Course: Organizational Change
Team building is a group process intervention that “refers to a broad range of planned activities that help groups improve the way they accomplish tasks” (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 230).
Consider a team (e.g., department, work group, task force) in which you are currently participating or a team in which you formerly participated.
1.Identify the team and briefly describe its function.
2.Identify and briefly describe your role on the team.
3.Complete Part I: Problem Identification of the “ Team Building Checklist ” (also available in the Getting Started -> Course Resources folder).
“Team Building Checklist”:
Team Building Checklist
Problem identification (to what extent do you see evidence of the following problems in your work unit?)
1 Low evidence
2
3 Some Evidence
4
5 High Evidence
1. Loss of production or work unit output. 1 2 3 4 5
2. Grievances within the work unit. 1 2 3 4 5
3. Conflicts or hostility between unit members. 1 2 3 4 5
4. Confusion about assignments or unclear relationships between people. 1 2 3 4 5
5. Lack of clear goals, or low commitment to goals. 1 2 3 4 5
6. Apathy or general lack of interest or involvement of unit members. 1 2 3 4 5
7. Lack of innovation, risk taking, imagination, or initiative. 1 2 3 4 5
8. Ineffective staff meeting 1 2 3 4 5
9. Problems in working with the boss. 1 2 3 4 5
10. Poor communications: people afraid to speak up, not listening to each 1 2 3 4 5
other, not talking together.
11. The lack of trust between boss and member or between members. 1 2 3 4 5
12. Decisions made that people do not understand or agree with. 1 2 3 4 5
13. People feel that good work is not recognized or rewarded. 1 2 3 4 5
14. People are not encouraged to work together for better team effort. 1 2 3 4 5
Scoring: Add up the score for the 14 items and interpret as follows:
14–28: Few indications of a need for teambuilding
29–42: Some evidence of a need, but no immediate pressure unless two or three items are very high.
43–56: Seriously think about a team-building program
57–70: Make team building a top priority.
William G. Dyer, Robert H. Daines, and William C. Giauque, The Challenge of Management (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990), p. 347.
4.Present your results for the exercise and your explanation of the results —e.g., if the score is low, which specific line items contributed to the low score; if the score is high, which specific line items contributed to the high score.
5.Make specific recommendations for leader behavior that would improve team functioning.
Back up all opinions with the readings and outside research in academic journals at the KU online library.
- 250 word minimum for initial post
- Include at least two references
- Respond to two learner’s initial post.
KU online library: https://keiseruniversity.libguides.com/home/home?preview=afb5d66ab3b853fa361847ea7dfda322
Reference requirements:
2020-2023 (Peer Review)
APA format
Student reply 1:
Good morning, Professor and Class,
Team Building
Team: Project Group
The function of the project group is to work together on a particular project. This includes conducting research, creating a plan, carrying out the project, and assessing its goals. The project group is transient and assembled to accomplish a particular objective within a predetermined time frame.
My Role: I fulfilled the team’s project coordinator role. I was in charge of arranging gatherings, assigning duties, guaranteeing timely completion, and promoting interaction among team members.
Part I Total Score: 33
Explanation of Results:
According to the scores obtained, there seems to be a certain indication of a requirement for enhancing team cohesion within the project group. Although the score is within the “Some Evidence” range, numerous factors contribute to this requirement. The issues that stand out the most are a dearth of well-defined objectives, a notable absence of steadfast dedication to said objectives, unproductive staff gatherings, subpar communication, and an insufficiency of acknowledgment for commendable efforts.
Recommendations for Leader Behavior to Improve Team Functioning
1. Establish Clear Goals: The leader should collaborate with the team to establish unambiguous and attainable project objectives. This will enhance dedication to the goals and offer a feeling of guidance for the group (Rico et al., 2019).
2. Improve Communication: The leader must foster transparent and efficient communication among team members. Achieving this goal necessitates the establishment of a secure and nurturing atmosphere wherein team members are at ease expressing their thoughts and apprehensions. Team meetings should primarily concentrate on tackling difficulties related to communication.
3. Enhance Recognition and Rewards: To elevate spirits and drive determination, the leader should establish a system of acknowledgment and incentives that recognizes and commemorates the team’s accomplishments and individual contributions (Brown et al., 2021).
4. Revamp Staff Meetings: The leader should thoroughly evaluate and restructure staff meetings to enhance productivity and efficiency. This could require establishing a distinct plan, guaranteeing that every individual’s perspective is acknowledged, and handling concerns productively.
5. Encourage Collaboration: Foster a culture of collective effort and cooperation by urging team members to collaborate for enhanced team synergy. Achieving this goal can be accomplished by emphasizing the significance of collective success rather than individual accomplishments (Nordbäck & Espinosa, 2019).
6. Address Confusion: Collaborate with colleagues to elucidate tasks and connections within the team. Make sure that the roles and responsibilities are specified.
7. Conflict Resolution: Formulate conflict resolution tactics to handle conflicts and hostilities within the team promptly. Promote and facilitate unrestricted dialogues while intervening as required (Bolton et al., 2021).
By implementing these suggestions, the leader can enhance team performance and propel the team toward a heightened state of productivity and unity.
References:
Bolton, R., Logan, C., & Gittell, J. H. (2021). Revisiting relational coordination: a systematic review. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 57(3), 290-322.
Brown, O., Power, N., & Conchie, S. M. (2021). Communication and coordination across event phases: A multi‐team system emergency response. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 94(3), 591-615.
Nordbäck, E. S., & Espinosa, J. A. (2019). Effective coordination of shared leadership in global virtual teams. Journal of Management Information Systems, 36(1), 321-350.
Rico, R., Gibson, C. B., Sánchez-Manzanares, M., & Clark, M. A. (2019). Building team effectiveness through adaptation: Team knowledge and implicit and explicit coordination. Organizational Psychology Review, 9(2-3), 71-98.
Student reply 2:
Hi Professor and Class,Identify the team and briefly describe its function.The team I am currently participating in is the human resources (HR) team of a manufacturing company. The primary function of the HR team is to manage and support recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of new employees, employee record keeping, and administration of employee benefits and policies (Bratton & Gold, 2017).
Identify and briefly describe your role on the team.
My role on the HR team is that of an HR Recruiter. I support the team in various tasks, including screening resumes, scheduling interviews, updating employee files, and managing benefits administration.
Complete Part I: Problem Identification of the “Team Building Checklist”.
I completed Part I of the Team Building Checklist for the HR team. The scores for each line item are as follows:
1. Loss of production or work unit output: 2
2. Grievances within the work unit: 3
3. Conflicts or hostility between unit members: 2
4. Confusion about assignments or unclear relationships between people: 3
5. Lack of clear goals, or low commitment to goals: 4
6. Apathy or general lack of interest or involvement of unit members: 1
7. Lack of innovation, risk-taking, imagination, or initiative: 2
8. Ineffective staff meeting: 3
9. Problems in working with the boss: 1
10. Poor communications: people afraid to speak up, not listening to each other, not talking together: 3
11. The lack of trust between boss and member or between members: 3
12. Decisions made that people do not understand or agree with: 3
13. People feel that good work is not recognized or rewarded: 4
14. People are not encouraged to work together for better team effort: 2Present your results for the exercise and your explanation of the results —e.g., if the score is low, which specific line items contributed to the low score; if the score is high, which specific line items contributed to the high score.
Based on the results, there is evidence of a need for teambuilding within the HR team. The overall score for the HR team on the checklist is 33, which falls under the range of “Some evidence of a need, but no immediate pressure unless two or three items are very high” (29-42 range) (LaFasto & Larson, 2001).
The specific line items that contributed to the lower score include a lack of clear goals and low commitment to goals (item 5), poor communication and fear of speaking up (item 10), and a lack of trust between team members and with the boss (item 11).
Make specific recommendations for leader behavior that would improve team functioning.
To improve team functioning, leaders in the HR team can focus on building trust, establishing clear goals and priorities, and improving communication. They can do this by implementing team-building activities such as regular team meetings and goal-setting sessions, encouraging feedback and open communication, providing recognition and rewards for good work, and fostering a positive team culture that values collaboration and open dialogue (Salas & Reyes, 2018). In addition, leaders can provide training and development opportunities to team members to improve their skills and knowledge, which can also contribute to improved team functioning (Brinkert, 2010).
References:
Bratton, J., & Gold, J. (2017). Human resource management: Theory and practice. Palgrave.
Brinkert, R. (2010). A literature review of conflict communication causes, costs, benefits, and interventions in nursing. Journal of nursing management, 18(2), 145-156.
LaFasto, F. M., & Larson, C. E. (2001). When teams work best: 6,000 team members and leaders tell what it takes to succeed. Sage Publications.
Salas, E., & Reyes, D. L. (2018). The science of teamwork: Progress, reflections, and the road ahead. American Psychologist, 73(4), 308-325.
