Team Dynamics

What are teams? Groups of two or more people Exist to fulfil a purpose Interdependent - interact and influence each other Mutually accountable for achieving common goals Perceive themselves as a social entity

Groups versus teams All teams are groups Some groups are just people assembled together Teams have task interdependence whereas some groups do not (e.g. group of employees enjoying lunch together)

Types of teams and groups Formalteams Temporary Permanent Communities of practice Production team Management team Friendshipgroup Friendship group Task force Informalgroups

Why informal groups exist Innate drive to bond – fulfil need for social interaction – social identity Goal accomplishment Emotional support

Team effectiveness model Task characteristics Team size Team composition Team design Achieve organisational goals Achieve organisational goals Satisfy member needs Satisfy member needs Maintain team survival Maintain team survival Teameffectiveness Team developmentTeam development Team normsTeam norms Team rolesTeam roles Team cohesivenessTeam cohesiveness Team processes Organisational and team environment Reward systems Reward systems Communication systems Communication systems Physical space Physical space Organisational environment Organisational environment Organisational structure Organisational structure Organisational leadership Organisational leadership

Team design features Task characteristics – better when tasks are clear, easy to implement – share common inputs, processes or outcomes – task interdependence Team size – smaller teams are better – but large enough to accomplish task Team composition – members motivated/competent to perform task in a team environment – team diversity

Levels of task interdependence Sequential Pooled Reciprocal Resource ABC ABC A BC High Low

Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous teams Less conflict Faster team development Perform better on cooperative tasks Better coordination High satisfaction of team members More conflict Longer team development Perform better on complex problems More creative Better representation outside the team Homogeneous teams Heterogeneous teams

Existing teams might regress back to an earlier stage of development Forming Storming NormingPerforming Adjourning Stages of team development

Team norms Team establishes informal rules and expectations to regulate member behaviours Norms develop through: – explicit statements – critical events in team’s history – initial team experiences – beliefs/values members bring to the team

Production days Unitspressed per hour Conformity to team norms Day 12: Peer pressure begins Day 20: Employee begins working alone Day 1: Employee begins job with team Day 28: Employee has doubled performance

Changing team norms Introduce norms when forming teams Select members with preferred norms Discuss counter-productive norms Reward behaviours representing desired norms Disband teams with dysfunctional norms

Teamcohesiveness Membersimilarity Teamsize Memberinteraction Somewhat difficult entry Teamsuccess Externalchallenges Influences on team cohesiveness

Team cohesiveness outcomes want to remain members willing to share information strong interpersonal bonds resolve conflict effectively better interpersonal relationships Members of cohesive teams:

Team norms support company goals Team norms oppose company goals High team cohesiveness Low team cohesiveness Cohesiveness and performance Low task performance Moderately high task performance Moderately low task performance High task performance

The trouble with teams Individuals better/faster on some tasks Process losses - cost of developing and maintaining teams Companies don’t support best work environment for team dynamics Social loafing

How to minimise social loafing Make individual performance more visible – form smaller teams – specialise tasks – measure individual performance Increase employee motivation – increase job enrichment – select motivated employees