Teach Team Members to Think - Essay Example

The second article focused on the group structures and the most efficient strategies to utilize in enhancing the performance of these frameworks. Two structures are identified: true groups that represent teams having the same goals; and working groups having members who are responsible for individual goals. The research done by the Feline Research Institute found out that true groups are highly interdependent. It was also stipulated that the most essential process to improve performance is enhanced communication and cohesion.

On the other hand, working groups' efficiency can be greatly improved through cohesion while communication is only second. The two articles are the same in the sense that they prescribe measures on how to boost the performance of workgroups. The two articles also address the manager's problem of motivating their subordinates by employing proper techniques. However, the first one dealt with the employees' mindset while the second focused on organizational structure. The findings of the study done by the Filene Research Institute support the advocacy for this new paradigm.

The conclusion showed that the success of an organization or business depends heavily on how its leadership and management respond to the specific needs of its work environment. I believe that the manager should, therefore, be familiar with the type of work dynamics that exist in his/her organization. Does it have "true teams" or "working groups" Only then can he/she direct the organization's resources to improve communication, cohesion, solving personal or task conflicts, etc. In addition to understanding work dynamics, I think that the manager should also have a better understanding of the worker's frame of mind.

How can the employees be motivated to care for the company growth and not just be concerned with what they can get out of it Jim Sullivan, in his article Teach team members to think, work like owners, pointed out to "aligning the employees' mindset with the owner's perspective." (Sullivan, 2005) Sullivan outlined ways to achieve this, and the key is worker empowerment. Workers need to be empowered with knowledge about the company or organization they are working for. They also need to be empowered with the opportunity to learn how to improve themselves in their work.