The first problem associated with the team at Fire Art Inc. is lack of identity. The team does not have a clear understanding of what it is supposed to achieve. This is reflected in the manner the members engage and pursue ideas. Each pulls in a different direction. Eric Holt is therefore left with a group of individuals that do not focus on achieving a common goal for the sake of Fire Art Inc. (Wetlaufer, 1994).
The team members portray both negative and positive team roles. Firstly, they all contribute viable ideas which ought to have guided the conversation surrounding cost-cutting proposals. Maureen was keen on congratulating Ray on the remarks he made during his presentation (Wetlaufer, 1994). This encouragement was essential in a team. Carl cited the need for Fire Art to strengthen its position as a service-oriented company and restructure its tracking system. Randy, on the other hand, made sarcastic remarks which were aimed at humiliating the others. Other members such as Ray became emotive when handling Randy who was wrong for the sake of the team.
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Eric should focus on being assertive rather than passive within the team. This will ensure that he guides the conversation within the group and setting targets (Annett & Stanton, 2000). He should also be stern when it comes to Randy who was disrespectful and insensitive to others. He should also establish appropriate conflict resolution management (Wetlaufer, 1994). This will be pertinent for the future of the team and its engagements with other groups in the organization. Additionally, Eric should assign roles to each team member to avoid conflict and probable overstepping of mandate (Caldwell, 2003). He should also be keen on empowering the team members with responsibilities and ensuring that they own the process. By asking simple follow-up questions, Eric may fuel the members’ participation and interest. This will spark the much-needed team synergy.
References
Annett, J., & Stanton, N. A. (2000). Team work . London, England: Taylor & Francis.
Caldwell, R. (2003). Change leaders and change managers: different or complementary? Leadership & Organization Development Journal , 24 (5), 285-293. doi:10.1108/01437730310485806
Wetlaufer, S. (1994). The team that wasn't. Harvard Business Review , 72 (6), 22.
