2. TEAM DEFINED
“A team is a small number of people with complementary skills
who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals,
and approach for which they hold themselves mutually
accountable.”
John Katzenbach and Douglas Smith.
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3. Group Dynamics (Kurt Lewin)
• The term is first used to describe the
powerful processes that takes place in
groups.
• It also refers to the scientific study of
groups.
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4. IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK
Increasing numbers of companies are realising that teams
offers many advantages over the more traditional ways of
organising the workforce.
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5. TYPES OF TEAMS
1. Functional Team
A type of work team composed of a manager and his or her
subordinates from a particular functional area. Within this
functional area, issues such as authority, decision making,
leadership and interactions are relatively simple and clear.
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6. 2. Self- Managed Team
A type of work team that operates without a manager and is
responsible for a complete work process or segment. The self-
managed team is responsible for getting work done and for
managing themselves.
3. Cross - Functional Team
A type of work team that is a hybrid grouping of individuals who
are experts in various specialties and who together on various
tasks. Many organisations are using cross – functional teams.
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7. 4. Virtual Team
A type of work team that uses computer to link physically
dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal. Virtual
team can do all the things that other team can – shares
information, makes decision, and completes task. However,
they miss the give - and- take of face-to-face discussions.
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8. TEAM PURPOSE
A team’s purpose is guided by its mission. A team’s purpose is
defined as something that the team intends to do. It is the object for
which the team exists as determined by the team leader and team
members. It is a clearly stated purpose that serves to direct and
motivate the team in its pursuit of its goal.
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9. TEAM MISSION
Effective teams are driven by an inspiring mission that must support
the organisation’s vision. The mission is best expressed in written
format stating the team’s intended direction.
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10. A clearly articulated mission provides the foundation for developing
goals and action plans that will assist the team in reaching its desired
outcomes.The mission statement must contain three elements:
• What does the team do ?
• For whom does the team performs its function ?
• How does the team go about doing its job ?
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11. TEAM MISSION: WHO? WHAT? AND HOW?
Who?
What? How?
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12. SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENT
The ABC Team
We are the ABC team formed to provide quality information
technology support to all customers, concentrating our
resources on regional branches, and our efforts on exceeding
customer expectations.
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13. TEAM GOALS
A team goal is an end that the team strives to reach.
• It supports the mission
• It supports the organization’s vision
Common Goals Provide Team Members With….
Purpose What needs to be done.
Clarity What the outcome looks like.
Direction The path to be followed
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14. To be effective, goals must have the following characteristics:
S Specific
M Measurable
A Attainable/ Achievable
R Relevant
T Time Bound
Example of a S.M.A.R.T goal:
• Our team will meet or exceed RM 1.0 million in sales for product A in
2004.
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15. STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Four Stages of Team Development
Stage 1 : Forming
Stage 2 : Storming
Stage 3 : Norming
Stage 4 : Performing
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16. Stage 1: Forming
The forming stage of team development is an exploration period.
Team members are often cautious and guarded in their interactions
not really knowing what to expect from other team members.
• They explore the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
• Behaviors expressed in this early stage are generally polite and
non-committal.
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17. Some questions raised during this stage of development are:
• What is going to happen ?
• Who is who in the team ?
• Do I want to be part of this team?
• Will I be accepted as a member?
• Where do I fit in the team ?
• How will I be treated ?
• Who is the leader?
• Is the leader competent?
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18. Stage 2 : Storming
The storming stage of development is characterised by competition
and strained relationships among team members. There are various
degrees of conflict that teams experience but basically the storming
stage deals with issues of power, leadership, and decision making.
• Conflict cannot be avoided during this stage.
• It is the most crucial stage the team must work through.
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19. Some questions raised during this stage of development
are:
• How will I seek my autonomy?
• Who do I support?
• Who supports me?
• How much influence do I have?
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20. Stage 3 : Norming
The norming stage of team development is characterized by
cohesiveness among team members. After working through the
storming stage, team members discover that they in fact do have
common interests with each other.
• They learn to appreciate their differences.
• They work better together.
• They solve problem together.
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21. Some questions raised during this stage of development are:
• What kind of relationships can we develop?
• Will we be successful as a team?
• How do we measure up to other teams?
• What is my relationship to the team leaders?
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22. Stage 4 : Performing
The performing stage of team development is the result of working
through the first three stages. Team members have learned how to
work together as a fully functioning team.
• They can define tasks.
• They can work out their relationships successfully.
• They can manage their conflicts.
• The can work together to accomplish their mission.
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23. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE TEAM
Effective team demonstrates the following characteristics:
1. The team members share a sense of purpose or common goals,
and each team member is willing to work towards achieving these
goals.
2. The team is aware of and interested in its own processes and
examining norms operating within the team.
3. The team identifies its own resources and uses them depending
on its needs. The team willingly accepts the influence and
leadership of the members whose resources are relevant to the
immediate task.
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24. 4. The team members continually try to listen to and clarify what is being
said and show interest in what others say and feel.
5. Differences of opinion are encouraged and freely expressed. The team
does not demand narrow conformity or adherence to formats that inhibit
freedom of movement and expression.
6. The team is willing to surface conflict and focus on it until it is resolved
or managed in a way that does not reduce the effectiveness of those
involved.
7. The team exerts energy toward problem solving rather than allowing it to
be drained by interpersonal issues or competitive struggles.
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25. 8. Roles are balanced and shared to facilitate both the accomplishment of
tasks and feelings of team cohesion and morale.
9. To encourage risk taking and creativity, mistakes are treated as sources
of learning rather than reasons for punishment.
10. The team is responsive to the changing needs of its members and to the
external environment to which it is related.
11. Team members are committed to periodically evaluating the team’s
performance.
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26. 12. The team is attractive to its members, who identify with it and consider it
a source of both professional and personal growth.
13. Developing a climate of trust is recognized as the crucial element for
facilitating all of the above elements.
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27. CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAM LEADERS
Effective team leaders:
1. Communicate.
2. Are open, honest, and fair.
3. Make decisions with input from others.
4. Act consistently.
5. Give the team members the information they need to do their jobs.
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28. 6. Set goals and emphasize them.
7. Keep focused through follow-up.
8. Listen to feedback and ask questions.
9. Show loyalty to the company and to the team members.
10. Create an atmosphere of growth.
11. Have wide visibility.
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29. 12. Give praise and recognition.
13. Criticise constructively and address problems.
14. Develop plans.
15. Share their missions and goals.
16. Display tolerance and flexibility.
17. Demonstrate assertiveness.
18. Exhibit a willingness to change.
19. Treat team members with respect.
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30. 20. Make themselves available and accessible.
21. Want to take charge.
22. Accept ownership for team decisions.
23. Set guidelines for how team members are to treat one
another.
24. Represent the team and fight a “good fight” when
appropriate.
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31. CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAM MEMBERS
Effective team members:
1. Support the team leader.
2. Help the team leader to succeed.
3. Ensure that all viewpoints are explored.
4. Express opinions, both for and against.
5. Compliment the team leader on team efforts.
6. Provide open, honest, and accurate information.
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32. 7. Support, protect, and defend both the team and the team
leader.
8. Act in a positive and constructive manner.
9. Provide appropriate feedback.
10. Understand personal and team roles.
11. Bring problems to the team (upward feedback).
12. Accepts ownership for team decisions.
13. Recognize that they each serve as a team leader.
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33. 14. Balance appropriate levels of participation.
15. Participate voluntarily.
16. Maintain confidentiality.
17. Show loyalty to the company, the team leader and the team.
18. View criticism as an opportunity to learn.
19. State problems along with alternative solutions/options.
20. Give praise and recognition when warranted.
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34. 21. Operate within the parameters of team rules.
22. Confront the team leader when his or her behavior is not helping
the team.
23. Share ideas freely and enthusiastically.
24. Encourage others to express their ideas fully.
25. Ask one another for opinions and listen to them.
26. Criticise ideas, not people.
27. Avoid disruptive behavior such as side conversations and inside
jokes.
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35. 28. Avoid defensiveness when fellow team members disagree with
their ideas.
29. Attend meetings regularly and promptly.
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37. Broken Squares : Non-Verbal Problem-Solving
Goals
1. To analyze some aspects of cooperation in solving a team problem.
2. To sensitise participants to behaviors which may contribute toward or
obstruct the solving of a team problem.
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38. Broken Squares Team Instruction Sheet
Each of you has an envelope which contains pieces of cardboard
for forming squares. When the facilitator gives the signal to
begin , the task of your group is to form five squares of equal
size. The task will not be completed until each individual has
before him a perfect square of the same size as those in front of
the other group members.
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39. Specific limitations are imposed upon your group during this
exercise.
1. No member may speak.
2. No member may ask another member for a piece or in any way
signal that another person is to give him a piece. (Members
may voluntarily give pieces to other members).
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40. Broken Squares Observer / Judge Instruction Sheet
Your job is part observer and part judge. As a judge, you should make sure
each participant observes the following rules:
1. There is to be no talking, pointing, or any other kind of communicating.
2. Participants may give pieces directly to other participants but may not take
pieces from other members.
3. Participants may not place their pieces into the center for others to take.
4. It is permissible for a members to give away all the pieces to his puzzle,
even if he has already formed a square.
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41. As an observer, look for the followings:
1. Who is willing to give away pieces of the puzzle?
2. Does anyone finish “his” puzzle and then withdraw from the team
problem-solving?
3. Is there anyone who continually struggles with his pieces, yet is
unwilling to give any or all of them away?
4. How many people are actively engaged in putting the pieces
together?
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42. 5. What is the level of frustration and anxiety?
6. Is there any turning point at which the team begins to cooperate?
7. Does anyone try to violate the rules by talking or pointing as a
means of helping fellow members solve the problem?
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44. TOWER BUILDING
Leaders’ Brief
You are the leader of a construction company and you have a team of 4 - 5
persons to assist you. You and your team will have to build a tower at
maximum profit using the three graphs provided. Study these graphs
carefully.
The tower can be of any design but it should be stable enough to stand upright
without external support and long enough for its heights to be measured.
Each piece of lego counts as one brick whatever its shape, size or colour. The
time will be measured in seconds and the heights in inches.
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45. Leaders’ Brief (continued)
You may handle and assemble the bricks during planning but any structure you
leave at the end of this phase will be dismantled by the observers and bricks
replaced randomly in the box.
After you have completed the task, the profit achieved will be compared with
planned profit as a measure of your team’s effectiveness.
The Planning Stage
You will be given not more than forty minutes to experiment with the bricks,
design the tower, allocate specific assignments to members of your team, and
rehearse the construction as many times as you wish during the time allowed.
Your success will depend on how well you lead your team. Your performance
will be appraised at the end of the exercise.
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46. Leaders’ Brief (continued)
This exercise will test your skill in handling a small group of people; it will see how
resourceful you are as a leader, your ability in delegating, directing, controlling
and coordinating your team in achieving your goal, i.e. maximum profit. And of
course, how well you communicate. The exercise will also test your ability to
motivate the members of your team, how effective you are at solv ing problems,
getting each member to contribute. Remember, you have very limited time
available and you and your team will be working under pressure.
Construction Stage
This is the culmination of your plan. The three profit factors will now be measured
and compared with your tender. The winning team will achieve the highest profit
consistent with the tender profit margins submitted above. All teams will
commence to build the tower at a given signal and the number of bricks, heights
and times measured.
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47. Leaders’ Brief (continued)
Tender Document (Estimated Profit)
Number of bricks:…………………………………….…... Profit:…………………………………….
Height of tower:………………………………………….... Profit:…………………………………….
Assembly time in seconds:…………………………….. Profit:…………………………………….
Total Profit:…………………………….
Actual Profit
Number of bricks:………………………………….….,.. Profit:…………………………………….
Height of tower:………………………………………….... Profit:…………………………………….
Assembly time in seconds:……………………………… Profit:…………………………………….
Total Profit:…………………………….
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48. A
20,000
15,000
10,000
PROFIT
5,000
-5,000 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200
-10,000
NO. OF BRICKS USED
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49. B
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
PROFIT
5,000
-5,000 0 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
-10,000
-15,000
TIME IN SECONDS
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50. C
50,000
40,000
30,000
PROFIT 20,000
10,000
-10,000 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
-20,000
-30,000
HEIGHT IN INCHES
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51. OBSERVERS’ SHEET
You have been appointed as the observers for the Tower Building Exercise. Please read
carefully the instruction that will be given to the teams. Your function in this exercise is to
observe through the planning and construction stage.
Observe Carefully
1. How was the planning done - was it systematic?
2. Did the leader do the planning alone and did he involve others?
3. Was the leader in control of the situation?
4. Was his leadership accepted?
5. How was the work organised?
6. Was there division of work?
7. Was there division of who would be best for different types of work?
8. How did the leader direct the group?
9. What control elements were decided upon during the planning stage?
10. What were the communication patterns in the group?
11. What sort of motivation did the leader use?
12. Was there sufficient team work?
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