Organizational Behavior

1. Lisa M. Beihoff
MT302 Organizational Behavior
Unit: 6
Title of Assignment: Effective Team
Work Environment
Date: 8/12/12

2. Recently our company has experienced issues with employee
teamwork. Employees are not working well together. Your boss has
asked you to research ways to create an effective team work
environment. This presentation is to be delivered to the CEO and Board
of Directors on findings. This includes identifying different types of teams,
the factors that determine whether a team is effective and how to
create team players.
.

3. As per Robbins and Judge (2013), “A work team generates positive synergy through
coordinated energy.” Unlike a work group, the team’s individual efforts may results in
greater levels of performance then the sum of the individual inputs” (Pg. 309).
This process is great for an organizations success, as we surely want higher
performance levels.
The complementary technique of collaboration in teams is beneficial when used
properly. We can look at how to create teams and team players. Examining various
types of teams we decide which environment we should pursue.
• Problem Solving Team
•Self Managed Team
•Cross Functional Team
•Virtual Team

4. As per Robbins and Judge (2013),”
• Problem Solving Teams- include the discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and
the work environment. These problem-solving teams rarely have the authority to
unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.
•Self Managed Teams-are groups of employees (typically 10 to 15 in number) who
perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of
their former supervisors
•Cross Functional Teams-employees from about the same hierarchical level but different
work areas, who come together to accomplish a task
•Virtual Teams- use computer technology to unite physically dispersed members and
•achieve a common goal. They collaborate online—using communication links
•such as wide-area networks, videoconferencing, or email” (Pgs. 310-312).

5. Our company can benefit from efficient team work. We will use cross
functional work teams to encourage engagement, independent
thought and work place morale. We find leaning on workers harder may
to get them to produce. As per Pearson Education (2012), Herman
Miller realized people are unique individuals, and engaging workers is
beneficial to the person and company. Personal responsibility and
creativity brings forwards talents , strengths, new ideas and solutions.
Trust and honesty matters, they realized this helped the workplace and
allowed talent to shine.

6. A really effective leader sets the bar high. Teams keep people
(sometimes at same level-cross sectional) participation levels high.
Teams bring great ideas, motivation and in the Miller Case –success
overall to the company. This team strategy success also emerged a
lower turnover rate for the company too. (Video).

7. We can use the Miller case as an example for our company to achieve the greater team work
environments we need. Robbins and Judge (2013) states “Today cross-functional
teams are so widely used it is hard to imagine a major organizational undertaking
without one. All the major automobile manufacturers—Toyota, Honda,
Nissan, BMW, GM, Ford, and Chrysler—currently use this form of team to coordinate
complex projects. The teams are the equivalent of social-networking groups that collaborate in
real time to identify new business opportunities in the field and then implement them from the
bottom up” (Pg. 311).

8. We realize though people may have varying perspectives on work environments molded by their
culture. Members need to be sensitive and engaging in communicating with others to have our
teams be effective.
We need to
specifically look at
effective team
factors.
Robbins and Judge
(2013), “Team
Effectiveness Model
“ (Pg. 313).

9. These factors in the chart determine whether our team will be effective and
how to create teams implementing these.
In examining context, with all our resources and evaluation systems we are
able to establish a strong team framework. We also look at composition which
Is specific to team members and roles. We can then flexibly embrace diversity
so each member can exude their own creativity and personality.
This leads us to a great process where we can have common ground with set
goals and efficiently produce our purpose.
Should issues arise such as social loafing where members may “slack off” to
leave work to others we can confront this and motivate to increase team
moral once again. The opportunity for each member to express their own
ideas and perspectives will strengthen the group in our team.

10. Providing incentives to be good team
players will be part of this process too.
Giving members a goal to achieve, a
reward- is merit driven motivator.
Examples of awards can be company
recognition certificates, bonuses and
gifts.
The camaraderie of the team should also be a great emotional asset
(intrinsic award) to the member and the company, as it increases social
engagement and company enthusiastic moral.

11. We find in Robbins and Judge 2013, “The final test is to determine whether the members of
the group are interdependent. Using teams makes sense when there is interdependence among
tasks—the success of the whole depends on the success of each one, and the success
of each one depends on the success of the others.” (Pg. 325).
In insuring each team member is effective we can have the sum be greater then an individual
input. The perspectives and efforts combined should surpass what one may have contributed
alone.
As per HealthField (2012), “No matter what you call your team-based improvement effort:
continuous improvement, total quality, lean manufacturing or self-directed work teams, you
are striving to improve results for customers.” She mentions how there are a list of tactics
which can be applied to create efficient teams. Some of her suggestions include:

12. “Twelve Cs for Team Building”
1. Clear Expectations: Team members understand expected outcomes.
2. Context: Members know why, they understand visuals, values and goals.
3. Commitment: They feel the team is important and appreciated.
4. Competence: Agreement in supporting comprehension skills and
strategy.
5. Charter: Responsibility is defined and accepted.
6. Control: Individual's have reigns where they can give input but remain in
the teams common agreement.

13. 7. Collaboration: Problems are solved together clearly and honestly.
8. Communication: This is defined and frequent so team members
address issues and resolve.
9. Creative Innovation: It can be Fun! Talent arises and members
stimulate new ideas.
10.Consequences: Members are accountable for, no social loafing as
each member is recognized for individual performance.
11.Coordination: Allocations, goals and resources are planned out.
12.Cultural Change: The organization recognizes and embraces the
newly emerged, almost state of the art collaborative nature of the
effective team. (Pgs. 1-3).

14. This demonstration gives the framework on which to act upon in
creating this effective and efficient workplace process.
With values formally written and shared we can empower the team
and business for success.
Concluding we find that
many organizations have
built success with effective
teams. We can encourage
our achieving team players
and success to our
company.

15. ClipArt (2012) Images. Retrieved from: Microsoft Office Clip Art Search
HealthField, S. (2012). How to Build Successful Work Teams. Retrieved from:
http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm
Pearson Education. (2012). Herman Miller - Motivation, Leadership and Teamwork.
(Video). Retrieved from: http://media.pearsoncmg.com/
Robbins, S. P. & Judge, T.A. (2013). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.