Using Cognitive Theory To Understand Managing of a Team - Essay Example

Name: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Institution: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Professor: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Course: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Date: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Using Cognitive Theory and Other learning Theories to Understand Managing a Team Team management is an imperative area of group dynamics that requires a multiple of skills developed on the side of the leader of the team. This implies that team management requires that there is an individual who is the leader of that team and therefore must have specific skill to manage the team effectively. The concern of this essay is to utilize learning theories in explaining what is involved in managing a team and the importance of this knowledge to a learner. The paper shall specifically use the cognitive learning theory in comparison with other learning theories like behaviorism, social learning theory, and humanistic theory to explore team managements (Carr, 2002, pg 156). In this case, four stages will be considered in team management by use of cognitive theory of learning to explain the kind of knowledge utilized at every stage. Stage Knowledge type Discussion Forming Forming is usually the initial stage in team management and applies the propositional kind of knowledge. This is a type of knowledge in which information on how to manage the team is acquired through declaration. At the forming stage, team members usually come to know each other. At this level, they are usually excited and polite about everything that is likely to take place within the team. It becomes imperative on the side of the team leader to try and direct the team through the acquaintance stage. At this level, the team leader has to explain to the member on what is expected of them in the group. In essence, directing is an imperative skill in management of teams. For the team leader to be in a position of directing individual member on how specific tasks are performed, it is significant that they understand the cognitive disposition of the members. Within a group, it is clear that the way information is disseminated differs from one person to another. The cognitive learning theory is hence applicable in provision of necessary skills to the manager in learning the manner in which team members hear, transfer and attend to information geared towards performance of a particular task (Zerubavel, 1999, pg 571). Storming At this level of team management, metacognitive knowledge is evident. This is as a result of people beginning to perceive the reality of the team and even other now begin challenging the authority of the leader. As such, mental processes are well defined for the group members and therefore they question tasks assigned to them. They want to understand their personal abilities. In addition, procedural knowledge is important at this stage since the member should be explained to on how some tasks have to be undertaken. This stage of team management raises concern on the side of the group leader who should be aware of how some members of the team may start feeling on the tasks assigned to them. At some level, members may want to find out the validity of the team’s goals. As a result mental processes through cognition are important to be understood for effective management of the team. The team leader launches procedures and structures on how goals of the team should be attained so that conflicts are avoided. This implies that the team leader has to lay out a good plan for the performance of the team. At the planning level, both cognitive and procedural knowledge are imperative in team management. It is evident that the team manager has to accept the fact that for effective team management, a plan has to be put in place. The plan required in team management may involve the goals for the team, the tasks to be undertaken, who is to do what and how is the same going to be carried out. Therefore the team manager has to know these processes of planning for the team. However, it is noted that in cognitive theory of learning declarative knowledge and procedural at the planning level are much intertwined and it may be difficult to separate any one of them. For instance to plan a way forward on how the team shall be managed requires a number of steps. This follows a particular procedure from the first step to the last one of the plan (Cornwall & Perlman, 1990, pg 102). Norming At the Norming stage, dispositional knowledge is imperative. This is because the team members come to understand their personality and respect the leader’s authority. As a result, the leader has little to contribute towards the tasks to be undertaken by each member since they understand their roles within the group in a better way. In addition, declarative and metacognitive knowledge are also important. In declarative knowledge, the team leader has to just understand the abilities of members so that he can allow them to work on their own. The cognitive theory of learning aids the leader of the team to understand the capacity of different people within the team. When these abilities are well understood, the team leader will be able to take the back seat and allow members to perform to their ability. It may only be imperative for the team leader to coordinate. Coordinating involves people who are the team to be managed. Before such individuals are coordinated, the team manager has to learn their individual differences. This is the level at which cognitive theory of learning gains its precedence. The kind of knowledge applied at this level if declarative and metacognitive (Cornwall & Perlman, 1990, pg 80). The team manager has just to know that specific individuals in the team have personal differences and therefore need variety in coordinating them. The kind of coordination involves the way tasks are going to carried out. This may still take on the section of assigning tasks to these team members based on their abilities. The metacognitive knowledge shall serve to help the manager comprehend on the strategies to be used in coordinating the team members so that tasks are accomplished accordingly. The manager gets involved in the coordination process actively for better results of the teams goals and objectives. For the manager to coordinate the team effectively, it is imperative that they have self-evaluation on the strengths they have within their management style. This still reflects the knowledge requirements of metacognition so that procedures of coordination can be efficiently carried out. Performing The performing stage of team management requires procedural knowledge. The leader has to assign the members their respective tasks as much as possible as he explains to them how the tasks are carried out. The attainment of the team’s objectives is of significance importance. The cognitive theory of learning is important in establishing the mental disposition and ability of individual members of the team as they carry out their activities. Tasks therefore have to be performed practically. This still call upon procedural knowledge so that members deliver within the requirements of the instructions. It is also eminent that team members may differ in their perception of problem. To reach at a more faceable solution, brainstorming is mostly the best option for every person of the team. Ideas are collected from members but the ultimate verdict depends on the management techniques of the manager of that group. The manager has to allow contributions from each member, a task that should be organized (McClelland, 1998, pg 86). The cognitive theory therefore equips the manager with the necessary knowledge to handle members of the team equitably. This will help the member of the team to be more attentive and assertive towards contributing to the debate. Discussions are hence made open to all member but the managing the team to get facts from the subject of discussion has to rely heavily on the manager’s leadership skills. `The key strength when using cognitive learning theory to acquire skills needed to manage a team the notion of human brains having the capacity to process information and this differs from individual to individual. This helps the manager to sieve information disseminated to the specific people in the group so that the final agreement treats the team as a whole. Unity is promoted as opposed to what could have happened if the leader lacked insights of specific differences in members of the team (Cohen & Bailey, 1997, pg 68). However, the Cognitive theory of learning lags behind in explaining the emotional orientation of the specific team members even as the manager attempts to take control over them. The learning of most of the management skills by the team manager occurs in the mind and therefore sometimes it may be full of flaws in understanding the actual beliefs of individual team members (Gherardi, 2001, pg 134). It becomes there imperative that in managing teams, the managers not only concentrate on the psychological disposition of members by also the way other factors can influence their thinking when faced with conflicting situations. Theories like social learning, humanistic and behavioral theory have to be incorporated well in the determination of the best way forward in managing members of the team to achieve a common objective. Based on the social learning theory, it is proposed that managing teams should not be an individual task but learning from each others’ techniques. This may involve the team leader drawing references to other expertise so that the team can be managed more effectively. As the team leader observes others within the social environment, he or she is able to determine how different perspectives among group members can be handled in the most effective way possible. In addition, the social learning theory explains in this context how team members acquire attitudes and beliefs from each other as they interact. This theory is important for the managers to provide the best environment so that positive influence is fostered among team members. Leaders of the team may as well apply the social learning theory to explain why certain information was settled upon and not the other so that satisfaction among members of the team is attained (Cohen & Bailey, 1997, pg 71). On the other hand, the humanistic theory is vital in explaining how good team management skills like control of the team can be acquired (Chamot, 2005, pg 100). In this case, the theory puts more emphasis on the need for social and emotional growth of team members as opposed to their intellectual disposition. The inner thoughts of group members as well as their thought are imperative in shaping the way management skills are acquired by the team leader (Gherardi, 2001, pg 131). As a result of different social and psychological needs, members tend to react or behave in a certain manner. The leader will therefore strive at meeting such needs so that maximum attention towards instruction at the control level is achieved. This will include treatment of all members equally during a discussion so that a sense of belonging is attained based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The manager will seek to accomplish the basic needs in the humanistic theory of learning before going for higher needs. According to the behavioral theory of learning, it is asserted that behavior can be modified through mechanisms like motivation and incentives. The goal of this theory is to alter behavior. Reinforcement enables good behavior to recur. In team management, controlling of the group requires that some behavior is encouraged and this can be attained on the side of the team leader through compliments (Chamot, 2005, pg 89). The rest of the members will therefore learn from such compliment and want to behave in a similar manner for the achievement of goals of the team. This is inline with the classical conditioning theory and the operant conditioning theory as even managers strive to have full control of their teams and at the same time accomplish the goals of the group. Managing teams is a complex field that requires specialized skills exhibited by the team leader. Such skills involve planning how tasks have to be carried out, coordination of the team, directing in critical areas and control over the team so that organization and achievement is realized. The paper has considered the use of different learning theories to acquire such skill so that the team can be well organized to accomplish its ultimate goals. The main focus has been on the cognitive theory even as comparison has been drawn between cognition and other learning theories. It has been note that a multiple application of different theories may serve well as compared to relying on a single kind of theory. References: Carr, S.C. 2002. Assessing learning processes: Useful information for teachers and students. Intervention in School and Clinic, 37, 156-162. Chamot, A. 2005. The Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA): An update. In P. Richard-Amato and M. Snow (Eds), Academic Success for English Language Learners (pp. 87–101). White Plains, NY: Longman. Cohen, S. G., & Bailey, D. E. 1997. What makes teams work? Group effectiveness. Cornwall J.R., & Perlman, B. 1990. Organizational Entrepreneurship.  Homewood, IL: Irwin. Descombe, V. 2001. The Mind’s Provisions: a Critique of Cognitivism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press Gherardi, S. 2001. From organizational learning to practice-based knowing. Human Relations 54(1), 131-139 MA: Harvard University Press. Mayer, J., Caruso, D., & Salovey, P. 2000. Emotional intelligence meets traditional standards for intelligence. Intelligence, 27(4), 267-298 McClelland, D. C. 1998. Assessing competencies: Use of behavioural interviews to assess competencies associated with executive success. Boston: McBer. Sally, D. 2000. A general theory of sympathy, mind-reading, and social interaction, research from the shop floor to the executive suite. Journal of Management, 23(3), 239-290 Sørensen, C. & Lundh-Snis, U. 2001. Innovation through knowledge codification. Journal of Information Technology 16: 83-97. Wood, R. E., & Bandura, A. 1989. Social cognitive theory of organizational management. Academy of Management Review, 14(3), 361-384. Zerubavel, E. 1999. Social Mindscapes: Invitation to Cognitive Sociology. Cambridge, with an application to the Prisoners' Dilemma. Social Science Information, 39(4), 567-634. Read More