Definition of Team

• A team is a group of people who perform i

nterdependent tasks to work toward a com
mon mission.
• Difficulty with teams in the US is often bla
med on a cultural emphasis on individual a
ccomplishments vs shared responsibility a
nd success. Also the inadequate organizat
ional support structures.
 If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain.

If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees.

If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people.

Chinese Proverb
 Types of Teams

7 types of teams
• process improvement teams
• self-managed teams
• temporary/ad hoc teams
• work groups
• cellular teams
• special project teams
• virtual teams
 Team selection
To begin, the team leader should identify the
competence needed. Five factors (KESAA)
comprise competence:
– knowledge,
– experience,
– skills,
– aptitude (natural talent, capability, innate
qualities), and
– attitude.
Roles and responsibilities of managers

Managers attend to the work and resources of t

he org – a stewardship role. This may includ
e obtaining, allocating, distributing, using, di
sposing, and accounting for the resources th
at fall within the purview of the position to wh
ich that are assigned.
 Stages of team development

Teams will progress through stages of growth

and maturity as the members work together
over time.
Tuckman described a general model for the pha
se of team development:
Stage 1: forming
Stage 2: storming,
Stage 3: norming, and
Stage 4: performing
Team Roles and Responsibilities

Role names: champion, sponsor, team leader,

facilitator, timekeeper, scribe, team
members.
The most crucial roles for the success of the
team, once it is formed, are the team leader
and facilitator roles.
Steering committee is a special group set up for
guiding and tracking team efforts. This
usually includes key leaders in the org. The
role is to initiate desired organization
improvement efforts.
 The Role of Facilitator

The role of facilitator is to act as:

– a guide to circumvent the pitfalls of difficult si
tuations
– a catalyst to assist in developing a plan and
to provide follow-up to all mgt levels, thus m
aintaining continuity.
– An objective evaluator and auditor of team
progress, identifying any roadblocks to succ
ess and opportunities to improve performanc
e
 Team Performance and Evaluation
• The organization should be tracking progress to
identify problems, such as people not attending
meetings, other departments failing to provide th
e necessary support, or lacking specialized tech
nical knowledge.
• Objectives measures directed toward the project
goal could include data such as changes in proc
ess performance.
• Questionnaire or interview can be used as a tool
in measuring.
 Groupthink
Groupthink occurs when most or all of the team members c
oalesce in supporting an idea or a decision that hasn’t be
en fully explored, or one where some members may secr
etly disagree.
Actions to forestall groupthink may include:
• brainstorming alternatives before selecting an approach
• encouraging members to express their concerns
• ensuring that ample time is given to surface, examine, a
nd comprehend all ideas and suggestions
• developing rules for examining each alternative
• appointing an “objector” to challenge proposed actions