due in 48 hours
attached
7 Teamwork and Group Skills
iStock/Thinkstock
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
• Recognize the important role leadership plays in guiding constructive teams and groups.
• Evaluate types of teams and various background factors.
• Respond to each stage of team development and other team processes.
• Utilize a systems approach to teamwork.
• Understand how to build and guide high-performance teams.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 207 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Introduction
Introduction
What does NASCAR racing have in common with book publishing? Both rely on teams and
groups to successfully complete their tasks. As NASCAR’s website (2015) puts it, “a full-blown
pit stop consists of the following—changing four tires, adding a full tank of Sunoco racing
fuel, wiping the grille clean and making minor adjustments to the car. Oh, and the really good
team can accomplish all of that in 12 seconds with the allotted six crew members” (para. 1–2).
Typically, the individuals involved are the rear tire carrier, the rear tire changer, a jackman,
the front tire carrier, the front tire changer, and a gas man. A support crew works behind the
pit crew to make sure everything moves smoothly. A crew chief and his/her car chief lead the
group, assisted by an engineer.
The leadership team creates a strategy that the crew must carry out. Several factors dictate a
team’s pit-road strategy. Race length, caution flags, fuel mileage, and tire wear are all consid-
ered before the crew chief decides on an appropriate course of action. Then, the team must
make adjustments on the fly. Change two tires or four (or zero)? Other corrections make sure
the car will not get worse due to changing track conditions.
All the while, the car’s driver receives most of the attention and fame, as the supporting cast
does the dirty work. Many people know the name Danica Patrick. But who can identify her
crew chief or any member of her team?
The same holds true in book publishing. A typical book is guided by an editor-in-chief, who
will assign a sponsoring editor to a project. That person works with a team consisting of an
editorial coordinator; a composition person or team; a cover design employee; one or more
copy editors; manuscript reviewers; a developmental editor; and individuals assigned to cre-
ate graphics, design pages, and edit photos. Then, a publicity team and a sales force must
make sure copies of the book show up in the right hands in order for it to gain traction in the
marketplace.
And yet, one or a few names appear on the book’s cover. The author’s level of success is often
determined, at least in part, by the quality of the team working behind the scenes. These indi-
viduals must be properly led, managed, and coordinated for a bestseller to take shape.
Skills in leading teams and building teamwork are critical to being an effective leader, and
having leaders skilled in these areas is critical to the success of organizations. The payoffs of
teamwork have been extensively researched (Katzenback & Smith, 1993; Larson & LaFasto,
2001; McShane & Von Glinow, 2010; Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011; Mathieu, Maynard, Rapp, &
Gilson, 2008). On a personal level, skills in teamwork have become so important that Fortune
Magazine reported that “[b]ecoming skilled at teamwork may be the single most important
thing you can do to increase your value regardless of your level of authority” (Useem, 2006,
p. 11).
I devote this chapter to helping leaders understand the dynamics of how teams function and
to preparing individuals to be skilled team players, leaders, and builders. It is designed to
encourage leaders to be strong advocates of the importance of teamwork throughout the
organization.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 208 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section
7.1 The Study of Groups and Teams
7.1 The Study of Groups and Teams
Leaders throughout the centuries have studied and shared thoughts about teams. For example,
leaders have had to make decisions about how to organize and manage military operations,
build magnificent buildings, and complete many other endeavors. These efforts required the
use of teams. At first, little was written about the formal study of teams. Some trace the for-
mal study of teams to the work of Norman Triplett who in the late 1800s studied the effects
of working alone versus working in a group (1897). He noted, for example, that bicycle racers
who pedaled around a racetrack in groups were faster than those who pedaled around alone.
A major breakthrough in the study of teams occurred in 1933 when Elton Mayo published his
findings from the Hawthorne studies conducted at a Western Electric plant outside of Chi-
cago. Mayo was part of a Harvard University research team asked to study the activities of
work groups at the Hawthorne plant. Prior to the group coming in, an initial study was done
to evaluate the effect of lighting intensity on performance. One group worked in a room where
the intensity was kept constant and another where the intensity was varied. As expected, as
illumination increased, productivity also increased. However, when illumination decreased,
output continued to increase. This is when the Harvard research team was brought in to dis-
cover why this was happening.
The Hawthorne studies were origi-
nally designed to evaluate the effect of
working conditions on productivity by
varying such things as the intensity of
lighting, length of breaks, incentive pay,
and shorter working days. Instead, the
results launched a whole new interest
in human relations and group dynam-
ics. The researchers concluded that the
increases in productivity were more a
result of the dynamics taking place in
the groups and the special attention the
experimental group was getting than
the influence of working conditions.
The next major wave of developments in the study of teams came from the work of Kurt Lewin,
as Lewin used the term “group dynamics” to describe the scientific study of behavior in groups
(1951). After Lewin, many other researchers and popular writers have focused on group dynam-
ics, the importance and effectiveness of teams, and it’s important to distinguish between groups
and teams.
“Group” was the primary term used in the earlier studies of the dynamics that take place in
sets of people. We can define a group as two or more people gathered or classified together
with a common purpose. Groups can be formal or informal.
Formal groups are established to allow members to work together to accomplish a given out-
come. Examples of formal groups would be an ongoing set of individuals who work together
on a job, such as members of a department or a subset of a department in a business; a project
team completing a specific assignment; or a committee that oversees an element of an opera-
tion, such as workplace safety or employee benefits.
Monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Thinkstock
A group is two or more people gathered together
with a common purpose.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 209 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.1 The Study of Groups and Teams
Informal groups emerge among individuals with common interests. Informal groups tend to
form around activities, such as a company bowling or soccer team; shared sentiments, includ-
ing political and religious affiliations; and interactions that result from being around people
on an everyday basis, such as those on the same floor of an office building or employees who
are assigned to a remote location of a company.
We can define a team as two or more people with a common purpose, interdependent roles,
and complementary skills. Consider a group as a broader term that encompasses a wide
range of activities and a team as a specific kind of formal group of individuals with not only
a common purpose but also interdependent roles and complementary skills. All teams can
be considered groups, but not all groups would be considered teams. Teams become distinct
from groups when synergies, or increased levels of performance, emerge from greater inter-
dependence and shared effort (Katzenbach & Smith, 1999; Rico, Sanchez-Manzanares, Gil, &
Gibson, 2008). Characteristics of teams include:
• sharing leadership responsibilities among members;
• shifting from individual responsibility to individual plus collective responsibility;
• evaluating success based on team outcomes rather than individual outcomes; and
• improved collective problem solving.
Trust constitutes an additional key component of a team. Effective teams go beyond interac-
tion and move to the point of collaboration.
Skills in leading teams and building teamwork are critical to being an effective leader, and
having leaders skilled in these areas is critical to the success of organizations. Any type of
organization that excels at teamwork at the top, within teams, between teams, and outside
the organization with key stakeholders holds many advantages. Table 7.1 displays a number
of reasons why teamwork is important to leaders and organizations.
Table 7.1: The value of teamwork
The Importance of Teamwork to a Leader’s Success
• Leaders who are excellent team players, who can build high-performance teams, and who can develop
teamwork between teams will be in high demand in the organization of the future.
• The higher you go as a leader, the more you will rely on teamwork to succeed.
• In any endeavor there are limits to how far you can go and how much you can accomplish without the
support and help of others.
The Importance of Teamwork to the Success of Organizations
• Organizations cannot successfully compete and sustain success at a high level without teamwork.
• Effective teamwork improves performance, speed in getting things done, the quality of work, products
and services, communications, innovative thinking, the work culture, morale and motivation, employee
engagement, team and personal development, and employee retention and loyalty to the organization.
• The organization of the future will rely increasingly on teamwork not only internally but also externally,
as they will need to partner with others to succeed.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 210 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section
7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
Students of the dynamics of teams often become more effective leaders. Studying team dynam-
ics means being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the team, the team members, and
the activities taking place internally and externally that affect the health and effectiveness
of the team. Individuals can learn how to fully utilize the potential of the team as well as any
team issues that should be addressed or could be improved. Perhaps you have been part of
a team in which the members were aware of a number of dynamics taking place that were
affecting the group but the team leader was not aware of them. Among the topics a leader
should understand are the following factors:
• the type of team;
• background factors;
• the stage of development; and
• team processes.
An analysis of the first two of these factors follows in this section. Later in this section, we
cover the other two factors.
Types of Teams
Before analyzing additional fac-
tors related to team success or
failure, the first step is to under-
stand the types of teams utilized
in organizations. Four of the most
common are:
• self-managed work teams;
• problem-solving teams;
• cross-functional teams;
and
• virtual teams.
Each presents potential benefits
and challenges to the leader and
the overall organization.
Uberimages/iStock/Thinkstock
What type of team might this be?
Self-Reflection Questions
1. Both teams and groups share goals. Explain the types of goals that would be
associated with a formal group and the types of goals that those in an infor-
mal group would seek.
2. Table 7.1 displays the importance of teamwork to a leader and an organi-
zation. How would poor or missing teamwork become a detriment to the
leader and his or her company?
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 211 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
Self-Managed Teams
Many leaders find that employees can successfully direct certain types of work. A self- managed
work team consists of a group of employees who are assigned managerial responsibilities
combined with work tasks. The managerial activities performed by members of self-managed
work teams include planning activities, scheduling work, assigning tasks to individual team
members, overseeing the pace of work, making on-the-spot decisions, and facilitating some
elements of the control function. In some instances self-managed teams conduct internal per-
formance evaluations.
Research regarding the effectiveness of self-managed teams has produced mixed findings.
Some evidence suggests team members report higher levels of job satisfaction (Cordery,
Mueller, & Smith, 1991; van Mierlo, Rutte, Kompier, & Doorewaard, 2005). In other instances,
workplace productivity increased as accident rates were reduced in manufacturing settings
(Royal, 1999). In contrast, supervisors and other leaders who would lose authority in self-
management team settings are logically inclined to resist such a change, viewing the move as
a threat to job security.
Self-managed work teams would appear to have better chances for success when employ-
ees are well trained and perform more sophisticated jobs. The organization must be able to
support the program with rewards for team performance. Firms exhibiting centralization or
strong patterns of managerial control at top levels are not the best candidates for such pro-
grams. Note that even in self-managed teams leaders become part of the process. A leader
will either be designated to take charge or one will emerge in the vacuum that will otherwise
appear.
Problem-Solving Teams
When members of an organization are placed into groups to examine specific organizational
problems or processes, a problem-solving team may emerge. Teamwork occurs when mem-
bers are willing to share information, cooperate, and seek to achieve group as well as indi-
vidual objectives. Problem-solving teams can at times resemble quality circles and at times
project teams. Such teams remain popular for dealing with various organizational issues.
In some instances, a team may be asked to serve only in an advisory role. The team assesses a
problem and then reports to a decision maker. These individuals serve as part of an advisory
team. Such teams may play additional roles, including at times when they are assigned to
provide council to top management or those directing a specific project or activity. Leader-
ship of problem-solving teams involves the ability to solicit quality ideas while directing those
involved to the best solutions rather than compromises or other less valid approaches.
Cross-Functional Teams
A cross-functional team consists of employees from different areas in the company who are
assembled to achieve a specific purpose. Combining experts to work on an exciting problem,
task, or issue often leads to effective cross-functional teams. Teams can be assigned to develop
a new product, such as has been standard practice at Apple Computers for many years.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 212 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
Cross-functional teams at times resemble a task force. Many automobile manufacturers have
employed task forces to coordinate complex projects. Harley Davidson relies on collections of
individuals from various departments to help manage product lines, including the design of
the product, manufacturing, and even contacts with suppliers (Brunetti, 1999).
Note that both problem-solving teams and cross-functional teams often become change
teams. These sets of individuals are assigned to tackle specific issues causing problems for
an organization or to guide the company to take advantage of a new opportunity. In both
instances, the team institutes change.
Virtual Teams
Current technology allows members of groups to meet in cyberspace. Virtual teams employ
Internet and digital technologies to achieve common goals, such as collaborating, sharing
information, solving problems, and scheduling activities. Virtual teams are formed for short-
term projects as well as long-range, ongoing issues.
Virtual teams enjoy the advantages of reducing travel costs and allowing people from remote
locations to participate (see Figure 7.1). They are flexible in the sense that meetings can be
arranged fairly quickly, especially when compared to the necessity to travel to a distant place.
Volvo and Lockheed Martin have both made effective use of the advantages of these types of
teams (Ante, 2003; Naughton, 2003; Crock, 2003).
Figure 7.1: Virtual teams
Virtual teams employ Internet and digital technologies to achieve common goals.
iStock/Thinkstock
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 213 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
One could argue that a virtual team would be better named a “virtual group.” The reasoning
connected to this interpretation would be that virtual collaborations do not take on the ele-
ments of trust and member interdependence that are part of the team concept. Three limita-
tions to virtual teams have been described, two of which reduce the ability to take on team-
like characteristics. First, in virtual meetings, paraverbal and nonverbal cues, such as voice
tone and inflection (paraverbal) and eye contact, distance, gestures, and facial expression
(nonverbal) cannot as easily be sent or received. This limits the richness of communications
between members. Second, socialization will be reduced. As virtual meetings conclude and
members adjourn, they cannot remain “in the room” to discuss issues and fraternize. The
third problem associated with virtual teams is that members will most likely meet at dif-
fering times, depending on location. A meeting that begins at 4:00 in the afternoon in San
Diego is taking place at 7:00 p.m. in New York, a time when most people have left the office.
International virtual meetings become even more problematic. Leading a team in those cir-
cumstances constitutes a greater challenge.
In summary, the four types of teams are prevalent in many of today’s companies. A leader’s
efforts can be designed to improve functioning and can assist self-managed teams, problem-
solving groups that become teams, cross-functional teams following the same path, and vir-
tual teams. We describe other elements of team success next.
Team Background Factors
Not only is it important for leaders to know the types of teams that function within organi-
zations, it is also important to know the various background factors that contribute to how
teams collectively think and function. Background factors include the internal and external
factors that influence the group. These include the history of the team; the mission, goals, and
culture of the organization; the team’s purpose and tasks; team member characteristics; and
the status of the group. A brief analysis follows.
History
A leader should know the background of a group. A new leader would be wise to invest time
learning as much as possible about the team by interviewing and getting to know all of the
team members. The leader can ask about the manner in which the team was formed, the
characteristics of any previous leader, and other elements before deciding how to operate and
possibly improve a team.
The Organization’s Mission, Goals, and
Culture
For a team to be successful, it must to be designed to effectively contribute to the mission,
goals, and culture of an organization. Therefore, leaders should become familiar with these
factors make sure the team is aligned to best contribute to the success of the organization.
The Team’s Purpose and Tasks
The purpose and tasks a group performs need to be clear and designed in the best possi-
ble way for the team to perform at a high level. The tasks performed by a team can have
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 214 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
a significant impact on its subsequent level of success. Members should have the skill sets
needed to complete various assignments. If not, the leader should seek to add new members
or address the situation in some other way.
Member Characteristics
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and how the team members
work together is critical information for a leader to discover. Are team members being fully
utilized? Do they function well together? Are there problems with or between team members?
The Team’s Status and Influence
A highly respected team tends to exhibit confidence and may be more motivated to complete
its project or assignment. Members who believe they are perceived in a more favorable light
because they belong to a certain team will likely give greater effort and be more willing to
support the team’s activities.
Herb Kelleher: Team Building at Southwest Airlines
One of the most influential leaders in the airline industry, Herb Kelleher, is responsible for
forming and building a major force: Southwest Airlines. His novel approach to management
included a heavy emphasis on team building. Leadership processes were designed for
that purpose. “Power should be reserved for weightlifting and boats, and leadership really
involves responsibility,” Kelleher once noted (Free Enterprise, 2014, para. 1).
The team-building process begins at the hiring stage. “We will hire someone with less
experience, less education, and less expertise, than someone who has more of those things
and has a rotten attitude. Because we can train people. We can teach people how to lead. We
can teach people how to provide customer service. But we can’t change their DNA.” He adds,
“I forgive all personal weaknesses except egomania and pretension” (Free Enterprise, 2014,
para. 3, 5).
From there, the company’s culture guides people to share in numerous activities. Early in the
company’s development, Kelleher and his management team were guided by the idea that
less time spent at the gate meant more time in the air. As a result, when a plane went through
a “turnaround,” everyone from the gate agents to the flight captain and all other nearby
employees were charged with cleanup and preparation for the next flight. The net result
was the ability to add additional flights each day, leading to the ability to lower fares while
building profits.
Southwest Airlines has placed a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction. The company
works hard to make sure that considerate employees resolve problems on flights such as lost
luggage and delays. For years the company’s staff meetings resembled pep rallies. Kelleher
notes, “A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear.” He notes, “One piece
of advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as
people, not because of their position or title” (Free Enterprise, 2014, para. 2, 6).
For years, Herb Kelleher was one of the most sought-after public speakers in the business
world. At times he was booked for more than 2 years in advance. Clearly his understanding
of the value of teamwork played a vital role in his success as an organizational leader and
pioneer (Reingold, 2013; Clow and Baack, 2010).
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 215 3/3/16 11:34 AM
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
Leaders assess these elements and then respond. In the following paragraphs, we discuss
how teams develop over time and some of the processes that take place within them. Only
with an understanding of this can a leader apply an effective leadership approach.
Stages of Team Development
Now that you have a better understanding of the background factors that comprise individual
teams and the types of teams that can develop, it’s important to look at precisely how this
developmental process works. Research regarding team interactions indicates that they go
through a number of stages of development, and that if they do not devote the adequate atten-
tion needed to address one phase, it handicaps them in their efforts at the next stage (Tuck-
man, 1965; Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). Tuckman and Jensen (1997) developed one commonly
cited approach used to explain how groups and teams evolve over time. Their model suggests
a sequence in which individuals gradually surrender a sense of independence in favor of
greater interdependence. While the sequence may not be as precise as the one depicted in
Figure 7.2, the figure does provide a general sense of how groups tend to operate.
Figure 7.2: The stages of group development
Communication issues are present at each stage of group development.
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
Forming
Initially, new team members are likely to distrust one another to some extent and to experi-
ence feelings of uncertainty. Two behaviors appear in the first stage of development, known
as the forming stage. First, members try out actions and activities to see if others in the group
deem them as acceptable. The other will be the first tentative actions of a leader when one has
been designated, such as setting a meeting time or agenda, or by those seeking to lead when
one has not been appointed. The forming stage ends when sufficient compliance suggests
that members see themselves as part of the larger group.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 216 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
Storming
Although members now view themselves as part of something, they sometimes disagree with
the constraints imposed by the team or simply test to see what the limits are. In the storm-
ing stage, the leader faces resistance as individuals seek to discover their place in the group’s
structure (Tuckman, 1965). If the leader cannot manage the group successfully, the possibil-
ity of subgroups, member procrastination, conflicts between members, and open rebellion
emerges. Group survival may be at risk.
Norming
The close of the storming stage occurs when the team has firmly established a leader, often
through the efforts of another member who challenges the group to come together. Closer
relationships build between members, and discussions of power become less emotional and
more matter-of-fact. Norms, or rules governing behaviors in the group, begin to emerge. The
norming stage is complete when members share a common set of expectations about behav-
iors and contributions to the group. As Table 7.2 shows, norms apply to three main areas in
both formal and informal groups. In fact, many times norms overlap between the two groups.
Norms can be formally or informally sanctioned, with approval or disapproval by group mem-
bers. Someone engaged in a pleasant conversation with a supervisor in an organization where
the norm is to see management as adversaries will probably be accused of being a “brown
noser,” or worse.
Table 7.2: Types of norms
Area of Behavior Example of Norm
Effort Time on the job/overtime
Level of productivity
Sales calls, sales totals, customer follow-ups
Work behaviors Clothes and hairstyle, tattoos and piercings
Use of language, cursing, formality
Obeying or ignoring work rules and procedures
Social behaviors Fraternization between management and labor
Office romances
Norms tend to develop slowly but then become difficult to change. They apply to the work-
place more so than to off-work activities. They also apply to behaviors rather than private
feelings and thoughts. Members may “go along” with norms they think are foolish, although
high-status group members may choose to ignore them. In general, norms summarize group
influence processes, including the rules for joining and maintaining membership (Hackman,
1992).
Norms may form around the time people arrive for meetings; how prepared people are for
meetings; productivity, attitudes, vocabulary; how problems are dealt with; how decisions
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 217 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
are made; and many other dynamics in the team. Team norms may be called other things such
as team standards or guidelines (Hackman, 1992).
Norms can provide vital organizational functions when they clarify the group or organiza-
tion’s key values and convey a sense of identity. Enforcing norms can assist an individual in
either meeting behavioral expectations and/or avoiding making behavioral mistakes. Some
authors argue norms help the group or the organization to survive (Feldman, 1984), bearing
in mind that counterproductive norms may also emerge that hinder organizational success
and limit the leader’s ability to function effectively.
Performing
When the team reaches the point at which the primary activities revolve around solving task
problems, the performing stage has opened. Open communication takes place between mem-
bers as they cooperate with and support one another. Any disputes are handled quickly and
constructively (Mason & Griffin, 2005). Ongoing work groups and committees that reach the
performing stage remain there unless drastic events interfere. Project teams end when the
task is complete. These groups then move to the final stage.
Adjourning
Teams that successfully complete tasks often end with a ceremony or celebration. These take
the forms of parties, official statements of appreciation by company leaders, or even gradua-
tions and mock funerals. Individuals resume a stronger sense of independence as the group
disbands.
Leaders can assist group functioning at every stage of development. In the forming stage they
can make members feel as comfortable as possible and establish basic ground rules. In the
storming stage an effective leader works to resolve conflicts and differences of opinion. In
the norming stage the leader can make sure that unethical or counterproductive norms do
not emerge. In the performing stage, the leader facilitates group activities. In the adjourning
stage, a leader can summarize group accomplishments and express gratitude for good work.
Team
Processes
Once a team is created, how that team actually functions becomes critical. Team processes
refer to how things get done in a team. For example, processes could include the norms that
guide the group and the ways in which the team members solve problems, make decisions,
and resolve conflicts. Team processes could also include the team’s problem-solving style, the
roles team members play, communication patterns among members, the social structure, and
the degree of trust among team members.
Team Problem Solving
The manner in which members of a team solve problems, make decisions, and resolve con-
flicts plays a key role in how effectively the team will function. Unfortunately, these processes
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 218 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
tend to develop with little thought given to how they are done or their implications. Effec-
tive leaders pay close attention to these processes. It may be helpful to discuss each of these
processes with team members and agree on guidelines for how they should be approached.
Training in these areas for leaders and perhaps all of the team members can also be helpful.
Team Member Roles
A role is the “part” a person plays in a social setting. Teams can be divided into four basic
roles. The team leader is the person who has been assigned to direct activities in a formal
group or someone who evolves into that role in an informal group. Formal leaders in teams
and groups include supervisors, heads of task forces, and committee chairs. Informal leaders
might evolve from being the person who picks the restaurant each day for the “lunch bunch,”
someone who signs up a group to participate in a bowling league, or an individual who takes
charge of a group of employees who are involved in political or religious activities outside of
work.
Opinion leaders are the leader’s closest associates. They derive the name from the willingness
to express team goals and norms. A person who says, “We need to pay attention to our safety
rules,” in an assembly line setting is likely the opinion leader for a work team. A group mem-
ber who says, “We just want to have some fun” at a company softball game, when a player gets
a little too serious about winning, serves as an informal group opinion leader.
Members in good standing are individuals who become part of the team but do not direct its
activities or reinforce group goals or norms. They simply participate in team activities.
The gatekeeper is the individual who decides which people will be included in a group and
who will be excluded. Both formal teams and informal groups have gatekeepers. At times the
entire group or team decides as a collective—which is known as the “gatekeeping function.”
Table 7.3 displays the productive and unproductive roles team members play. In a healthy team
it is likely that all members engage in productive roles. For the unproductive roles, leaders
should take care not to call attention to minor unproductive behaviors that anyone could slip
into at times. But leaders should address unproductive roles that are disruptive to the team.
A set of factors that can interfere with both the atmosphere present and performance levels
includes various issues related to team member roles. The three major forces that can disrupt
effective role performance and morale include role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload.
Role conflict occurs when an individual confronts differing role expectations. An intra-role
(within the role) conflict takes place when an employee faces two expectations that are not
in agreement. A restaurant server who is told by the leader to give personal, attentive service
that makes patrons feel comfortable may also be encouraged to “turn the table over” or get
people to leave as quickly as possible, in order to accommodate more guests. Achieving both
objectives will be extremely difficult. An inter-role conflict takes place when a role or task
performed on the job clashes with personal feelings. The role of attentive parent may conflict
with the role of reliable employee, especially when being reliable requires travel, working at
night, or long hours away from family (Peterson et al., 1995). An effective leader makes sure
these conflicts are effectively resolved.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 219 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
Table 7.3: Constructive and unconstructive team roles
Constructive Roles Unconstructive Roles
Leader
Effective leaders clarify objectives and respon-
sibilities, ensure that problems are clearly
defined and resolved, draw group members into
the discussion, work in terms of priorities and
results, and motivate group members to use their
capabilities.
Sidetrackers
Sidetrackers get a group off the subject by bringing up
irrelevant information, changing the subject, telling
stories, pursuing hidden agendas, joking inappropri-
ately, carrying on sideline conversations during meet-
ings, or arriving late or leaving early.
Taskmaster
Taskmasters keep the group on the task, prevent
sidetracking, and assure that tasks are accom-
plished on time.
Shotgunner
Shotgunners are critical and judgmental, and they
continuously put down ideas and people by playing
the devil’s advocate.
Human Relations Facilitator
Human relations facilitators keep group harmony,
relieve tension, encourage and support group
members, help reconcile differences, keep com-
munication open, show warmth and friendliness,
use humor appropriately, and watch over the
emotional climate of the group.
Assumer
Assumers assume things about people and ideas with-
out checking them out.
Perception Checker
When appropriate, perception checkers check
out their understanding of what others have said,
check to see if others have understood them, and
occasionally summarize results and check for
consensus.
Isolate
Isolaters withdraw from the group by being silent,
showing disinterest, pouting, looking bored, or refus-
ing to participate or cooperate with the group.
Leveler and Confronter
Constructive leveling and confronting is used to
get issues into the open. It is impossible to have a
healthy group without leveling and confronting.
Autocrat
Autocrats dominate the group by forcing their own
ideas, manipulating and intimidating group members,
monopolizing group time, and making unilateral
decisions.
Problem Solver
Problem solvers attack problems and not people,
are good listeners, identify the key issues, explore
alternatives, and motivate the group to select the
best decision given the realities of a situation.
Problem Maker
Problem makers make a habit of disrupting, being
poor listeners, creating and looking for problems and
seldom having solutions, gossiping, ignoring the chain
of command and group policies, rebelling against
change or attempts to achieve change, and informally
rallying group members to their causes.
Contributor
Contributing includes becoming a member of the
group by accepting responsibility for one’s behav-
ior and its consequences, by getting involved, and
by offering ideas and support.
Manipulator
Manipulators maneuver people to get their own way
and send double messages by saying one thing when
they mean another.
Role ambiguity results from lack of clarity about a role. An employee who complains, “I don’t
know what it is I’m supposed to be doing,” expresses role ambiguity. It appears when a per-
son first begins a position or joins a new organization. Role ambiguity may also material-
ize following dramatic changes in the group or in a company, such as when downsizing or
restructuring takes place. The individual will be unclear about new job responsibilities. Role
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 220 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.2 What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
ambiguity has been related to both job dissatisfaction and levels of personal stress. It can be
reduced through managerial efforts to increase role clarity, such as more specific job instruc-
tions, feedback, and coaching by a quality leader.
Role overload comes from being asked to do too much within a role. The person may have
been mismatched in the first place, being unprepared to tackle a position or occupation. Oth-
ers experience overload when managers place increasing demands on them without allocat-
ing sufficient time to accomplish the work. Role overload has been linked to job dissatisfac-
tion, stress-related problems, and conflicts with others. Table 7.4 identifies leadership tactics
designed to reduce role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload.
Table 7.4: Reducing role-related problems
Problem Methods
Role conflicts Clear task instructions
Employees only answer to one leader
Socially and morally responsible atmosphere
Role ambiguity Careful selection process
Clear rules and procedures
Goal-setting programs
Specific performance feedback
Quality leader-member relationships
Role overload Match person to job
Assist new or less experienced employees
Help during “crunch time” as needed
Communication Patterns
A leader can learn a great deal about a team by observing communication patterns. The desir-
able pattern is that communication between team members and the leader as well as with
one another is open, considerate, and candid. What is not desirable occurs when individuals
communicate primarily with select individuals, when destructive dialogue takes place behind
the scenes, when gossip about other team members including the leader routinely can be
heard, and when interactions are not respectful.
Social
Structure
The social structure of a team dictates how members relate to each other and the status of
each team member. Is the team like a caring family where they all look out for one another,
or perhaps more like a dysfunctional family where there are cliques and high- and low-status
members? How does the team leader relate to the team members, and how do they respond
back? Imbalances in the social structure such as a lack of socialization, too much socialization,
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 221 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section
7.3 A Systems Approach to Teamwork
significant differences in status, or the emergence of cliques can make it difficult for a team to
function effectively. Quality team leaders work to ensure that social patterns are caring and
respectful.
Team Trust
Trust is essential for team members to work efficiently and effectively together. It emerges
from straightforward, fair, and honest dealings among team members who then become able
to rely on the efforts and good intentions of others. A lack of trust makes it difficult to accom-
plish tasks, as decisions and behaviors are second guessed. Trust is something that is earned
and not something that is likely to be the result of experiential exercises.
In summary, an excellent team leader first tries to understand how the people involved oper-
ate together. The leader identifies the manner in which the team solves problems. Then, the
leader identifies or develops opinion leaders, members in good standing, and how gatekeep-
ing takes place. Also, outstanding leaders work to make sure roles are played in a productive
manner. From there, team communication patterns and social structure can be studied and
team trust can be built.
Self-Reflection Questions
1. Can you think of a situation in which a team would be both cross-functional
and virtual at the same time? Explain.
2. Can you think of a situation in which a team would be both problem solving
and virtual at the same time? Explain.
3. Of the background factors mentioned in this section, which might pose the
greatest challenge to a leader, and which the least? Defend your answer.
4. How might team norms and team roles conflict with each other?
5. What kinds of events or situations could prevent a team from moving into
the performing stage of its development? What should a manager do if that
happens?
6. Explain the ways in which distrust can damage a team and what a leader can
do to build trust among members with each other and with the leader.
7.3 A Systems Approach to Teamwork
Skilled teamwork rarely happens by chance. People do not automatically become skilled team
players. Teams do not automatically perform like high-performance teams simply because
they are teams, and it certainly does not always naturally occur to teams to work collabora-
tively together for a common purpose. In fact, teams can become myopic in seeing things from
their limited perspective and in looking out for their own interest.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 222 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.3 A Systems Approach to Teamwork
For an organization to function at its best, leaders, and particularly top-level leaders, need to
think of teamwork from a systems perspective. This means that they should think of team-
work in terms of the whole system and not just in terms of the teams they lead. In other
words, there ideally needs to be teamwork at the top, within teams, between teams, and out-
side the organization with key stakeholders, and leaders at all levels need to do whatever they
can to contribute to teamwork throughout the organization.
Teamwork at the Top
Teamwork should start at the top
in order to provide a quality exam-
ple. It is hard to preach teamwork
if you do not practice teamwork.
Note that whatever happens at
the top sets the standard for the
rest of the organization and is
multiplied throughout the orga-
nization. Therefore, the top-level
team should set an example of
leadership and teamwork for the
rest of the organization. Ideally,
the top-level team should func-
tion in a manner that manages
the organization well but focuses
primarily on leading the organi-
zation to success. Unfortunately,
many top-level teams are ineffec-
tive because they do little to pro-
vide an example for others to follow. It becomes the duty of the top-level leader to ensure that
teams see a quality model of behavior on a daily basis.
Teamwork Within Teams
Leaders at all levels of an organization should receive training on how to develop effective
teams. Building high-performing teams that excel at teamwork is an important part of a
leader’s job that requires time and effort. Even a small investment in building teamwork can
often pay significant dividends in the performance and morale of a team and avoid many of
the team problems and sometimes dysfunctional behaviors that occur when teamwork is left
to chance.
Teamwork Between Teams
It takes teamwork between teams as well as within teams for organizations to excel. Unfor-
tunately, teamwork between teams is seldom developed in a purposeful way. Consequently,
Rawpixel Ltd/iStock/Thinkstock
Leaders at all levels of an organization need to know how
to develop effective and high-performing teams.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 223 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.3 A Systems Approach to Teamwork
the left hand often does not know what the right hand is doing, and there is little effort to
coordinate and synchronize the interdependent activities undertaken by teams. Leaders need
to purposefully make efforts to break down walls, barriers, and conflicting goals between
teams and to systematically build teamwork between teams and create a “one team” mental-
ity throughout the organization.
Teamwork With Stakeholders
Part of an organization’s success is dependent on the relationships and teamwork the orga-
nization develops with key stakeholders outside the organization like customers, suppliers,
investors, unions, communities, and various partnerships that organizations are now often
engaged in. This is another part of a systems approach to teamwork that should not be left to
chance but instead directed and guided by the leader.
Other Insights
Two additional insights merit special mention. The first is that you get what you reward,
value, and measure. Leaders can talk as much as they want about the importance of team-
work and even offer training on how to be a team player and how to build teamwork. If the
desired behavior is not rewarded, however, it is not likely to last. For example, leaders may
emphasize teamwork, but if it is only individual behavior that is rewarded, most employees
will pursue individual efforts. Those who respond to the encouragement to be team players
may actually be penalized because of the time invested in teamwork that takes away from
individual efforts. The message for leaders is that if they recognize the importance of team-
work and want to encourage teamwork, they need to find ways to value, reward, and measure
teamwork.
The second insight that leaders should consider is that you cannot have a strong team with
weak players. One of the most difficult and challenging responsibilities of leaders is to do
everything within their power to get the right people on the team. This means making hiring
team members a high priority, and making sure that these individuals know what is expected
of them as players. It involves coaching team members about how they are doing as team
players and making efforts to develop the skills of weaker members. Table 7.5 lists insights
leaders should consider when building teams.
In summary, the systems approach to teamwork requires the leader to examine every possi-
ble type of team relationship. It begins with deliberate action at the top of the organization
but quickly expands to include those inside the leader’s team, interactions with other teams,
and finally with other stakeholders, including those outside of the organization. Effective sys-
tematic leaders understand how to reward employees and how to choose members who are
most likely to contribute to team success.
Table 7.5: Insights leaders need to know about teams and teamwork
1. To successfully compete in today’s times, organizations need to be skilled at teamwork at the top, within
teams, between teams, and outside the organization with key stakeholders.
2. Almost everyone believes that teamwork is essential to the success of organizations and to gaining com-
petitive advantage, but few organizations do anything to purposely develop teamwork.
3. You get what you value, reward, and measure. Organizations seldom have a process for valuing and
rewarding teamwork and being a team player and often have practices and rewards that discourage
teamwork and being a team player.
4. Leaders who know how to build high-performance teams and teamwork will be in high demand in pres-
ent and future organizations.
5. You cannot have an A team with C players! An A player is a team member who is committed to the team
and contributes significantly to the team. B players are committed to the team and contribute to the
team but need experience. They can be valuable members of the team. C players are either not commit-
ted, make minimal contributions, or are disruptive to the team and are unwilling or unable to improve.
It only takes one C player to derail or handicap a team.
6. Teamwork is so important to the success of organizations that organizations need to make recruiting
for teamwork and developing employees into skilled team players a high priority.
7. While teamwork is essential to an organization’s success and can improve performance, the quality of
work, products and services, the commitment to decisions, communications, and innovative thinking,
and can result in numerous other benefits, it is not suited for all situations. It can be over-utilized as
well as under-utilized.
8. All teams do not need to be alike. They need to be designed to fit their particular purpose.
9. Many team-building methods are ineffective at improving the performance of teams. Building a high-
performance takes hard and purposeful work and practice.
10. High-performance teams often appear somewhat chaotic, as everyone is engaged and involved and
wants to contribute. However, they unite and perform at a high level when things need to get done.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 224 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section
7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
the left hand often does not know what the right hand is doing, and there is little effort to
coordinate and synchronize the interdependent activities undertaken by teams. Leaders need
to purposefully make efforts to break down walls, barriers, and conflicting goals between
teams and to systematically build teamwork between teams and create a “one team” mental-
ity throughout the organization.
Teamwork With Stakeholders
Part of an organization’s success is dependent on the relationships and teamwork the orga-
nization develops with key stakeholders outside the organization like customers, suppliers,
investors, unions, communities, and various partnerships that organizations are now often
engaged in. This is another part of a systems approach to teamwork that should not be left to
chance but instead directed and guided by the leader.
Other Insights
Two additional insights merit special mention. The first is that you get what you reward,
value, and measure. Leaders can talk as much as they want about the importance of team-
work and even offer training on how to be a team player and how to build teamwork. If the
desired behavior is not rewarded, however, it is not likely to last. For example, leaders may
emphasize teamwork, but if it is only individual behavior that is rewarded, most employees
will pursue individual efforts. Those who respond to the encouragement to be team players
may actually be penalized because of the time invested in teamwork that takes away from
individual efforts. The message for leaders is that if they recognize the importance of team-
work and want to encourage teamwork, they need to find ways to value, reward, and measure
teamwork.
The second insight that leaders should consider is that you cannot have a strong team with
weak players. One of the most difficult and challenging responsibilities of leaders is to do
everything within their power to get the right people on the team. This means making hiring
team members a high priority, and making sure that these individuals know what is expected
of them as players. It involves coaching team members about how they are doing as team
players and making efforts to develop the skills of weaker members. Table 7.5 lists insights
leaders should consider when building teams.
In summary, the systems approach to teamwork requires the leader to examine every possi-
ble type of team relationship. It begins with deliberate action at the top of the organization
but quickly expands to include those inside the leader’s team, interactions with other teams,
and finally with other stakeholders, including those outside of the organization. Effective sys-
tematic leaders understand how to reward employees and how to choose members who are
most likely to contribute to team success.
Table 7.5: Insights leaders need to know about teams and teamwork
1. To successfully compete in today’s times, organizations need to be skilled at teamwork at the top, within
teams, between teams, and outside the organization with key stakeholders.
2. Almost everyone believes that teamwork is essential to the success of organizations and to gaining com-
petitive advantage, but few organizations do anything to purposely develop teamwork.
3. You get what you value, reward, and measure. Organizations seldom have a process for valuing and
rewarding teamwork and being a team player and often have practices and rewards that discourage
teamwork and being a team player.
4. Leaders who know how to build high-performance teams and teamwork will be in high demand in pres-
ent and future organizations.
5. You cannot have an A team with C players! An A player is a team member who is committed to the team
and contributes significantly to the team. B players are committed to the team and contribute to the
team but need experience. They can be valuable members of the team. C players are either not commit-
ted, make minimal contributions, or are disruptive to the team and are unwilling or unable to improve.
It only takes one C player to derail or handicap a team.
6. Teamwork is so important to the success of organizations that organizations need to make recruiting
for teamwork and developing employees into skilled team players a high priority.
7. While teamwork is essential to an organization’s success and can improve performance, the quality of
work, products and services, the commitment to decisions, communications, and innovative thinking,
and can result in numerous other benefits, it is not suited for all situations. It can be over-utilized as
well as under-utilized.
8. All teams do not need to be alike. They need to be designed to fit their particular purpose.
9. Many team-building methods are ineffective at improving the performance of teams. Building a high-
performance takes hard and purposeful work and practice.
10. High-performance teams often appear somewhat chaotic, as everyone is engaged and involved and
wants to contribute. However, they unite and perform at a high level when things need to get done.
Self-Reflection Questions
1. This section suggests that effective teamwork starts at the top. Can you make
an argument that, instead, effective teamwork really starts at the bottom?
Why or why not?
2. Can you think of situations in which the goals of insiders (within the team)
and the goals of outsiders (stakeholders) contradict one another? If so, what
should the leader do in those situations?
7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
Team skills are important for all team members but are especially important for leaders. Lead-
ers must be able to model being a good team player to have credibility in encouraging others
to be good team players. They also need to be skilled at leading teams. Leaders do not have
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 225 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
the luxury of being solo players who primarily look out for themselves. They are called lead-
ers primarily because of their skills in facilitating the activities and success levels of others.
This section focuses on methods to build high-performance teams. To do so, the first step
is to understand the characteristics of them, distinguishing between experiential and action
team building. Next the leader should master the skills and activities needed to build high-
performance teams. This includes the communication techniques necessary to guide these
units. Finally, the leader can focus on the characteristics of effective team members and leaders.
The Characteristics of High-Performance Teams
To purposely build a high-performing team, a leader first needs to know what a high-
performance team looks like. How many leaders do you know who have a good understand-
ing of the characteristics of a high-performance team and have a plan for building one? It can
be helpful for leaders to adopt or develop a model they can use as a guide in building teams
that is based on research on teams that perform at a high level. Numerous resources provide
models or information leaders can use for this purpose (Wheelan, 2010; Thompson, 2000;
Levi, 2011). Table 7.6 displays the characteristics shown and described in the model.
Table 7.6: Characteristics of high-performance teams
1. Structured for results
2. Effective team processes that are continuously improved
3. An atmosphere that brings out the best in the team and team members
4. Excellent performance and morale
5. Quality communication
As you can see in the figure, effective teams are structured for results. This involves focusing
members on the task at hand while carefully guiding members away from distracting topics,
arguments, and activities. Continuous improvement results when the leader understands the
stages of team development, as noted earlier in the chapter, and works to build team processes
designed to achieve results. Only then can an atmosphere that brings out the best emerge.
Note that an effective leader must be aware of forces that can disrupt the team. For example,
in some instances, extreme declines in individual effort result from the addition of new group
members. Social loafing occurs when group members give less effort to a group than they
would if working individually. At the extreme, social loafing involves a member taking a free
ride and contributing nearly nothing. Social norms offer a method to induce a social loafer to
at least provide some effort (Liden & Erdogan, 2003). Effective leaders identify social loafers
and work to include and involve them in meaningful and helpful ways.
Excellent performance and morale evolve from the leader’s guidance of the team accompa-
nied by the cooperative efforts of those involved. One final characteristic of high team per-
formance, quality communication, deserves special attention. Later in this section, we’ll look
at the role of team leaders in communicating effectively with teams, especially in meetings.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 226 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
The Differences Between Experiential and Action Team Building
Mention the term “team building” and most people will associate it with a series of experi-
ential exercises such as trust walks, trust falls, ropes courses, and a variety of other inside
or outside experiences that some enjoy and others would just as soon avoid. When a leader
seeks an internal or external professional to help build his or her team into a more effective
team, he or she is likely to get a person who specializes in experiential team building.
There are actually at least two major types of team building: experiential team building and
action team building. It is important for leaders to understand the differences in the two
approaches and the outcomes that can be expected from each, as they have different pur-
poses. The primary purpose of experiential team building is to build camaraderie and to help
people understand concepts about teams. In other words, experiential team building can be
effective in helping people get to know one another and in building team spirit, and it can be
effective in portraying valuable concepts about teams. It would be a mistake to think that by
conducting experiential team building exercises that a group will suddenly become a high-
performance team. Doing a trust walk may provide an understanding of the importance of
trust, but actually building trust, like building a team, takes time and actions. Little evidence
indicates that experiential team building actually makes teams more effective over the long
run, but there is evidence that individual attitudes and team skills may improve (Regan, 2004).
Building a high-performance team takes work and practice, does not happen overnight, and
comes primarily from action team building. The primary purpose of action team building is
to involve team members in specific actions needed to build an effective team. For example, a
team may need to agree on the mission, responsibilities, and goals of the team; the norms the
team will operate by; and the responsibilities of each team member. Members may also need
to address how they will make decisions and resolve problems and conflicts. Once the team
establishes the fundamentals, it takes time, practice, and continuous improvement to build a
high-performing team.
In deciding what is needed to build a high-performance team, leaders need to take into
account the unique purpose and circumstances of the team involved and if the team needs to
be a high-performance team. Some teams need considerable team building and others need
very little, if any, team building.
The Essentials of Building High-Performance Teams
An understanding of what it takes to build high-performance teams applies to both new and
existing teams, ongoing and temporary project teams, and face-to-face or virtual teams. Both
experiential and action team building are options. Still, the actual work of building teams
relies primarily on action team building. Figure 7.3 provides a six-step model for building
high-performance teams.
Effective teams almost always have effective leaders. No team-building process will replace
the need to have a skilled team leader that is committed to building a high-performance team
(Caudron, 1994). We’ll describe the skills needed to become a more successful leader at the
end of this section.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 227 3/3/16 11:34 AM
1. Effective team leadership
2. Capable and committed team members
3. Team norms that create a climate for excellence
4. A team structure designed for results
5. An organized way to manage and improve team processes
6. An organized way to manage and improve team results
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
Effective teams also feature capable and committed team members. Team members should be
willing to develop the skills needed for the team to excel. They also need to be committed to the
success of the team. Even having talented team members will not result in a high- performing
team if they are not committed team members and able to work effectively together.
Team norms that create a climate for excellence can greatly enhance outcomes. Team norms
that evolve by design or default in a team begin to shape the team culture, practices, and
behaviors. Norms can be positive or negative, helpful or harmful, and can have a significant
influence on the performance and health of a team. Therefore, it is best for the leader to try to
guide the team to develop norms that are most important so that they evolve in helpful ways.
High-performance teams feature a structure designed for results. For teams to function at a
high level, they eventually have to agree on the team vision, mission, goals, core values or
team norms, the responsibilities of the team and each team member, and how the team is
going to meet and function.
An organized way to manage and improve team processes also contributes to eventual out-
comes. The first four steps in Figure 7.3 prepare the team for success. The next two steps help
the team perform at a high level and to continuously improve as a team. The first of the last
two steps is having an organized way to manage and improve team processes. This step in the
team-building process is accomplished by a team meeting periodically to evaluate the team
and team processes and make any needed improvements.
High-performance teams feature an organized way to manage and improve team results. In
addition to improving team processes, teams also need planned ways to improve team results.
Teams can accomplish this by meeting on a regularly scheduled basis such as once a month or
once a quarter to evaluate progress toward goals and other team measures and make needed
adjustments. The team should design the frequency of the meetings to meet their needs.
Additional Considerations
When building a high-performance team, leaders should take into consideration several
important factors. First, as mentioned previously, the amount and type of team building
needed should be tailored to the needs and functions of a particular team. Second, the leader
needs to develop a plan for the approach used to develop teams. Some teams may meet several
Figure 7.3: Steps to building high-performance teams
1. Effective team leadership
2. Capable and committed team members
3. Team norms that create a climate for excellence
4. A team structure designed for results
5. An organized way to manage and improve team processes
6. An organized way to manage and improve team results
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 228 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
times during the year for a day or more so they can address all of the six steps or other needs.
These sessions could be planned to be on-site, off-site, or virtual. Other teams meet for short
periods of time such as a few hours and address different parts of the team-building process.
A third consideration involves deciding who will facilitate team-building sessions. The infor-
mation in this chapter is designed to help leaders do most of their own team building. There
are times when it would be more appropriate to have a professional from inside or outside
the organization facilitate the session and possibly do an assessment of the team as well prior
to the team improvement session.
A fourth consideration is identifying a process for having individuals or groups follow up on
any changes or improvements that need to be made. The process should include a follow-
up meeting with a specific date to aim for, such as 1 month, to share the results of follow-
up efforts. Accountability for follow-up is crucial to making team-building efforts a valuable
investment of time.
Stan Richards: High-Performing Teams and Communication
In 2014, the University of Texas named a major department the Stan Richards School of
Advertising and Public Relations. The school bestowed the honor as homage to his lifetime
of achievement in the advertising industry as founder and CEO of the Richards Group. The
company is the largest independently owned ad shop in the United States, housing more than
650 employees. The firm created many memorable advertising campaigns over the past 30
years, including Chick-fil-A’s famous cows, the alluring Corona beer ads with couples lounging
on the beach, and Motel 6’s “We’ll Leave the Light on for You,” to name a few (Helm, 2015).
Richards’s management style includes an emphasis on discipline coupled with the thoughtful
assembly of teams and groups. As much as any industry, advertising is driven by teamwork and
cooperation between specialists from a wide variety of areas. In the same way that a conductor
brings together all of the pieces of an orchestra, Richards directs the activities of individuals
holding titles and positions such as creative, media planner, media buyer, account executive,
consumer research, and specialists working with social media and new cultural challenges.
Early on, Richards recognized that these unique skills sets must be brought together in ways
that generate creativity. He once noted that most advertising agencies begin on a single floor
of an office building, which means that these talented individuals work together to develop
new ideas, all while resolving differences and conflicts. The energy that emerges from such
collaboration represents a key part of the organization’s success.
Then, when the firm grows, Richards commented that many firms begin to separate
employees by specialty, with creatives on one floor and media planners and/or buyers on
another. At the moment, he argued, the specialties form into “tribes” and often “go to war”
as a result. His approach has been to continue to co-mingle specialists in every part of his
large office building in Dallas, thereby helping to maintain the much-needed interactions of
all team members on a daily basis. Further, staff meetings take place in the stairwells, so that
everyone feels part of something larger.
At the same time, Richards insists on professionalism in terms of manner of dress and time
on task (Helm, 2015). His management structure does not include the standard hierarchy.
Instead, one layer of project managers separates Richards from rank-and-file employees. He
continues to carefully direct staff and creative meetings for major accounts. The net result has
been a thriving company for more than 30 years, with an impressive list of ongoing clients.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 229 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
Team Meetings: Communication Techniques
We’ve discussed most of the characteristics of a high-performance team previously in the
chapter. What we’ve not yet examined is the importance of encouraging results-oriented team
meetings. In team meetings, teams share information, make plans, set goals, and address
problems and conflicts. Also, decisions are made, training and team building can occur, many
cultural norms are formed, and relationships are built. The quality of team meetings can make
or break teams.
Research regarding meetings in organizations indicate that meetings are often a waste of time
and resources (Bens, 2007). Common complaints include that there are too many, they are
too long, and they are unproductive (Lussier & Achua, 2016). For leaders to be more purpose-
ful about meetings, they need to consider at least three important factors: (1) whether it is
best to have a formal or informal meeting; (2) what it takes to run a successful meeting; and
(3) the type of meeting that is best suited for the desired outcome.
Formal Versus Informal Team
Meetings
Formal meetings are meetings with two or more people that are scheduled for a specific pur-
pose. With today’s technology, formal meetings can be face to face or held using a wide variety
of technological options. Informal meetings are impromptu meetings with two or more peo-
ple. These meetings are typically quickly called to address issues, or they can be unannounced
drop-in type meetings. They can be effective for addressing issues, giving positive feedback,
seeking ideas, or informing people of important information. The first issue the leader con-
siders is which type of meeting effectively suits the communication purpose.
Keys to Successful Team Meetings
People spend an increasing amount of time in meetings as they move up in an organization.
Many of these meetings are ineffective, which means that organizations are utilizing valuable
time and money for unproductive activities. Effective meetings require thought and careful
planning. Some keys to successful meetings include the following ideas.
First, consider the purpose and best approach for the meeting. Evaluate the purpose of the
meeting; the best approach to reach the desired objective; and the best setting in terms of
time, place, or technology involved.
Second, decide who should attend. Choosing those who should attend is an important deci-
sion. When little thought is given to meetings, people who do not need to be there are some-
times required to attend and those who should be there get overlooked.
Third, prepare people for the meeting. When people come unprepared for a meeting, it lim-
its what the meeting can accomplish. Sending the right information and the right amount
of information prior to a meeting is an important decision. Participants typically need to be
made aware of the purpose, agenda, and objectives of the meeting. It may also be appro-
priate to send other pertinent information or to make specific assignments in preparing for
meetings.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 230 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
Fourth, make meetings as useful, brief, interesting, and positive as possible. It is important to
consider that time is precious to you and others and that you should make attending meet-
ings worth the time people are giving to you. Try to make meetings as productive and timely
as you can. It is also helpful to consider ways to make meetings as interesting and positive as
possible. Think about how many meetings you dread going to because they are boring and
tedious and have a tendency to focus on the negative or negative approaches to resolving
issues. Leaders should be creative in finding ways to make meetings interesting and learn to
focus on the good things that are happening, not just the bad, and should do their best to turn
difficulties into opportunities to be innovative in addressing issues.
Fifth, the leader should start the meeting by establishing a clear purpose and process. Unless
it is self-evident, it is usually helpful to start meetings by making clear the purpose, and where
appropriate, clarifying the agenda or process being used and any ground rules that would
help the process.
Sixth, the leader should provide opportunities for people to be involved and engaged. Not
everyone needs to have things to say in every meeting. Leaders should make mental checks
periodically to assure that team members are involved and engaged.
Seventh, a leader should help members learn from meetings and consider ways to improve
them. This includes taking the time to periodically involve team members in considering ways
to improve meetings.
Eighth, a leader makes sure that any needed follow-up is clear. Follow-up can make or break
the value of meetings. Even a great meeting without needed follow through is of little use. If
follow-up is needed, it should be clear regarding who is going to do what, and there should be
accountability for doing what people committed to do.
Ninth, and finally, where appropriate, the leader should assign someone to keep a record of
the meeting. In cases where it is appropriate to do so, formal or informal notes need to be kept
on what took place in the meeting, the decisions that were made, and the follow-up that has
been assigned.
Types of Meetings
Leaders can get into the habit of having a regular meeting for all purposes, such as meeting
every Monday morning from 8:00 to 9:00. But not all meetings have to be the same. Leaders
can use a variety of meetings for different purposes approached in different ways. For exam-
ple, leaders can design information meetings to be quick and to the point. Some use stand-up
meetings and set time and format guidelines to assure the meetings are brief.
Decision-making and problem-solving meetings should have a clear statement of purpose, an
agenda, and objectives. Leaders can approach them in a variety of ways such as using break-
out groups to generate ideas or solutions.
Leaders should set aside time for occasional team improvement meetings in which the group
evaluates what is working well or could be improved in the team. Prior to the session, it may
be helpful to have team members anonymously complete a questionnaire that generates
information about the team that can be used in the session.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 231 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Section 7.4 Building High-Performance Teams
Social/developmental meetings are important to the vitality of a team. Even teams that are
functioning well can become stale if they do not have opportunities for socializing and train-
ing and development time. One top-level team at a division of Hewlett Packard appointed a
member of the team for each quarter who was in charge of “fun and development” for the
team. One team member arranged for an all-day ski trip. Another brought in a speaker to
provide training on a topic useful to the team.
Quality leadership involves identifying the type of meeting that is in order. Then the leader
creates a format and agenda that will facilitate the meeting’s purpose. At the conclusion,
an effective leader analyzes whether the meeting achieved its intention or if changes and
improvements will be required. Remember that team communication is like glue: It is what
holds the entire process together.
Team Player Skills
Most people at work participate on multiple teams, some of which they lead and some of
which they are a team member. Being a skilled team player is a good way to set yourself apart
and add value to teams (Sarin & O’Connor, 2009). Teams need team members who have a
strong commitment to the team, are easy to work with, help keep the team focused and get
things done, and can be counted on to keep their commitments.
Team Leadership Skills
This entire chapter is designed to prepare leaders to be skilled team leaders. There are a num-
ber of common roles that good leaders play in leading teams. In addition to this chapter, there
are many resources available that can guide leaders in being skilled team leaders (Lorinkova,
Pearsall, & Sims, 2013; LaFasto, Frank, & Larson, 2001; Dyer, Dyer, & Dyer, 2013). Basically,
however, team leadership skills include the items you see in Table 7.7.
Table 7.7: Team leadership skills
Provide vision, direction, and inspiration
Structure the team for results with the right people in the right places doing the right things
Establish effective team processes
Develop a high-performance team atmosphere
Plan results-oriented meetings
Achieve the desired results
Develop the team into a high-performance team
Evaluate and improve the health of the team
Motivate, coach, and inspire team members to be their best
Pave the way for the team and team members to get things done
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 232 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Chapter Summary
Chapter Summary
A Brief History of the Study of Groups and Teams
A group consists of two or more people gathered or classified together with a common pur-
pose. Groups can be formal or informal. Formal groups are established to allow members to
work together to accomplish a given outcome. Informal groups emerge among individuals
with common interests. A team has two or more people working together for a common
purpose with interdependent roles and complementary skills.
What Leaders Need to Know About Teams
The first step a leader takes is to understand the types of teams utilized in organizations.
Four of the most common are:
• self-managed work teams;
• problem-solving teams;
• cross-functional teams; and
• virtual teams.
Each presents potential benefits and challenges to the leader and the overall organization.
Next, the leader assesses the background factors including the internal and external fac-
tors that influence the group. These include the history of the team; the mission, goals, and
culture of the organization; the team’s purpose and tasks; team member characteristics; and
the status of the group.
Self-Reflection Questions
1. Which characteristic of high-performing teams do you believe is the most
vital? Explain why.
2. A poorly run meeting of a team can lead to conflict and dysfunction. Explain
what you as a leader would do to make sure this does not happen.
3. Can you make an argument that becoming a good team player represents the
starting point to becoming an effective team leader? Explain your answer.
In summary, building high-performance teams constitutes a painstaking and ongoing pro-
cess. The leader must first understand what makes up such a collection of people and then
undertake a series of activities in order to help the team achieve. Communication continues
to be the cornerstone of quality team leadership. High-performance teams result from the
efforts of individuals who understand how to be effective team players as well as leaders.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 233 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Chapter Summary
The stages of team development include:
• forming;
• storming;
• norming;
• performing; and
• adjourning.
An effective leader addresses each stage with due consideration, taking steps to make
sure members adjust to and thrive in those circumstances. Quality leadership helps mem-
bers understand their roles and overcome any tendency to become unproductive or suf-
fer from role conflict, ambiguity, or overload. Team trust represents another important
consideration.
A Systems Approach to Teamwork
Ideally there needs to be teamwork at the top, within teams, between teams, and outside the
organization with key stakeholders, and leaders at all levels need to do whatever they can to
contribute to teamwork throughout the organization.
Building High-Performance Teams
Leadership involves understanding the characteristics of high-performing teams. They
include:
• being structured for results;
• effective team processes that are continuously improved;
• an atmosphere that brings out the best in the team and team members;
• excellent performance and morale; and
• quality communication.
For leaders to be more purposeful about meetings, they need to consider at least three
important factors: whether it is best to have a formal or informal meeting; what it takes
to run a successful meeting; and the type of meeting that is best suited for the desired
outcome.
Finally, working with teams and groups involves two types of skills. The first is being an
effective member. The second involves being an effective team leader.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 234 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
Key Terms
formal group Type of group that is estab-
lished to allow members to work together to
accomplish a given outcome.
group Two or more people gathered or
classified together with a common purpose;
can be formal or informal.
informal group Type of group that
emerges among individuals with common
interests.
norms Rules governing behaviors in a
group.
role The “part” a person plays in a social
setting.
social loafing Phenomenon that occurs
when group members give less effort
to a group than they would if working
individually.
team Two or more people with a common
purpose, interdependent roles, and comple-
mentary skills.
Leadership Applications and Tools
Leadership Exercises
1. Shari loves lunch. Each day she takes a few minutes to send texts to her friends on the
job to make sure they all agree on a restaurant to attend. She carefully avoids sending
a message to Marcus, as he can be a little bit pushy and dominate conversation to the
point that no one else has a good time. The “lunch bunch” agrees and carefully avoids
letting him know their plans.
Which two group roles is Shari playing? What type of group is involved?
2. Can a self-managed team become a quality problem-solving team? Consider the follow-
ing situations and develop a response:
• a firm about to go through major downsizing—team to decide who will be laid off
• a company on the cusp of dramatic growth—team to decide on whether to
expand internationally
• a set of employees on a production line for a customized product where several
defective items have been detected
• a group of employees assigned to deal with a series of unsatisfied customers
3. The recent Ebola crisis led to a series of teams assigned to help assist in solving the dilem-
mas the disease created. Describe the type of team that would most effectively deal with
the following situations, along with the key leader activities that team would require.
• team to decide whether travelers to affected areas should be quarantined
• team providing medical treatment to those affected in rural African areas
• team providing medical treatment to those who returned to the United States
with the infection
• team dedicated to setting policies for future epidemic outbreaks
4. Lloyd has the reputation of being the company’s biggest slacker. He keeps his job
because he is the nephew of the firm’s owner. Whenever he is assigned to a team, Lloyd
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 235 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
always manages to do the least amount possible, if anything at all. Most of the time this
is not a problem, as the other members pick up the load. Unfortunately, Lloyd is cur-
rently assigned to the company’s benefits committee. He is an accountant and holds the
type of information needed to decide which benefits the organization can and cannot
afford.
What term in this chapter was used to describe someone like Lloyd? If you were the
team leader of the benefits committee, what tactics would you use to inspire him to
contribute in meaningful ways?
5. Maria has just been assigned to lead a task force investigating the cause of a major fire
that damaged a company’s main plant. In her first organizational meeting, she notices
that two individuals placed on the team appear to love to “pontificate.” She concludes
that they enjoy hearing the sounds of their own voices but don’t appear to be overly
concerned with discovering the cause of the fire or creating protocols to make sure this
does not occur in the future. What should Maria do to make team meetings run more
smoothly without undue interruptions and unnecessary speech-a-fying?
6. Some argue that individuals with high levels of skill often make poor leaders when
managing others to perform the same activity, such as a highly successful salesperson
becoming a sales manager or a highly talented IT expert being asked to lead a com-
pany’s technology department.
7. Do you believe such a generality is true? Defend your answer.
8. If you were asked to help train such an individual (highly skilled but poor leader) to
become an effective leader, what specific skills would you try to instill in that individ-
ual? Explain.
Applications and Tools
There are a few tools that leaders need when developing high-performance teams. One par-
ticularly helpful tool is a questionnaire that leaders can use to evaluate the effectiveness and
realities of a team. Here are questionnaires that can help you do just that.
1. Complete the following to help you assess teamwork in an organization.
Assessing Teamwork in an Organization
Instructions: After considering each statement about your organization, rate your
organization on a 10-point scale considering 10 the highest rating and 1 the lowest.
Total your points to determine the overall rating of your organization on how effective
it is at teamwork and team building. Then list the major strengths and opportuni-
ties for improvement of your organization regarding teamwork and team building.
Please use the following scale in selecting your ratings:
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 236 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
Low Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High Rating
1. _____ My organization has a strong commitment to developing teamwork through-
out the organization.
2. _____ My organization does a good job of training leaders on the importance of
teamwork and on how to build high-performance teams.
3. _____ My organization excels at teamwork throughout the organization.
4. _____ The top-level leaders function like an effective high-performance team.
5. _____ Teamwork within groups throughout the organization is at a high level.
6. _____ Teamwork between groups that impact one another throughout the organi-
zation is at a high level.
7. _____ Teamwork between my organization and outside people and organizations
that affect my organization is at a high level.
8. _____ Being a team player in my organization is recognized and rewarded.
9. _____ My organization is designed to encourage, value, and reward teamwork.
10. _____ From a teamwork perspective, my organization is a great place to work and
is a great place to do business with.
_____ TOTAL POINTS
Organization Teamwork and Team-Building Effectiveness Scale
A = 90–100 B = 80-89 C = 70–79 D = 60–69 F = 59 and below
Major Organization Strengths
Major Organization Opportunities for
Improvements
Copyright © D.D. Warrick
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 237 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
Low Avg. High
Structure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1. The team leader provides vision, direction, and
inspiration.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2. The team has a clear mission.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 3. The responsibilities of the team and each team
member are clear.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 4. The team has clear goals.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 5. The team is effectively organized to achieve the
best possible results.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6. The team does the necessary planning to be effective.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7. The team is effective at following through on goals,
projects, and commitments.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. The team has the necessary resources, support,
and control to succeed.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9. The team operates with minimal red tape and
bureaucracy.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10. The potential of the team and each team member
is fully utilized.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11. The team is flexible and responds quickly to
needed changes.
Processes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12. The team leader encourages participation and
involvement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 13. All team members have a strong commitment to
the success of the team.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 14. All team members are committed team players.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 15. Team members feel free to be candid and commu-
nicate openly.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 16. Ideas are critiqued in a positive way by attacking
problems and not people.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 17. All team members use a style that encourages
effective problem solving.
2. Complete the following team-building questionnaire based on the characteristics of a
high-performance team discussed in the chapter.
Team Building Questionnaire
Instructions: On each item below, circle the number that best represents how you
would rate your team. Consider 1–3 a low rating, 4 an average rating, and 5–7 a
high rating. Circle only one number for each statement. It is very important that you
express your observations honestly and objectively so an accurate profile can be devel-
oped. Total your points to discover the type of team you have.
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 238 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
Low Avg. High
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 18. Problems and conflicts are openly discussed and
resolved.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 19. Team members may disagree but are united once
decisions are made.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 20. Team members are valued and rewarded for their
efforts.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 21. The team has an excellent relationship with other
teams in the organization.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 22. Time is taken periodically to evaluate and improve
the team.
Culture
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 23. The team has a sense of vitality, enthusiasm, and
team spirit.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 24. Team members work well together and support
and encourage each other.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 25. An atmosphere of trust exists among the team
members.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 26. The team has an environment that encourages
innovative ideas and constant improvement.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 27. The team has an environment that is warm,
friendly, and fun.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 28. The team encourages and supports state-of-the-
art training and personal development.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 29. The team fully utilizes the talents of each team
member.
Meetings
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 30. The team meetings are well designed to be useful
and productive.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 31. A variety of meetings are held to involve team
members in sharing ideas.
Results
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 32. The team is very successful at achieving the
desired results.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 33. Team morale is high.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 34. The team excels at being customer driven and
service oriented.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 35. The team produces high-quality work.
High Performance = 193–224 Good = 160–192 Average = 129–159
Below Average = 96–127 Weak = 32–95
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 239 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
3. The following provides guidelines and examples of team norms and a form for struc-
turing a team for results.
Understanding
Team Norms
Norms are patterns of behavior and attitudes that emerge in teams. The patterns can
be positive or negative, helpful or harmful, and can have a significant influence on the
performance and health of a team. For example, a norm could be that team members
show up for meetings on time or are perpetually late. A norm could be that commu-
nication is open and straightforward or closed and guarded. Norms tend to form by
default but should be developed by design. They can be developed by design by brain-
storming the ideal norms for the team and then selecting a few meaningful norms that
would help the team and team members excel. In writing norms, keep in mind that too
many norms or bland norms are quickly forgotten.
Examples of Possible Team Norms
• All team members contribute to the success and morale of the team.
• Be a positive, dependable, and supportive team player.
• Be a source of harmony and not disharmony.
• Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
• Have clear agendas and productive and results-oriented meetings.
• Be prepared and on time with your work.
• Be straightforward and considerate in accomplishing work and resolving issues.
• Treat everyone with respect.
• Act openly and honestly and don’t undermine your team or teammates.
• Encourage innovative, breakthrough thinking and ideas.
• Encourage open and lively dialogue but unity once decisions are made.
• Follow through. Do what we say we will do.
• Keep your commitments.
• Keep things clear and simple.
• Be willing to identify and proactively and quickly resolve issues.
• Attack problems and not people.
• Ask for help when help is needed.
• Don’t participate in guerilla warfare.
Team Strengths Team Opportunities
Copyright © D.D. Warrick
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 240 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leadership Applications and Tools
Maintaining Team Norms
Team norms need to be maintained to realize the payoffs of developing norms by
design. There are several ways this can be accomplished. For example, the team should
periodically compare present practices with the team norms. It is also possible to turn
the norms into a questionnaire that can be used to survey team members. However, the
most important method is to agree on a process for confronting frequent or significant
breeches in the norms.
4. The following is a form that a team can use to address team essentials such as the team
mission, team leader and team member responsibilities, team norms, team meeting
and communication processes, team goals, and the team process for handling problems
and conflicts.
Outlining Core Team Principles: Structuring the Team for Results
Team Name: Team Leader:
Team Members:
Team Mission (Purpose)
Team Leader Role (Responsibilities)
Team Member Role (Responsibilities)
Team Responsibilities
Team Norms
Team Meetings and Ways of Communicating
Type of Meeting Ways of Communicating Frequency
Team Goals
Goals Target Date Goal Leader
Team Process for Handling Team Issues
Copyright © D.D. Warrick
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 241 3/3/16 11:34 AM
war82476_07_c07_207-242.indd 242 3/3/16 11:34 AM
Leader Traits
The purpose of this assignment is to identify the traits frequently associated with leadership effectiveness and explore the advantages and disadvantages associated with trait approaches to leadership.
For this assignment:
· Provide an overview of the leader’s role that includes the following:
· Name and title of the leader
· His or her specific role/position
· The name and industry of the organization
· Describe qualities that are important to the leader’s success.
· Provide examples of how some leaders with similar traits are successful in very different fields, as well as how equally successful leaders may not share all the same traits.
· Analyze how differences in the various situations faced by different leaders may impact leadership effectiveness.
Your paper should be three to four pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages). Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Writing Center, and it must include citations and references for the text and at least two scholarly sources from the University of Arizona Global Campus Library.
Provides an Overview of the Leader
Total: 1.00
Distinguished – Provides a thorough overview of the leader and thoroughly addresses each component listed in the assignment instructions.
Proficient – Provides an overview of the leader and addresses each component listed in the assignment instructions. The overview is slightly underdeveloped.
Basic – Provides a limited overview of the leader and somewhat addresses each component listed in the assignment instructions. The overview is underdeveloped.
Below Expectations – Attempts to provide an overview of the leader; however, does not address all components listed in the assignment instructions and/or the overview is significantly underdeveloped.
Non-Performance – The overview of the leader is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Describes Qualities Critical to Success
Total: 1.00
Distinguished – Thoroughly describes qualities critical to success.
Proficient – Describes qualities critical to success. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Partially describes qualities critical to success. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to describe qualities critical to success; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The description of qualities critical to success are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Provides Examples of Leaders
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Provides detailed examples of how some leaders with similar traits were successful in very different fields as well as how equally successful leaders may not share all the same traits.
Proficient – Provides examples of how some leaders with similar traits were successful in very different fields as well as how equally successful leaders may not share all the same traits. Some of the examples are slightly underdeveloped.
Basic – Provides limited examples of how some leaders with similar traits were successful in very different fields as well as how equally successful leaders may not share all the same traits. Several of the examples are underdeveloped.
Below Expectations – Attempts to provide examples of how some leaders with similar traits were successful in very different fields as well as how equally successful leaders may not share all the same traits; however, many of the examples are underdeveloped.
Non-Performance – The examples of leaders are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Analyzes How Situational Differences Impact Leadership Effectiveness
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Thoroughly analyzes how situational differences impact leadership effectiveness.
Proficient – Analyzes how situational differences impact leadership effectiveness. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Partially analyzes how situational differences impact leadership effectiveness. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to analyze how situational differences impact leadership effectiveness; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The analysis of how situational differences impact leadership effectiveness is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Critical Thinking: Explanation of Issues
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Clearly and comprehensively explains the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for a full understanding.
Proficient – Clearly explains the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.
Basic – Briefly explains the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding.
Below Expectations – Briefly explains the issue to be considered, but may not deliver additional information necessary for a basic understanding.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Content Development
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Uses appropriate, pertinent, and persuasive content to discover and develop sophisticated ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.
Proficient – Uses appropriate and pertinent content to discover ideas within the context of the discipline, shaping the work as a whole.
Basic – Uses appropriate and pertinent content but does not apply it toward discovering or developing ideas. Overall, content assists in shaping the written work.
Below Expectations – Uses content, though it may be unrelated or inappropriate to the topic. Content does not contribute toward the development of the written work and may distract the reader from its purpose.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.25
Distinguished – Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.
Proficient – Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic – Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.
Below Expectations – Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: APA Formatting
Total: 0.25
Distinguished – Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient – Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic – Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.
Below Expectations – Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Page Requirement
Total: 0.25
Distinguished – The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Proficient – The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Basic – The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Below Expectations – The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Resource Requirement
Total: 0.25
Distinguished – Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient – Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic – Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations – Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Required Resources
Text
Read the following chapters from
Leadership: A high impact approach
:
· Chapter 7: Teamwork and Group Skills
Recommended Resources
Articles
McLaurin, J. R. (2006). The role of situation in the leadership process: A review and application. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 5, 97-114. Retrieved from the ProQuest database
Salahuddin, M. M. (2010). Generational differences impact on leadership style and organizational success. Journal of Diversity Management, 5(2), 1-6. Retrieved from the ProQuest database.
Multimedia
INTELECOM (Producer).
Different leadership styles (Links to an external site.)
[Video file]. Retrieved from http://searchcenter.intelecomonline.net:80/playClipDirect.aspx?id=4870EEC7664070BBC7A04533604A03CF971D109CD99C09CFF3E0B4233E9173F7C23635D7D2B2AA4413AD3789EC202C02
TED (Producer). (2010). TEDTalks: Simon Sinek – How great leaders inspire action [Video file]. Retrieved from the Films On Demand database