Groups and Teamwork - Essay Example

Running head: groups and teamwork Groups and teamwork Explain how a work group becomes a team, identify five teamwork competencies, and describe self-managed teams and virtual teams. A work group becomes a team when a shared goal is formed and is lead by a common leader. In a team accountability is more collective than single. All members work for a common purpose/goal and performance is measured on the basis of collective outcome. Five main teamwork competencies include collective problem-solving, team-oriented performance, promoting positive team spirit, effective management of conflicts, and works towards team’s goal.

Self-managed teams are those teams that conduct their administrative activities such as planning, organizing, staffing, and performance monitoring on their own without any leader. Virtual teams are those in which team members are physically scattered and these teams perform their activities or tasks such as communicating and collaborating, information sharing, monitoring etc with the use of technology such as internet, email, telephone, video conferencing etc. Contrast roles and norms, specify four reasons why norms are enforced in organizations, and list at least four things managers can do to build trust.

Roles refer to individuals’ responsibilities based on their position, whereas norms are those principles that need to be followed by everyone in the organization. Norms are formed informally and guide the right behavior and attitude among employees; sometimes norms are framed in order to help the organization sustain. Norms guide the right behavior and avoid embarrassing situations for employees and the organization. Norms also play a critical role in clarifying organizational values. Managers can build trust through effective communication with their subordinates, providing support whenever required, respect every individual and treat all employees in a fair and justifiable manner.

Describe the Five Stages of Tuckmans Theory of Group Development. The five stages of Tuckman’s theory of group development include forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning stages. In forming stage, the group members come together and display behaviors that are typically acceptable by other group members. In storming stage, group members start expressing different ideas; identify what problems need to be solved; how each one can function independently by identifying their limits and also testing each other.

In norming stage, group members tend to identify and agree upon common and acceptable norms related to power and authority; team members develop responsibility and aim to achieve the goals. In the performing stage, individuals start accomplishing the tasks by fulfilling their responsibilities; members are competent and confident to move ahead; members develop strong communication and cooperation during this stage. Lastly, the adjourning stage involves completion of the task and achievement of common goal.

Post this, group members tend to move ahead in different directions to pursue new goals. Describe Groupthink, and identify at least four of its symptoms.Groupthink is the result of highly cohesive group that does not possess any form of conflicts or conduct critical analysis of a decision or process. Groupthink causes members to avoid or oversee the potential hazards of a specific decision that the group has made because of unanimity in decision making. Group members tend to hide their opinions in fear of opposition or stereotyping.

Symptoms of group think include invulnerability leading to excessive optimism and high risk-taking; rationalization of warning or potential negativities that seem to challenge the group’s decisions; stereotyping views of those who oppose the group’s decision or action; and self-censorship or ignoring ideas of the self that may seem to oppose the group consensus. ReferencesKinicki, A and Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational Behavior: key concepts, skills and best practices. New York: TataMcGraw Hill Inc.