Team Performance The MANAGEMENT Factor Scott T. Young, Ph.D. Department of Management

Teamwork Importance of Teamwork l Increasing interdependence l Increasing specialization l Complex problems Why is Teamwork Difficult? l The Manager’s Fallacy l Positions vs. roles Big three challenges l motivation, coordination, ability

What is a team? Members share a common goal Interdependent Bounded and stable over a time Usually less than 10 people

Professor Charles Naquin, Page 4 Three Options for Teamwork Individual-centric teams (all feed to a key person) –i.e., Surgical teams Real work teams (what we usually imagine as a team) –i.e., Production teams Dynamic teams (membership continually shifts) –i.e., crisis management teams

Debunking Myths about Teams Companies that use teams are more effective than those that do not Strong leadership is necessary for strong teams Good teams never fail Conflict among team members is a bad thing

Facts about Teams Teams can have real benefits –Bringing diverse perspectives together –Breaking down functional barriers –Fostering growth and learning –Occasionally creating real “synergy” But teams are not appropriate for all types of tasks Leadership of a team is different than Managing a team

Ways to Enhance Team Performance Effort and Motivation –Make individual contribution identifiable –Develop written team contract Set clear performance standards Ability –Practice, practice, practice –Train team members together Coordination –Decrease team size –Minimize links in communication Synergy –Time –Transactive Memory

The 4 C’s of High Performing Teams Context Composition Competencies Change

Team Performance The LEADERSHIP Factor Scott T. Young, Ph.D. Department of Management

The Puzzle… Teams have –More resources than individuals –Greater diversity of resources –More flexibility in deploying their resources –Many opportunities for collective learning –The potential for “synergy” BUT, their actual performance is often subpar relative to the individual team members

Why? 1.Teams are often managed in ways that lead to process losses. (Actually, they are often not actively managed at all). 2.Teams are often led in ways that cap their potential.

12 Leadership Great Person Theory Great Opportunity Theory

Hackman’s Leadership Approach Focus less on direct causes of team behavior and performance Focus more on enabling conditions

Professor Charles Naquin, Page 14 Enabling Conditions 1.Establish an objective / goal

Team Goal vs. Team Means? Objective Given? NoYes Means Specified? NoAnarchyTeamwork YesTurn-off Wasted Resources

The Human Center

Attributes of Compelling Goals Clear Consequential Challenging

P Enabling Conditions 1.Establish an objective / goal 2.Build (enabling) team structure 3. 4.

Properties of Enabling Structure Proper team composition –Clearly bounded –Members are interdependent –Stable over time Team Size Clear norms of conduct –Can’t avoid norms, so proactively establish them

Enabling Conditions 1.Establish an objective / goal 2.Build team structure 3.Boundary Spanner (providing supportive organizational support) 4.

Boundary Spanner Specifics Rewards: Favorable rewards for good team performance Information: Data needed to accomplish the goal are available to the team Education: Any training or technical consultants are available for the team Resources: Material resources needed to accomplish the goal are sufficient and available

Enabling Conditions 1.Establish an objective / goal 2.Build team structure 3.Boundary Spanner (providing supportive organizational support) 4.Provide (expert) coaching

Three Roles of Coaches Motivator Consultant Educator

Summary Role of the Team Leader Make sure the work is appropriate for a team Get the 4 enabling conditions in place Coach at the Margins And do it all in your own way - there is NO single best leader personality or style

Professor Charles Naquin, Page 25 Team Chemistry The control freak The credit hog The bully ADHD The impaired