Organizational Effectiveness
 DISCUSSION

Group Discussion - 10 minutes

Identify what factors that made one team to win and the other to
fail? Identify visible and nonvisible components that make the
difference.
GROUP COHESIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE

High
High Stress Performance

Dysfunctional Funderachieving

TEAM COHESIVENESS
GROUP COHESIVENESS AND PERFORMANCE

Membership Work Environment

• Nature of the task
• Size of the group
• Physical setting
• Compatibility of members
• Communications
• Permanence
• Technology

Contributing
Factors

Organisational
• Management and leadership Group development
• Personnel policies and and maturity
procedures
• Success
• External threat
 TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Tuckman Model AND MATURITY

1.
Forming
Working with
each other

4. 2.
Performing Storming
Working as Challenging
one each other

3.
5. Norming
Adjourning Learning
about each
other
 FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUPS

Why Informal (towards negative as well as Positive)

1. Culture
2. Communication related to personal interest
3. Social control
4. Interest and fun in work life
FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUPS
 FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUPS

Type of Team
Top-management A group composed of the CEO, the president,
team and the heads of the most important
departments

Research and A team whose members have the expertise

development team and experience needed to develop new
products

Command groups A group composed of subordinates who

report to the same supervisor, also called a
department or unit,

Task forces A committee of managers or nonmanagerial

employees from various departments or
divisions who meet to solve a specific,
mutual problem; also called an “ad hoc”
committee
 FORMAL & INFORMAL GROUPS

Type of Team
Self-managed work A group of employees who supervise their
team own activities and monitor the quality of the
goods and services they provide.

Virtual team A team whose members rarely or never meet

face to face and interact by using various
forms of information technology such as
email, computer networks, telephone, fax and
video conferences.

Friendship group An informal group composed of employees

who enjoy each other’s company and
socialize with each other.

Interest group An informal group composed of employees

seeking to achieve a common goal related to
their membership in an organization.
WHY FORMATION OF GROUPS & TEAMS?

Performance only
Companionship and
through efforts of a
supporting mechanism
number of individuals

Collusion between
Sense of belonging
members (rotation)

Guidelines on general Protection for its

accepted behavior members

26
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE TEAMS

1. Belief in shared aims and objectives

2. A sense of commitment to the group
3. Acceptance of group values and norms
4. Feeling of mutual trust and dependency
5. Full participation by all members and decision-
making by consensus
6. A free flow of communications
7. Open expression of feelings and disagreements
8. Resolution of conflict by the members themselves
9. Lower level of staff turnover, absenteeism, errors
and complaints
 DIVERSITY A KEY CHARACTERISTICS

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE
DIVERSE THOUGHTS
MOVE OUT OF COMFORT ZONE
NEW THOUGHT PROCESSES
IS TECHNOLOGY AN ADVANTAGE FOR GROUPS
• From physical
operation to virtual
• Telecommuting
• Require new
communication skills
• Leadership skills
change

• GoldThorpe
– technology unfavorable
– Favorable when job
satisfaction is not a
priority
• Increase feeling of
Isolation
 WORKING IN GROUPS AND TEAMS

Twenty people in a room doesn’t make

a team. Teams don’t just happen. They
have to be developed, facilitated and
motivated

Robert Kriegal and David Brandt

Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers, Warner (1996)
 TASK AND MAINTENANCE FUNCTION

Task Oriented Maintenance Oriented

Self Oriented
BELBIN’S TEAM-ROLES
Five C’s of Team Member Competencies
 HR Dept Representation
Group peer of a possible
Senior Manager role-set in the
Trade Union work situation
Official
Consumer

Friend

Work colleagues
in other groups Group Leader

Accounts Dept
Admin Services
Group
Subordinate
Concepts of
 Role incongruence
Source : Possible roles in work situation, Management and
 Role expectations
Organizational Behaviour, 7/e , By Mullins Formal & Informal expectation
34
 ROLE EXPECTATION
ROLE EXPECTATIONS & CONFLICT

INFORMAL FORMAL SELF ESTABLISHED

EXPECTED PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR

ROLE CONFLICT
Role perception
Role incompatibility Role motivation
Role ambiguity Role capacity
Role overload
Role under-load

ROLE SANCTION
ROLE STRESS

ACTUAL PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR

 COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

Source : Baron/Green, Behavior in Organizations: Understanding Managing, 3e,

 COMMUNICATION
Communication
Advantage
NETWORKS
Disadvantage
Network
• Centralized • Demand for link person
• Efficient for simple tasks increases
The Star
• Fewer mistakes • Effectiveness suffer
(wheel) • Few information flow • Rest of the group least
• Central person as leader satisfied
• Decentralized
• Quicker than wheel in complex
• Less efficient
issues
The circle • Unorganized
• Copes with change
• Low leadership
• Most satisfying for members
• Participatory approach
• Decentralized
• Full participation
The Comcon • Low leadership
• High level of discussions
(All channel) • Weak under pressure
• Best fro complex issues
• High level of satisfaction
• Centralized
• Little interaction
The Kite (Y) or • Simple task
• Less member satisfaction
Chain • Information flow predetermined
• Leadership predictable
 IMPLICATION TO MANAGERS

Saturation
Independence
“One-Size-Fits-All” does not work
 ANALYSING INDIVIDUALS

You have been given the task of identifying teams

and report as to their performance and
individual‘s roles respectively.

How would you go about this task and what

method would you use to validate your report
and results. Provide example and any experience
in your work environment
 ANALYSING INDIVIDUALS
Sociometry & Sociogram

Source : Possible roles in work situation, Management and Organizational Behaviour, 7/e , By Mullins
 ANALYSING INDIVIDUALS
P

Sociometry & Sociogram O

K N
J
L

G
H

E 1. G & M the star

F 2. M link between KML & MNO
B C
3. H & P isolated
4. JKMO in chain
A 5. ABCD sub group & separated
D

Source : Possible roles in work situation, Management and Organizational Behaviour, 7/e , By Mullins
 ANALYSING INDIVIDUALS

Interaction Analysis – Bale’s Model

Positive reaction

Attempt to solve

Seeking Answers

Negative reactions
 Sample Sheet

Group Name : Team Members

A B C D
Taking initiative e.g
Attempted leadership, seeking
Suggestions, offering, directions
Brainstorming – e.g.
Offering ideas or suggestions,
However valid
Offering positive ideas – e.g.
Making helpful suggestions,
Attempting to problem-solve
Drawing on others – e.g.
Making helpful suggestions,
Attempting to problem-solve
Source : National Training Laboratory, Washington DC
INDIVIDUAL VS GROUP OR TEAM

Social Loafing or
Ringelmann Effect
RISKY –SHIFT PHENOMENON

As a group or Team the

option of risk taking seems
to be higher

WHY ?
As an individual the
person may not take the
same risk as in group
 BRAINSTORMING
• Collective thoughts – Better ideas
• Define problem or solution finding
• Involve everyone
• encourage
• be open
• do not criticise
• collect all ideas
• then evaluate
• reverse Brain Storming

“Creativity can be contagious,

and one idea will spark off another”
Source : Susan Bishop & David Taylor, Developing Staff, Pitman publishing /Longman Training 1994)
GROUP DYNAMICS

T-Group
Advantages and Disadvantages of Teams

• Make better decisions,

products/services
• Better information sharing
• Individuals
• Higher employee
better/faster on
motivation/engagement
some tasks
- Fulfills drive to bond
- Closer scrutiny by team • Process losses - cost
members of developing and
- Team members are maintaining teams
benchmarks of comparison • Social loafing
 EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK

Get to know individuals

Inform everyone of theirs Incentivize everyone

Give the right training Be tough when necessary

Coach and encourage Give people space to grow

Listen to member Let them get on with it

BELBIN’S TEAM ROLES IN ACTION
THANK YOU & BE SAFE