Process of the Groups Formation, its Functioning and Challenges - Coursework Example

Introduction Working in groups is one of the most interesting and at the same time most challenging aspect in learning. This option is used by a number of instructors and learning institutions to boost the outcomes of learning and teaching. The method of group/team formation and the persons forming groups vary depending on circumstances and context. In most cases, groups are formed to achieve a specific objective. In the current course of International Business Management, we worked as a group of six students to complete a given assignment. The process of forming the group, how the group functioned and the contribution of each member impacted on how the group functioned and achieved its objective. This paper is a reflection report that highlights the process of the group’s formation, its functioning, challenges that arose among other issues relevant to the functioning of the group. Importance of teamwork One of the key functions of working in groups is preparing learners to work in teams in their respective professions. The group was supposed to function as a unit where members can draw inspiration and motivation in learning and assist one another as peers. Members were expected to share their experiences and knowledge, encourage communication, engage in constructive criticism of ideas and develop one another professionally. A group must remain objective throughout the course. Oakley (2007) indicates that unless teams are guided by a clear goal, they are very likely to lose focus and engage in non-essential matters or get distracted by detours that do not contribute much toward achieving the set goals. The goals must be strategically identified as long term and short term and aligned to a team’s lifetime (Belbin, 2012). The current group clearly identified the need for working as a team as being for academic and practical experience purposes. The team functioned both as a group and as a team. This is something that I was aware of from a practical perspective but came face to face with how they can be different and affect deliverables of the team. West and Markiewicz (2008) identify a group as a collection of people and resources who work in collaboration to carry out specific tasks where the individual is accountable for the deliverable. On the other hand, a team is accountable as a unit for the deliverable. In this case, my group functioned both as a team and as a group. I say this because we started out for academic first assignment was completed as a single output from the team. This required equal contribution of all members in preparing the report and making contributions towards its completion, given the various backgrounds, cultures and personalities presented in the team, the task was not the easiest to accomplish (Oakley et al., 2004). It is sometimes very hard to accomplish the task within a few days. Some members would not attend the meetings at times and others would come in late perpetually despite numerous attempts by the group leader’s efforts to give the whole exercise a formal approach. The second deliverable from the team was an individual assignment. This kind of output implies that, though other parties played a role and contributed towards completion of the task in various ways, the individual is solely responsible and accountable for the deliverable (Coronella, n.d.). I have come to respectfully note that teams and groups have their own advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, each type of grouping is suited for different situations. For instance, in groups, each member is accountable on an individual level for the results can work best for teaching staff, marketing teams and sales teams. This is because marketers can group and discuss the best ways to market a given product in the market but they will be individually responsible for the number of units sold. The same case applies to teaching s in given school. Though they work as team with the common objective of improving academic performance in the school, each teacher will also answer to the specific performance in their particular subject. On the other hand, a senior manager’s team will answer collectively to the performance of the whole organization. They are accountable as a team but not as individuals though their collective contributions are important. Leadership Whichever format the team/group takes, it is important to have proper leadership. A team leader sets the agenda for the team and organizes the resources available to the team to achieve the set target. In most cases, team leaders are elected by the team members. Glassman (2008) says that democratic elections in teams give a sense of justice and fairness in running the affairs of the team. However, an appointed team leader on the other hand tends to command more authority and gives more authority to the team leadership. Gobbo (2008) says the process of choosing a team leader varies from organization to organization depending on organizational culture. He notes that the type of task or purpose of creating a team can also inform on the decision on whether to impose a leader or allow the team members to democratically elect one. Belbin (2012) says that informal groups tend to favour democratic elections as opposed to formal group tasked with a more serious role. Teams comprised of peers are best led by a democratically elected leader. Glassman (2008) says that student groups are likely to oppose imposed group leaders for various reasons. This is because they can question the criteria used to appoint leaders and thus they may oppose and even sabotage team leaders that they feel do not deserve the position (ACAS, 2014). On the other hand, the chance to democratically elect team leaders ensures that that a leader that can be followed faithfully and by the majority is identified. This has its drawbacks in the sense that the most popular leaders might not possess leadership qualities. This will thus set up the team for failure as a result of poor leadership. Given that our team voted for a leader, I had a lot of questions in my head of what would have been had someone else been the team leader. This is because I felt for some reason that the election was a popularity contest. Academic performance in past papers was also in my view largely used to gauge suitability for the leadership position. I therefore figured that for organizations and for other teams, it is best for the higher authorities to impose a leader on a team by developing a specific criterion in choosing leaders. The leaders chosen must possess key leadership skills and able to marshal the people and being charismatic at the same time. Formation There are a number of model suggested in forming teams. The most common model is the Takman group formation model that identifies five main steps: formation, conflict, cooperation, implementation and termination (Mitchell, 2008). Having learned this theory in class, it was important to put into practice in the appointed groups. One key requirement in the formation of groups was to create a balanced team of individuals of different personalities and different cultural backgrounds. Each of these steps suggested by Takman was evident in the process of forming the group and its functioning. Forming During this stage, the members grouped themselves by individual preferences. I observed that individual students identified other individuals they felt they can work with based on their personalities, academic performance, nationality and general traits. Consequently, students that share a common cultural background and nationality found it easier to interact among themselves and even form a group because they felt safer. However, this was only averted by the requirement to have diversity in the groups. With a group of five already complete, the forming stage as suggested by Takman was evident. During the very first meeting, all members were very punctual and very positive about the group. It was clear to see new friendship bonds being formed and members seeking to know about one another on a personal level such as about their schedules and availability in holding meetings and briefings. At this stage, I could not foresee any problems at all. (i) Storming/conflict Takman says this stage is characterised by competing ideas and differences in personalities. In our group, what I saw were individuals trying to outshine one another in their ideas. Each idea would be debated sometimes taking over a lengthy time and even arguments being witnessed. What I did not like most about working these competing ideas is that some ideas were being shot down, not based on their merit or demerit but based on who brought up the idea. I observed that one member repeatedly shot down my ideas repeatedly and dismissed them. I was very tempted to shoot down his ideas and of course I ended up shooting down some of his ideas. Another core issue that arose and I observed was the choice and tone of language use in the group. One member repeatedly cursed in a foreign language, supposedly his mother tongue, at the slightest provocation to everybody’s displeasure. I sensed that the team leader had a role in clearly stating the necessary rules that provide guideline on such matters such as use of language during group meetings. (ii) Cooperation Tuckman says this is the most productive stage of team/group work. In this stage, members have already resolved their differences and are ready to work to achieve the set goals. It is also at this stage that the group leadership has to be the strongest. The team leader must be capable of maintaining his cool even when conflict flares up. The team leader assumes the role of resoling conflict that may arise and directing and focussing the energy and resources of the team to the goal. (iii) Implementation At this stage, Takman says that organizations implement decisions made by team. At this juncture the appointing entity or sponsor can evaluate the performance of the team depending on the output or its capability of meeting the set goals. In this case, team provides the deliverable to the sponsor or appointing entity. In this case, this team prepared a joint report in the progress of working as a team and the issue encountered. (iv) Termination This stage involves dissolving the team. Team members are required to return any materials or resources assigned to them as part of a team. This is necessary for organizations operating using teams so as to ensure no further resources are directed towards the team. The success of a team in achieving its set goals informs on the larger organizational strategy and any need for future reviews. Diversity in the team What this taught me is that diversity is not necessarily a welcome issue or strategy n organizations. The move to have persons from a wider cultural backgrounds and nationalities complicates the modus operandi and is likely to be resisted. I sought out to find out why some students felt the need to form a team out of friends and persons they felt were somehow similar to them. One of the responses from an international student was that “At least with my close friends, I know what to expect when we start working together.” On the other hand, I believed that understanding the competencies required to complete the task at hand or the skills required should direct the choice of team members. This is to say that, I would not allow individuals a free hand in choosing the team they can work in but rather appoint individuals to a team based on their core competencies, skills, qualifications and knowledge need to deliver. Membership There are a number of issues to consider when forming a team. The most important one is the expertise or the capabilities of individual members. The criteria must be consistent and should also ensure that the team is rich and broad in terms of knowledge, skills, experience and leadership. As such, the group fulfils the assumptions of a strengths-based group. Brett, Behfar and Kern (2006) adds that the task at hand informs the composition of a team and the resources available to the team. He adds that some teams, especially high value teams might need additional training on working in teams or even to equip them with additional skills to complete the task. Executive teams should be led by experienced leaders who have people and technical skills. Executive management teams such as production floor managers, board of directors and governors etc must be led by an experienced leader who possesses all the major leadership qualities. Among the major qualities of a leader identified is ability to communicate fluently and having immense charisma. Charisma is important to convert subjects into followers. For communication purposes, a leader must be fluent and able to express himself freely. He acts as the link between the team members and the organization or the appointing authority. He is also answerable over the management of the team. One key ingredient of a leader I found lacking in the current team was mentorship and motivational skills. However, I do not blame the team leader for falling short in that area. I myself would have faced the same situation and to the best of my knowledge there not much extra I would have done. Mitchell (2008) indicates that team leader should mentor his subjects on the best training to undertake and new and provide direction even for their careers. This is a very difficult requirement for a fellow student undergoing the same circumstances like I am. In the same length, a team leader should also motivate and inspire team members to perform better and achieve more. In my own understanding, this requires that a team leader to be someone who has more experience and probably senior in organizational ranking. This will give him enough authority to direct his followers and enough experience to share and guide his followers. If offered the opportunity to form a team in future, I would personally appoint a leader who has move experience and is senior to the other team members. Challenges of encountered Addressing groupthink. What I found most challenging is addressing groupthink in the name of resolving conflict in a team. I realized that conflict management tends to aligning persons to a common direction hence treating a situation that is likely to give way to groupthink. Groupthink is a concept that was first identified in 1972 by Irving Janis. He defined groupthink as a situation in which team members are more likely to agree to the majority of views discussed by team members out of fear to present or suggest a contrasting view. Such a situation is encouraged by situation pressures that may force the team to work in a short while hence must agree on decisions speedily (Gobbo, 2008) Meeting diversity requirement. As aforementioned, diversity has its benefits and demerits. However, as a new concept that requires individuals and organizations to move out of their comfort zones, ensuring teams meet diversity needs means there is greater need for investing in diversity management. Although the team operated in a very small scale, it gave me a picture of what multinational corporations go through in hiring from foreign countries and even moving into new markets. Cultural variations such as use of body language, tone of communication, choice of words, dress code and general demeanour have an interesting impact on the organization. For instance, for the team meeting, I found out that not all people take punctuality seriously when it comes to meeting. Another issue I found difficult in dealing with a diverse workgroup or team is simple manners. For instance, apologising in advance, when suggesting an idea that might be offensive to some people, is very critical to me (Mitchell, 2008). However, I found out that not all people take that seriously. Implications for my career Working in a team has literally opened my eyes. I am now more aware of the issues that can crop up when dealing with different personalities and yet working to achieve the same objectives. The exercise was very different from other groups in which I have worked in whereby members chose to split functions rather than working together as a unit to achieve a common goal (Mitchell, 2008). From this experience, I am now more aware that just being colleagues in class or at the workplace does not mean that we are compatible. In a way, I feel that working in teams is similar to being in a marriage or intimate relationship with multiple partners. You have to satisfy and each and every one at the same time and still ensure that the marriage is intact. So what does this mean to a budding professional like me? It means that I have to learn and practice the art of balancing. I must learn the art of diplomacy whereby I must keep all parties happy and valued. As a future team leader, I will better be positioned to allow and respect other peoples’ views and ideas. On diversity, I am now even more aware that I am snot supposed and I cannot even afford to assume to know a foreign culture. How my people and I do things is differently and I must learn to acknowledge that other people have opinions on how I do certain things. Tolerance means that I must be willing to accommodate other religions, cultures, languages, dress codes and manners. Nonetheless, I should also learn to create a harmonious environment and culture that not only accommodates everyone but also creates a sense of ownership amongst all. This culture must also be identifiable within the team and the larger organization. However, to achieve this might take longer as it involves people and not just rules and processes. Conclusion Through my experience in working in this group, I feel more confident and ready to work in a professional team in any field. My interactions with fellow group members brought me face to face with some of the challenges of working in diversified teams where everyone has a different perspective to a problem or tasks. The team has however to incorporate and adapt all these perspectives to develop a comprehensive perspective in approaching the problem before making attempts. Nonetheless, this does not mean that individuals should abandon their own views and perspectives in order to fit in to the group in a way that is likely to promote groupthink. All in all, the whole exercise has taught me key lessons on how to fit in a team and work for the common good alongside colleagues from a diverse background. References ACAS. 2014. How are teams chosen and developed? Retrieved from http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=840 Belbin, R. 2012. Management teams. London: Routledge. Brett, J., Behfar, K. & Kern, M. 2006. Managing multicultural teams. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2006/11/managing-multicultural-teams/ar/1 Coronella, C. Team vs Groups. Retrieved from http://wolfweb.unr.edu/homepage/coronell/teamwork/GroupsVsTeams.pdf Gobbo, L. 2008. Problem solving and decision making. In Halverson, C. & Tirmizi, S. (eds). Effective Multicultural Teams: Theory and Practice. London/New York: Springer. Glassman, U 2008, Group work: a humanistic and skills building approach, New York, SAGE Publications Inc. Mitchell, J. 2008. Teams Work: A No-Nonsense Approach for Achieving More Together. London: New Hope Publishers. Oakley, B., Felder, R., Brent, R. and Elhhajj, I. (2004). Turning student groups into effective teams. Journal of Student-Centered Learning. Volume 2, No. 1. Pg. 9-34. Oakley, B. 2007. Best Practices Involving Teamwork in the Classroom: Results From a Survey of 6435 Engineering Student Respondents. IEEE Transactions On Education, vol. 50, no. 3. 266- 272. Russell, C. Simons, N. (1997). Choosing Our Leaders: Team Leader Selection and Review Processes at the University of Arizona Library. http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/whitepapers/nashville/russellsimons West, M. & Markiewicz, L. 2008. Building Team-Based Working: A Practical Guide to Organizational Transformation. John Wiley & Sons. fff Read More