A benefit of this self-assessment quiz is that it may point toward areas for development if one is to become an outstanding team player.
Team Skills
This quiz is useful in specifying a representative set of skills that senior managers think are important for contributing to a team.
The Conformity Quiz
Students are likely to enjoy reflecting on how much conformity to group and team norms they display. A topic worth of exploration is whether people are defensive about being labeled a conformist. Many people like to conform but not so many people want to be perceived as a conformist.
Team Player Roles (Quiz)
A benefit of this self-assessment quiz is that it may help sensitize the student to the importance of playing positive roles within the group.
Team Member Roles (Exercise)
An important feature of this exercise is that it challenges the diagnostic skill of students. To be successful in this exercise, students should carefully study the various roles before watching the role players and making observations about the roles.
The Scavenger Hunt
Although this exercise might appear frivolous, students can be counted on to conduct it in a serious manner yet still have a few laughs. A lot of the humor depends on how outrageous the items are on the list. My experience is that the exercise leads to sensible comments about
cooperation, but does not lead to great revelations. It is helpful to discuss jobs for which trust in the cooperation and physical capabilities of teammates is extraordinarily important. Examples include mountain climbers, divers, and fishers who take out after dangerous prey while being tethered to the boat.
Habitat for the Homeless
An advantage of this activity is that it showcases the importance of teamwork. Many students will enjoy the activity because they believe strongly in supplying housing for the homeless. However, they may need prodding to make astute comments about the level of teamwork displayed. My experience has been that the vast majority of students participating in this exercise find it to be socially relevant, and their positive attitudes are displayed in the quality of their output.
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS Multiple-Choice
(a) 1. With a true team, the skills of members a. are complementary.
b. duplicate each other's.
c. are rated on a one-to-ten scale.
d. are opposite to those of the leader.
(d) 2. A distinguishing feature of a self-managing work team is that the a. team is appointed a leader.
b. team has two or more members.
c. members cooperate with each other.
d. members manage their own activity to a large extent.
(c) 3. A cross-functional team is composed of a. three different project groups.
b. two supervisors along with other team members.
c. members from different units of the organization.
d. members from the same unit of the organization.
(a) 4. A cross-functional team is particularly well suited to a. developing a new product.
b. working on an assembly line.
c. several specialists from the same field collaborating.
d. the work of supermarket or department store cashiers.
(b) 5. A typical work process of a virtual team would be for members to a. take refreshment breaks together.
b. send messages to each other by e-mail.
c. meet once per day in a conference room d. argue over who gets the best cubicle.
(c) 6. A key communication challenge for virtual teams is to a. find a nick name for the team that all members accept.
b. motivate team members to check their e-mail.
c. ensure that team members have precise information about work responsibilities.
d. minimize team members surfing the Internet most of the workday.
(a) 7. A distinguishing characteristic of the crew type of team is that a. the crew members rarely rotate specialties.
b. the crew members are all of the same sex.
c. each member must be a certified swimmer.
d. the events performed are usually for the long term.
(c) 8. A factor that contributes to effective teamwork in business is a. an atmosphere that encourages individual accomplishment.
b. financial bonuses for high-performing individuals in the team.
c. financial bonuses for high-performing teams.
d. a firm commitment to groupthink.
(d) 9. A group has achieved synergy when
a. all members agree on a course of action.
b. each member agrees with a problem solution.
c. members are solving problems at an above-average rate.
d. the total output exceeds the sum of individual contributions.
(a) 10. Group decision making is particularly helpful in
a. gaining acceptance and commitment for a decision.
b. avoiding conformity in thinking.
c. arriving at quick decisions.
d. ensuring that everybody makes a fair contribution.
(b) 11. Groupthink takes place because group members a. dislike individual problem solving.
b. strive extra hard to achieve consensus.
c. attempt to avoid conformity.
d. have feelings of inferiority.
(a) 12. A potential disadvantage of groups in organizations is that they a. often breed conformity in thinking and behavior.
b. encourage a spirit of teamwork.
c. encourage individuality in thinking and behavior.
d. discourage consensus thinking.
(d) 13. Suzy often occupies the plant role in a group, so she emphasizes a. achieving harmony.
b. challenging faulty ideas.
c. conducting research.
d. solving difficult problems.
(c) 14. Chuck occupies the coordinator role in a group, so he is likely to a. carefully examine the group process.
b. seek ways to hog recognition.
c. clarify goals and promote decision making.
d. form alliances with the group leader.
(c) 15. A major contributor to the team worker role is to a. screen new members for the group.
b. spark the creativity of group members.
c. build relationships within the group.
d. challenge the thinking of the group.
(d) 16. The cornerstone attitude of an outstanding team player is to a. make sure he or she gets individual recognition.
b. have competitive attitudes toward other team members.
c. aspire to be the team leader.
d. trust team members.
(a) 17. ______________ and ______________ are synonymous with teamwork.
a. Cooperation, collaboration b. Independence, initiative c. Competition, conflict d. Assertiveness, satisfaction
(c) 18. An important suggestion for criticizing another person on the job is to a. disguise the criticism so it appears to be a compliment.
b. make joke’s about the other person’s problems.
c. criticize the work, not the person.
d. criticize the person, not the work.
(c) 19. The team tactic, sharing the glory is usually justified because a. team-based pay has replaced individual pay.
b. glory sharing fits the WIIFM principle.
c. most team accomplishments require input from several members.
d. most team members are self-centered.
(a) 20. An example of "raining on the parade" of a teammate would be to a. tell the person that his recent accomplishment really wasn't a big deal.
b. invite the person to jointly solve problems with you.
c. tell the person he or she should replace the team leader.
d. refuse to cooperate with him or her.
(b) 21. A suggestion for making outstanding use of technical expertise as a group member is to
a. keep your expertise to yourself.
b. share the expertise.
c. impress other members with how smart you are.
d. make your best suggestions at the end of meetings.
(c) 22. With respect to criticism, an effective team player is supposed to a. avoid both giving and accepting criticism.
b. enjoy criticizing the team leader during meetings.
c. be willing to accept as well as give criticism.
d. be willing to give but not accept criticism.
(a) 23. Seeing the big picture in a group setting involves
a. understanding what the group is attempting to accomplish.
b. assigning work roles to team members.
c. examining the history of the team.
d. criticizing group members who step out of line.
(b) 24. Consensus comes about when
a. every member agrees completely on the decision.
b. group members generally accept a decision and then give it their support.
c. group conformity reaches a peak.
d. group members practice individual decision making.
(b) 25. Team member Roger goes beyond his or her job description regularly. He is said to be engaging in
a. believing in consensus.
b. organizational citizenship behavior.
c. sharing the glory.
d. taking care not to rain on another person’s parade.
True/False
(F) 1. An important requirement for a true team is that all members possess virtually the same skills.
(T) 2. A common characteristic of all workplace teams is that the members cooperate with each other and have a complementary set of skills.
(F) 3. Self-managing work teams are groups that come together for a brief period of time to solve a problem, then disband.
(T) 4. A cross-functional team is composed of members from different parts of the organization.
(F) 5. Members of a cross-functional team usually represent the same functional specialty such as manufacturing or information technology.
(T) 6. A virtual team gets almost all of its collaborative work done by staying in touch with the other members electronically.
(F) 7. Mutual trust is a low priority in a virtual team because the team members do not have to deal with each other face to face very often.
(T) 8. A crew is identified by the technology it handles.
(F) 9. A characteristic of an effective team is when each member checks the quality of the work produced by all the other members.
(T) 10. The size of an effective work group is usually around 6, rather than10 or more.
(T) 11. Social loafing within a group means about the same thing as being a free rider.
(F) 12. Groupthink comes about because many of the group members strive so hard to preserve their individuality.
(T) 13. An important contributor to groupthink is when the group loses its power of critical analysis.
(T) 14. Bruce is a resource investigator within a group, so he will explore opportunities and develop valuable contacts.
(F) 15. The monitor-evaluator within a group has a special knack for showing drive and inspiring other team members.
(F) 16. The person who plays the shaper role is unchallenging, dull, and weakens under pressure.
(T) 17. Jackie occupies the completer-finisher role so she is conscientious and anxious to get the job done.
(T) 18. Bruce focuses on what is best for the group so he is said to be engaging in a self-serving role.
(T) 19. Part of trusting team members is to be willing to submit an unproved idea to them for their inspection.
(F) 20. When criticizing a teammate it is generally better to make a declarative statement than to ask a question such as, "Do you think that your idea could use some more research?"
(F) 21. Billy Joe is an effective team player, so he changes the topic when he is about to be criticized.
(T) 22. In order to implement the tactic, don't rain on another person's parade, it may be necessary to suppress your feelings of petty jealousy.
(T) 23. Part of believing in consensus is to believe that an ideal solution is not always possible.
(F) 24. Meeting deadlines in a group takes place naturally because the vast majority of workers regard deadlines as a moral necessity.
(T) 25. Organizational citizenship behavior is even more important when the group members depend on each other to complete a task.
CHAPTER 6
GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
The purpose of this chapter is to present practical information about group problem solving, thus enabling the reader to contribute more effectively to group decisionmaking. Group problem solving requires considerable interpersonal skill.
CHAPTER OUTLINE AND LECTURE NOTES
Groups solve many key problems in organizations. Part of having highlevel interpersonal skills is the ability to work closely with others in solving problems and making decisions.
I. RATIONAL VERSUS POLITICAL DECISION MAKING IN GROUPS
Group decisionmaking is the process of reaching a judgment based on feedback from more than on individual. Two different approaches to group decision-making are the rational model and the political model.
The rational decisionmaking model is the traditional, logical approach to
decision making, based on the scientific method. The search for optimum results is based on an economic view of decision-making—people hope to maximize gain and minimize loss. Each alternative is evaluated in terms of how well it contributes to the goals involved in making the decision.
The political decisionmaking model assumes that people bring preconceived notions and biases into the decision-making situation. Self-interest may block people from making the most rational choice. People who use the political model may operate on the basis of incomplete information. Sometimes it is difficult to determine if a decision maker is being rational or political, such as the example about the lack of a 13th floor in most hotels.
II. GUIDELINES FOR USING GENERAL PROBLEMSOLVING GROUPS
Group decision making frequently leads to better acceptance of the decision and stronger commitment to the implications of the decision.
A. Working through the Group ProblemSolving Steps
When team members get together to solve a problem, they typically hold a discussion rather than rely on a formal problem-solving technique. A more systematic approach would be to use the following steps:
1. Identify the problem. (What is the underlying problem?)
2. Clarify the problem. (Group members should see the problem in the same way.)
3. Analyze the cause. (The group must understand the cause of the problem and find ways to overcome the cause.)
4. Search for alternative solutions. (The alternative solutions chosen will depend on the analysis of the causes.)
5. Select alternatives. (Identify the criteria that solutions should meet, and then
discuss the pros and cons of the proposed alternatives.)
6. Plan for implementation. (Decide what actions are necessary to carry out the chosen solution to the problem.)
7. Clarify the contract. (Restate agreements on what to do and deadlines for accomplishment.)
8. Develop an action plan. (Who does what and when to carry out the contract)
9. Provide for evaluation and accountability. (After the plan is implemented,
reconvene to discuss progress and hold people accountable for results that have not been achieved.)
B. Managing Disagreement about Group Decision Making
The idea is to manage disagreement so the decisionmaking process does not break down, and dissenters are not squelched. A study of 43 product development teams found that disagreement about major issues led to positive outcomes for
team performance under two conditions: The dissenters have to feel they have the freedom to express doubt, and doubts were expressed collaboratively rather than contentiously.
A study about hiring pilots for longdistance flights found that when groups disagreed over who to hire, there was more information sharing. Strong
disagreement also led to more intense discussion.
C. Inquiry versus Advocacy in Group Decision Making
Inquiry involves looking for the best alternative. Advocacy is fighting for one position.
Decision makers who care more about the good of the firm are the most likely to engage inquiry. An inquiryfocused group carefully considers a variety of alternatives and collaborates to discover the best solution.
III. GUIDELINES FOR BRAINSTORMING
When the organization is seeking a large number of alternatives to the problem,
brainstorming is often the technique of choice. Brainstorming is a group problemsolving technique that promotes creativity by encouraging idea generation through noncritical
discussion. Brainstorming is used both as a method for finding alternatives to reallife problems and for creativity training. Eight rules for brainstorming are worth considering:
1. Group size should be about five to seven people.
2. Everybody is given the chance to suggest alternative solutions.
3. No criticism is allowed.
4. Freewheeling is encouraged.
5. Quantity and variety are very important.
6. Combinations and improvements are encouraged.
7. Notes must be taken during the session by a person who serves as the recording secretary.
8. Invite outsiders to the brainstorming session.
9. Do not overstructure by following any of the ideas too rigidly.
Brainstorming by individuals working alone is referred to as brainwriting, and typically produces more useful ideas than does working in a group.
The full potential of brainstorming has been held back by three forces that block production of ideas. Evaluation apprehension means that many people are unwilling to come forth with some of their ideas because they fear being critically evaluated. Freeriding is just about the same behavior as social loafing. Free riders do not work as hard in a group as they would if they worked alone. An inhibiting procedure in verbal brainstorming is that only one person can speak at a time. This limits the idea generation and production time available to group members.
IV. GUIDELINES FOR THE NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE
A leader sometimes need to know what alternative solutions are available to a problem and how people would react to them. The nominal group technique (NGT) has been developed to fit the situation. The NGT is a group problemsolving technique that calls people together in a structured meeting with limited interaction. Group discussion, however, does take place at a later stage in the process. The nominal group technique uses a sixstep decision process:
1. Work team members are assembled to work on the problem.
2. The team leader presents a specific question.
3. Individual team members write down their ideas independently, without speaking to other members.
4. Each team member, in turn, presents one idea to the group, but the group does not discuss the ideas. The ideas can be submitted anonymously.
5. After each team member has presented his or her idea, the group clarifies and evaluates the suggestions.
6. The meeting ends with a silent, independent rating of the alternatives on a 1to10 scale. Ratings are then pooled to select the best alternative.
V. USING STANDUP MEETINGS TO FACILITATE PROBLEM SOLVING Problem solving and decision making can sometimes be improved by conducting
meetings while standing up instead of sitting down. Some people are more alert when standing, and most people do not want to stand for too long so they reach a decision quickly. UPS makes frequent use of standup meetings of 180 seconds duration. A study with the Lost on the Moon exercise suggested that people make decisions more quickly when standing up, without
sacrificing decision quality.
VI. USING EMAIL AND GROUPWARE TO FACILITATE GROUP DECISION MAKING
Appropriate use of email and groupware can facilitate interaction among team members and group decision making, while at the same time minimize the number of meetings. Such use of e
mail and groupware makes virtual teams possible.
A. Using EMail to Facilitate Meetings
By using email, team members can feed important information to all other members of the team without the ritual of entering a meeting and passing around handouts. An advanced use of email is to distribute word processing documents as well as spreadsheets and
graphics.
Using email, a group can cut down substantially on the amount of time they would have to spend in a group meeting. They might even be able to eliminate a group meeting. Much of the nominal group technique can be conducted through email. For example, team members could send their ratings and explanations to each other electronically.
A caution is that the use of email too far can inhibit rather than enhance group decision
making and teamwork. If people communicate with each other almost exclusively by email, the warmth of human interaction and facial expressions is lost. Winks, shared laughter, and smiles all facilitate group effort.
B. Using Groupware to Facilitate Group Problem Solving
E-mail and electronic brainstorming rely on groupware. (Groupware is technology designed to facilitate the work of groups.)At its best, groupware offers certain advantages over single-user systems. For example, groupware can make communication faster, clearer, and more persuasive; enable telecommuting; reduce travel costs; and facilitate group problem solving. Another example of groupware is a shared whiteboard that allows two or more people to view and draw on a shared drawing surface even whey they are at a distance.
Despite all the potential benefits of groupware, the system will break down unless all
Despite all the potential benefits of groupware, the system will break down unless all