An effective team is a group characterized by communication, defined goals, and leadership. In other words, for a team to be considered useful, communication should exist between members through meetings where they exchange their ideas and evaluate completed tasks. Defined goals help team members to comprehend objectives to be accomplished. It also assist a team leader to assigns tasks to members. Moreover, a team need to possess certain characteristics that form basis for analyzing teams and their work to determine their effectiveness in achieving goals and tasks (Kelchner). As such, this paper explains different criteria for team formation using the case study of West Coast Transit.
Criteria for Evaluating Effective Team/Group Work
Criteria for evaluating effectiveness of a team include job-specific competencies, employee morale, and productivity as well as leadership qualities. Job-specific expertise means that members have necessary skills for task at hand. This is achieved by carrying out performance reviews continuously to ascertain employee’s skills by getting reports from their supervisors and colleagues. Performance reviews help evaluate possible team members such that their abilities can assist a team to complete tasks efficiently. Job competence criteria go beyond professional skill for job to determine if employees are well fit for a particular group in terms of timeliness, availability, and commitment. Are they able to meet deadlines, keep time and satisfy objectives of the project? Employee morale aims at how motivated employees to feel at work. Satisfied workers are best suitable for effective teams for any task. Employees polls help determine their morale, and any negative feedback should be addressed to avoid poor performance. Productivity at work is dependent on several factors such as personal issues, work environment, motivation to work and interaction with colleagues. These factors play a crucial role in team’s productivity as they affect their work potential (Duggan, 2017).
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A team assembled by Pete Denson failed because of various deficiencies. First, the team felt overworked by working overtime without compensation. Work was straining their work schedule while eating into their family time which led to reduced morale. Their competency was also wanting as they had not even reviewed any agenda. Leah Jing, however, was productive based on her good performance review. Evidently, she was competent at work and had already discussed the agenda for the meeting and came up with some solutions. Mahoney and Tanney cited that the time given for the project was inadequate to allow for the expected output. Clearly, this team was ineffective to work on such a vital task that supposed to be delivered within a short time frame. Issues involving overtime compensation and coordination within this team needed to be addressed for the team to be efficient.
Tuckman's Five Stages of Group Formation
Turkmen’s five stages of group formation include forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. Forming involves initially coming together of members characterized by uncertainty in that members are not aware of objectives or goals. Storming is a stage where leaders are elected, and roles are allocated. At norming stage, members identify rules and acceptable norms of a team. They lay out what contributions are expected from members and the cooperation required to meet objectives. In performing stage, the task is tackled to achieve expected results within the plan and budget together with a well-established team. Eventually, in the adjourning stage, the team concludes its mission, submits results accompanied by dissolution of the team (Kongvongxay, 2013).
The West Coast Transit case has forming and storming stages. The formation includes Lea Jing, Jon Mahonney, Katarina Tanney and Pete Denson. The storming stage happens first where Pete, the manager is the leader given his title as the marketing manager. The norming stage is not seen as they do not take the time to state the expected code for the team. They also do not tackle the task citing various complaints and challenges of attainability. The stages, however, are not consistent. Pete does not follow Tuckmann’s stages which can be the possible cause of the group’s underperformance.
Behavioral Profile Roles during Team Entry
Schein identifies behaviors common among individuals during team entry into three profiles: tough battler, friendly helper, and objective thinker. The tough battler seeks identity within the group by wishing to be recognized for what they bring to the table in the group. The friendly helper suffers insecurities and is dependent on the group members. They support other people’s views extraordinarily by seeking to build relationships with the teammates as well as trying to be liked. The objective thinker is an individualistic member of the group. They are more concerned with how individual needs are met within the team while trying to marry and map individual needs to the objectives of the group (Schermerhorn et al., 2012)
In the West Coast Transit case, Lea Jing is the tough battler evident by her efforts to review the agenda earlier enough and come up with possible solutions. She failed to understand why Mahonney and Tanney felt that one month was too short yet the project is a priority for the organization. Her efforts need to be acknowledged through job promotion since she is reliable by how she acted on her duties. Tanney is an objective thinker. He terms the task as unattainable and insist on compensation for working overtime, however, he puts no effort in reviewing the agenda. Mahonney is evidently the friendly helper given that she appears to have no stand as to whether she is going to cooperate with the team or not. She complains with Tanney that the project is unattainable and at the same time calls upon the team to cooperate and tackle the task at hand. Her characters suggests that she wants to act without hurting anyone. She wants to embrace both sides convince the team that she is neutral.
Communication Efficiency among the Participants in the Case
Communication in the team was not effective. Each of the members had their arguments and concerns. Tanney is concerned about working overtime without compensation. Together with Tanney, Mahonney finds the task massive for them given timeline. The manager Denson loses his calm on his team members, forcing him to insult Tanney with his remarks. Tanney walks out of the meeting demanding an apology for him to come back to the team.
Two Main Types of Conflict
The textbook defines the types of conflict as emotional and substantive conflicts. Substantive conflicts are arguments about the set goals and objectives or with the managers and the team members. Workplace issues are bound to arise within teamwork projects as well as within the teammates. Emotional conflicts arise when work issues crash with individual personalities causing feelings such as anger, resentment and dislike (Schermerhorn et al., 2012). Both conflict types manifests themselves in the West Coast transit case. The team members are concerned with working overtime while the organization is not considering the load of work and compensation for overtime. Emotional conflict is also evident when Tanney walks out of a meeting, demanding an apology for her to continue working with the manager, Denson.
Proposed Conflict Resolution to Denson
Denson should have managed conflicts by emphasizing on the goals and objectives of the team which would act as a common goal for all the employees. It would helpful for Denson to remind the members that the task at hand will drive sales which will enhance the competitive advantage of firm in the market. Such advantage would help the organization compete effectively against their major competitor who has launched new flights at more affordable prices. Some strategies the team was supposed to develop will save jobs for many of their colleagues.
Win-win strategies would have also helped where teammates agree to raise their concerns with the management, after which it would have an opportunity to address the issues. Group members would then cooperate to use their skills towards attaining the intended objectives. This way, their concerns are looked into and addressed, resulting to a motivated workforce that would work towards realizing company’s goal of driving sales revenues.
Task Leadership and Specific Maintenance Activities
A possible task leadership activity would be to set standards and define goals for the team. After that, Denson should then set an example for his team members by helping them in coming up with solutions as well as taking into account feedback from members. Taking responsibility to ensure that he forwards members’ concerns to the management and ensure that issues are addressed would have enhanced the team’s efficacy.
The team should remain focused on the goals and objectives so as to ensure they work within their mandate. Issues at stake should act as motivating factors towards realizing a common goal for the benefit of the company and sustaining jobs. Negativity amongst members should be discouraged and instead focus on the challenges of task at hand. Team members should be encouraged to refocus to positivism by focusing on task ahead of them.
Individual Motivational Problems Experienced by Jing, Mahonney, and Tanney
Tanney spends a lot of time at work that in turn causes her problems back home. Denson would motivate her by sharing her concern and crafting a schedule that allows her balance time between home and work. She could leave early as opposed to staying for long hours working. Besides, seeking a little compensation for extra time would motivate Tanney and Mahonney. Jing could be allowed to share her ideas with teammates regarding successful strategies to drive sales. By acknowledging Jing’s efforts, her morale will be enhanced. Mahonney would be motivated by encouraging her to participate more hence finding the team fit for her.
In conclusion, it is clearly evident that the team assembled by Bernie Hollis and Pete Denson was ineffective as it lacked significant aspects of an efficient team. There was no communication among members as they all seem to be caught up on either personal issues or project related issues. Secondly, the team had no goals and objectives to guide their activities. Nevertheless, team members hardly went through the memo to find possible solutions. On the other hand, the leader was unable to exhibit leadership qualities required to direct a team. Team effectiveness is necessary for valuable results. Organizations need to take time while effecting teams so as to come up with effective and more grounded teams that will bring positive results to the organization.
References
Duggan, T. (2017). Evaluation Criteria for High Performance Teams. Hearst Newspapers, LLC . Retrieved on 19 April 2017 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/evaluation-criteria-high-performance-teams-57312.htm.
Kongvongxay, M. (2013). Tuckman’s five stages of group development. Slideshare . Retrieved on 19 April 2017 from https://www.slideshare.net/perspectum/5-stages-of-group-development-norms-tuckman-16474067.
Schermerhorn, J. et al. (2012). Teamwork and Team Performance: Organizational Behavior . Hoboken NJ: John Willey and sons Inc.
Kelchne Luanne. What is an effective team in an organization? Hearst Newspapers, LLC retrieved on 19 Apr. 2017 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effective-team-organization-22984.html.
