Please provide answers to the questions in paragraph form (min.docx
- 1. Please provide answers to the questions in paragraph form (minimum of 500-600 words). Be sure to incorporate your weekly readings, and cite your sources using proper APA guidelines (including in-text citations and references). 1. Describe in detail an experience working with teams in or outside your workplace. 2. Explain in detail and provide examples of the advantages and challenges of working in teams discussed in your reading that you experienced. 3. How did your team learn as a group and move forward in the team-building process? 4. What was your experience as it relates to your organization’s culture? 5. Assume you are the leader and know what you know now about leading teams. a. How would you use both formal and informal communication processes to communicate with your team members? b. How would you facilitate moving your team through the stages of team development? c. What if your team were a global one with members spread out throughout the world. Discuss three factors you need to consider to ensure team effectiveness. Notes from readings Charisma has been referred to as “a fire that ignites followers' energy and commitment, producing results above and beyond the call of duty.”50 The charismatic leader has the ability to inspire and motivate people to do more than they would normally do, despite obstacles and personal sacrifice. Followers
- 2. are willing to put aside their own interests for the sake of the team, department, or organization. The impact of charismatic leaders normally comes from (1) stating a lofty vision of an imagined future that employees identify with, (2) displaying an ability to understand and empathize with followers, and (3) empowering and trusting subordinates to accomplish results. Transformational leaders are similar to charismatic leaders, but they are distinguished by their special ability to bring about innovation and change by recognizing followers' needs and concerns, providing meaning, challenging people to look at old problems in new ways, and acting as role models for the new values and behaviors. Transformational leaders inspire followers not just to believe in the leader personally, but to believe in their own potential to imagine and create a better future for the organization. Transformational leaders create significant change in both followers and the organization.56 Transformational leadership can be better understood in comparison to transactional leadership.57Transactional leaders clarify the role and task requirements of subordinates, initiate structure, provide appropriate rewards, and try to be considerate and meet the social needs of subordinates. The transactional leader's ability to satisfy subordinates may improve productivity. Transactional leaders excel at management functions. They are hardworking, tolerant, and fair minded. They take pride in keeping things running smoothly and efficiently. Transactional leaders often stress the impersonal aspects of performance, such as plans, schedules, and budgets. They have a sense of commitment to the organization and conform to organizational norms and values. Transactional leadership is important to all organizations, but leading change requires a different approach.
- 3. 5 stages if development Forming The forming stage of development is a period of orientation and getting acquainted. Members break the ice and test one another for friendship possibilities and task orientation. Uncertainty is high during this stage, and members usually accept whatever power or authority is offered by either formal or informal leaders. During this initial stage, members are concerned about things such as “What is expected of me?” “What behavior is acceptable?” and “Will I fit in?” During the forming stage, the team leader should provide time for members to get acquainted with one another and encourage them to engage in informal social discussions. EXHIBIT 18.7 Five Stages of Team Development Storming During the storming stage, individual personalities emerge. People become more assertive in clarifying their roles and what is expected of them. This stage is marked by conflict and disagreement. People may disagree over their perceptions of the team's goals or how to achieve them. Members may jockey for position, and coalitions or subgroups based on common interests may form. Unless teams can successfully move beyond this stage, they may get bogged down and never achieve high performance. Think of the Miami Heat basketball team, which had trouble getting a team loaded with superstar players with disparate personalities to “gel and excel.” The team started coming together and show signs of solidarity only when it became clear that they couldn't win unless they did. “When it's raw, when you don't get along, that's when there's the most opportunity for growth,” said head coach Erik Spoelstra. During the storming stage, the team leader should encourage participation by each team member. Members should propose ideas, disagree with one another, and work through the
- 4. uncertainties and conflicting perceptions about team tasks and goals. Norming During the norming stage, conflict is resolved, and team harmony and unity emerge. Consensus develops on who has the power, who the leaders are, and what members' roles are. Members come to accept and understand one another. Differences are resolved, and members develop a sense of team cohesion. During the norming stage, the team leader should emphasize unity within the team and help to clarify team norms and values. Performing During the performing stage, the major emphasis is on problem solving and accomplishing the assigned task. Members are committed to the team's mission. They are coordinated with one another and handle disagreements in a mature way. They confront and resolve problems in the interest of task accomplishment. They interact frequently and direct their discussions and influence toward achieving team goals. During this stage, the leader should concentrate on managing high task performance. Both socioemotional and task specialist roles contribute to the team's functioning. Adjourning The adjourning stage occurs in committees and teams that have a limited task to perform and are disbanded afterward. During this stage, the emphasis is on wrapping up and gearing down. Task performance is no longer a top priority. Members may feel heightened emotionality, strong cohesiveness, and depression or regret over the team's disbanding. At this point, the leader may wish to signify the team's disbanding with a ritual or ceremony, perhaps giving out plaques and awards to signify closure and completeness. These five stages typically occur in sequence, but in teams that are under time pressure, they may occur quite rapidly. The stages may also be accelerated for virtual teams. For example, at a large consumer goods company with a virtual team of
- 5. engineers working in the United States and India, leaders started the project with a couple of days of team building to help the team move rapidly through the forming and storming stages.