Fundamentals of Business

Chapter 1 – Teamwork in Business

Learning Objectives

1. Define different types of teams and describe key characteristics.

2. Explain why organizations use teams.
3. Identify factors that contribute to  team cohesion or division
4. Describe the importance of learning to participate in team-based
activities
5. Identify the skills needed by team members and the roles that
members of a team might play.
6. Explain the skills and behaviors that foster effective team leadership.
What is a Team vs Teamwork?​
​
Common sayings or expressions? 

• There is no 'I' in Team​

• TEAM​
• T – Together​
• E – Everyone​
• A – Achieves​
• M - More
What is a Team vs Teamwork? 
• A team is defined as a group of people with complementary skills who
work together to achieve a specific goal.

• Teamwork:  "The ability to work together towards a common vision.

The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational
objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain
uncommon results." Andrew Carnegie
​
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)

• Scottish-American Industrialist and Philanthropist​

• Led the American Steel Industry in the late
19th Century to become one of the richest
American's in history.​
• Became the leading Philanthropist in the
United States and British Empire during the last
18 years of his life, gifting over $350 Million ($65
Billion in 2019 dollars) to charities, foundations
and Universities (Carnegie Hall, New York,
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Trust for
the Universities of Scotland)
Five Key Characteristics
of a Team

1. Shared accountability for

achieving specific goals
2. Function interdependently 
3. Require stability
4. Hold authority and decision-
making power
5. Operate in a social context.
Why are
teams
important in
business?
Why are
teams
important in
business?
 What are the
different types of
teams?
• Manager led teams 
• Self- Managing teams
• Cross Functional Teams
• Virtual Teams
WHY?

• Productivity 
• Positive culture 
• Improvement in customer
service 
• Worker satisfaction 
• Quality of life
• Competitiveness 
• Profitability
• Lower absenteeism. 
Describe this type of
team.

Give an example of
this type of team?

Provide 3 advantages
and 3 disadvantages
of this type of team.
Teams in
Nature​
​
Why do birds
fly in a ‘V
Formation’?
 Sami Joe Small​
​
TEDx – An Olympic Take on Teamwork​
​
“It is not about the medal; life is not
about the reward.​
​
Life is about being better today than
you were yesterday.  It is about being
proud of the support you provide those
around you.​
​
You do not always get to choose the
role you play, but you always get to
choose how  you play it and how you
play your role really does matter, not
only to yourself but to the success of the
people around you”.​
​ ​https://www.samijosmall.ca/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7t
F7-jSgC8
What makes a team
cohesive?
What skills does
a strong team
need?
Problem Solving & 
Decision Making
What skills does a
team need?

• Interpersonal Skills
• Communication Skills
• Technical Skills
Task Facilitating Roles 
Relationship Building Roles
 Task Facilitating Relationship Building
Role Roles
Teamwork • Information • Supporting
Roles Seeking • Tension Relieving
• Elaborating
• Consensus Building
• Urging
• Monitoring • Summarizing
• Reality Testing • Harmonizing
• Direction Giving • Confronting
• Information • Energizing
Giving • Developing
• Process
Analyzing • Empathizing
• Enforcing
 Balance

• Strong balance on a team is

imperative for success.
Blocking Roles

What do you do?

Why is it important to address Blocking?

What is the common theme?
Class Team Projects –
Peer Tips
Team Charter &
Shared Ideas
Respect
Patience
Listen
What do you think
it takes to lead a
successful team?
The Fundamentals of Business slide decks by Obada Al-Dimashki, Alfonsina Chang, Deanna
Davies, Edward Perry, Zachary Russell, and Robin Yap are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise
noted.