Name: VU HANH TRANG

ID: 1605136
1. This unit describes the roles that people can play in a team. Which
role do you often take in a group or team? Which role do you often
avoid? Explain why.
I am usually a follower in the group. I want someone to lead and tell me
how I should do it or at least set general guidelines and rules within the
team or project. However, I would also like to challenge myself as a team
leader if given the opportunity. I think the team leader should be someone
with more experience, better motivation, and special charisma to lead the
team - someone who can better set the overall direction of the team and
motivate everyone to work hard. group work process. So I don't shy away
from any position.
2. As mentioned in the introduction to this unit, not all teams are
effective. As many as 9 out of 10 teams are ineffective, meaning they
fail to complete their assigned tasks. What can make a team
ineffective?
The things that make a team ineffective can be: members are not united
with the same vision and are motivated for the common purpose of the
group. They don't share clear, measurable goals and don't play their part
in the overall success of the team.
1. The direction and goals are not clear. Teams need goals to focus their
efforts and evaluate performance.
2. Leadership is not good. Leaders are needed to help manage the internal
and external relations of the teams and orient the teams toward their goals.
3. The tasks are not suitable for teamwork. Tasks should be complex,
important, and challenging but without the combined efforts of team
members and placing individual tasks above the team's tasks.
4. Not having the necessary resources to perform the task. These include
resources, training, and staffing.
5. The organizational environment is not supportive. Organizations do not
allocate enough power and authority for team members to make and
implement decisions.
3. Think about the most cohesive group or team you have been a part of.
How did it feel to be part of that team? How much time did you spend
 with other members? What was it about that group that made it
cohesive?
I feel lucky and grateful to have found members who are responsible and
put the interests of the team ahead of their work. I spent quite a bit of time
with team members to increase their engagement with team members. We
understand each other, share and help each other in work, and listen and
contribute ideas to other members. That's why I think we bond and can
work together effectively.

4. Comparing the definitions of groups and teams makes teams seem

more desirable. In what situations might a team be less desirable or
effective than a group?
A working group is a group that interacts primarily to share information
and make decisions to help each member perform within his or her area of
responsibility. There is no positive synergy that would create an overall
level of performance that is greater than the sum of the inputs. A work
team generates positive synergy through a coordinated effort. Their
individual efforts result in a level of performance that is greater than the
sum of those individual inputs. In certain cases, a team might be less
desirable or effective than a group.
For example, when you have a smaller-scale project, having several
people in charge of it can be a total waste of human resources. Another
example is when you have a project on a more sophisticated level, having
a group consisting of all elite members is certainly more efficient than
having a big team where the team members are basically not on the same
level.

5. Have you been a member of a distributed team? Describe the pros

and cons of working on such a team.
I have been a member of a distributed team when we have to face the covid
19 pandemic. According to my experience, the main advantages for
organizations to work for a distributed team:
1. Employees consider remote work as a benefit
Such an advantage can be a selling point when hiring people who might
want a higher salary, moving expenses, or reimbursement of commuting
costs. Companies have already discovered that there is no need to
supervise many job positions directly. They provide employees with
 more flexibility by allowing them to work from home. That makes them
more motivated, productive, and happier. Finally, working from home
brings many health benefits.
2. Distributed teams reduce costs for office needs.
A traditional team requires large office space. All employees need a
cubicle, hardware, and tools, as well as restrooms and facilities. Also,
such a location must provide adequate parking, climate control, and a
high-quality IT infrastructure. Thanks to a distributed team, you can
eliminate all of this.

On the other hand, challenges to managing geographically distributed

teams are:
1. Distributed employees can feel left out of the workplace.
Team members who must commute can often be jealous of distributed
teams. At the same time, distributed employees can feel left out of
different corporate parties and other events they cannot attend. Also,
the significant inconvenience falls on remote teams as companies
ignore their schedules. Such issues provoke differences and
disagreements between traditional and distributed teams that can
result in a disgruntled workforce.
2. Regular in-person meetings are impossible.
One of the key benefits of a traditional in-office team is the ability to
call an immediate meeting when a problem occurs. This approach is
more convenient than setting up video conferences and inviting
numerous participants in Zoom. Also, do not underestimate the value
of small talks during coffee breaks that serve as a source of powerful
social connections among team members.