Management : Building a Coalition - Case Study Example

Building a Coalition Steps for building an effective team Recognize the value of teamwork Before building a team, it is necessary to recognize the value of teamwork and utilize it for desirable results. Thus, the Woodson Foundation, the schools and the NCPIE must all recognize what power teamwork holds towards accomplishing the goals they set out to attain. As such the dominant perspective on team formation is that member’s passion should be aligned with the goals and objectives of the team. 2. Choose the right people The second step in building a team is to evaluate the characteristics of potential members in order to choose those with the qualities of a good team member.

Not everyone is cut out to be a team member as some individuals find it hard to relate well with other people (LaFasto and Larson 59). For instance, the profiles given in this case indicate that Duane Hardy can be an ineffective team member because he does not interact well with other teachers, so it would be hard for him to collaborate with other team members. On the other hand, a person who will make an effective team member is Victoria Adams. 3. Delegate The third step in team building is to delegate responsibilities and roles to every team member.

This process also involves allocating the resources required to accomplish the outlined tasks. 4. Establish ground rulesGround rules give guidance to the team members on expected behavioral conduct and how to work together. Groundrules include how to communicate with other members and issues to do with respectful behavior. Similarly, under this step, it is necessary to establish how to manage conflicts that might arise among team members. In order to manage a conflict effectively: prepare for resolution, understand the situation, and finally, reach an agreement.

Similarly, it is necessary to prevent a conflict before it occurs by encouraging communication and openness among team members so that they can express their feelings whenever they have issues. Integrative negotiations achieve joint goals when the members have similar interests, which allow them to realize mutual gains. Set of principles for leaders Leaders should show proper example to the other team members through their behaviorsLeaders should strive to chase the vision of the group and not finances and opportunities offered by the positionLeaders should have good communication skills in order to communicate and engage effectively with the team membersIn order to lead this group effectively, leaders should have knowledge of cultures of all the groups involved.

For instance, the school has a bureaucratic culture of leadership that they do not want to be interfered with. Similarly, Woodson, on the other hand, has a culture of ensuring experimentation and efficiency where they focus on using hard data to evaluate the performance. NCPIE has a culture of diversity and change that involves the participation of everyone. Leaders should also be aware of and manage diversity among team members. This can be done by treating members equally regardless of their backgrounds.

Secondly, leaders can manage diversity by treating discrimination cases seriously. Additionally, should ensure to evaluate members of skills and capabilities rather than backgrounds. Finally, leaders should encourage open-mindedness and encourage working in diverse groups. In order to encourage trust between parents and employees, leaders should create open channels of communication, encourage personal contact, lead by example, and discuss trust issues in order to prevent them from turning into conflicts.

Works CitedLaFasto, Frank M and Carl Larson. When Teams Work Best. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001. Print.