LO3 - A Model of Team Effectiveness

• 3 KEY FEATURES OF TEAM EFFECTIVENESS

  1. Team exist to serve some organizational purpose
  2. relies on the satisfaction and well-being of its members.
  3. includes the ability and motivation of team members to remain together long enough to accomplish the assigned goals.
• The organizational and team environment represents all

  conditions surrounding the team that influence its effectiveness.
• TEAM PROCESS is how teams interact with one another and their environment to achieve results

  
• Even in a team-friendly environment, the team’s effectiveness will fall short of its potential if the task characteristics, team size, and team composition are poorly designed for the team’s objectives and functioning.
• Task complexity demands teamwork, but teams also function better when the complex work is well-structured rather than ambiguous.
• task interdependence


  The extent to which employees must share materials, information, or expertise with others to perform their jobs.
• Levels of task interdependence

  
• three levels of task interdependence


  1. Pooled interdependence
  2. Sequential interdependence
  3. Reciprocal interdependence
• Pooled interdependence


  lowest level of task interdependence
• Pooled interdependence


  occurs when an employee or work unit shares machinery, technical support, financial support, or other common (pooled) resources, but otherwise operates independently from other employees or work units.
• A higher level of interdependence occurs when the output of one person or work unit becomes the direct input for another person or unit.
• sequential interdependence 


  typically occurs on an assembly line because each team member’s output is forwarded to the next person on the line for further assembly of the product or service.
• Reciprocal interdependence


  in which work output is exchanged back and forth among individuals or work units, produces the highest level of interdependence.
• Higher task interdependence usually requires more intense coordination, and team structures enable better interpersonal communication than when employees work independently from each other or in different departments.
• Organization and Team Environment

  • Communication systems
  • Organizational leadership
  • Organizational structure
  • Physical space
  • Reward systems
• taskwork


  task-related behaviours toward the achievement of the team’s objectives.
• taskwork


  requires team members who are highly motivated, possess the required abilities, and have clear role perceptions about how and when to perform the assigned work.
• teamwork behaviours


  maintain the team’s existence and functioning.
• Teamwork behaviours are depicted in the “Five Cs” model


  • Cooperating
  • Coordinating
  • Communicating
  • Comforting
  • Conflict resolving
• Cooperating


  Effective team members are willing and able to work together rather than alone.
• Coordinating


  Effective team members actively manage the team’s work so it is performed efficiently and

  harmoniously.

  This includes keeping the team on track and helping to integrate the work performed by different members
• Communicating


  Effective team members transmit information freely (rather than reluctantly), efficiently (using the best channel and symbols), and respectfully (minimizing arousal of negative emotions). They also listen actively to co-workers.
• Comforting


  Effective team members help co-workers to

  maintain a positive and healthy psychological state.

  They show empathy, provide psychological comfort, and build co-worker feelings of confidence and self-worth.
• Conflict resolving


  Conflict is inevitable in social settings, but effective team members have the skills and motivation to resolve disagreements within the group.

  This involves using appropriate conflict-handling styles as well as diagnostic skills to identify and resolve the structural sources of conflict.
• Best Task Characteristics for Teams​

  1. Complex tasks divisible into specialized roles.​
  2. Well-structured tasks.​

  • Low task variability.​
  • High task analyzability.​

  1. Higher task interdependence.​
• Team Size​

  Smaller teams are better because:​

  • Less process loss.​
  • Feel more engaged in teamwork.​
  • Faster team development.​

  But team must be large enough to accomplish task.​

  ​
• Team Composition

  
• Diversity's advantages


  • View problems/alternatives from different perspectives.​
  • Broader knowledge base.​
  • Better represent constituents.​
• Diversity's disadvantages


  • Slower team development.​
  • Susceptible to “faultlines.
• members of homogeneous teams experience higher satisfaction, less conflict, and better interpersonal

  relations.

  As a result, homogeneous teams tend to be more effective on tasks requiring a high degree of cooperation and coordination, such as emergency response teams.