Question: What is Team Effectiveness?
According to Sundstrom, team effectiveness can be defined as: “the extent to which a work team meets the performance expectations of key counterparts—managers, customers, and others—while continuing to meet members’ expectations of work with the team” (10). The practicality of definition demonstrates the relevance of performance results delivered by the team to key counterparts and the processes implemented within the team for the achievement of those results.
Question: When a Team is operating effectively - what is the evidence of that effectiveness?
Some of the evidences of a team’s effectiveness are its ability to meeting performance expectations, satisfaction from key counterparts, managed conflict, and effective communication and harmony between team members. When all these evidences are satisfied, it means the team is operating effectively.
Question: What are the characteristics of an effective team?
Some of the characteristics of an effective team are understanding of team goals, clear and open communication, defined roles, effective decision making, valued diversity, conflict management, unity among team members, effective participation from team members, healthy competition between team members, and managed criticism.
Question: What are the characteristics of an ineffective team?
The characteristics of infective team are the opposite of effective teams. Some of the characteristics of ineffective team are lack of understanding of the team goals, flawed communication process, undefined roles, disrespect of diversity, ineffective decision making, lack of unity, ineffective participation, and disregard for criticism.
Question: When a new team of people who have not worked together before is put in place what must each team member do to build team effectiveness?
When new teams are brought together, there are several risks that can lead to the creation of an ineffective team. It is important that some decisions need to be made early on. It is important that all members are explained the goals they have to achieve, division of responsibilities needs to be performed, and expected workplace behavior needs to be communicated.
Question: When discussions among team members breaks down, there is lack of clarity in communications, or some members are highly emotional, or in some way conflict develops among team members, What should the team leader do? What should all team members do?
Communication troubles between team members needs to be sorted by engaging in the interaction between conflicting members. The team leader needs to become a mediator and identify the source of their problem and provide suitable solutions to the team members. Other team members need to encourage resolution of conflict, rather than instigating commotion between conflicting members. By getting conflicting members together and ensuring they discuss their problems with each other, the team leader can help in managing conflict and maintain team effectiveness.
Question: What must a team do to build a highly effective team? What role does the leader play in this situation? What role does each team member play?
Some of the actions that can be taken for building highly effective teams are building respect and trust, delivering results, team engagement, take advantage of employee conflict, and hiring needs to be a team effort (Skuza). The leader is responsible for creating an environment where subordinates feel they need to deliver their best to compete within the team and outside it. Team members need to deliver their best in these situations and adhere to the standards set by the team leader.
Question: What behaviors are most effective in building a strong effective team?
Certain behaviors are expected from the team members that can help in building a string effective team. Some of the behaviors that help in building strong effective teams are awareness, challenge, belief, communication, focus, motivation, honesty, responsibility, enthusiasm, and optimism (Webster).
Question: What behaviors work against building an effective team?
The behaviors that work against building team awareness are lack of awareness, challenge, belief, communication, focus, motivation, honesty, responsibility, enthusiasm, and optimism (Webster). The lack of these behaviors ensures that teams become ineffective.
Question: What behaviors do you sometimes demonstrate that work to build team effectiveness?
Some of the behaviors demonstrated by me to build team effectiveness are awareness, belief, communication, focus, honesty, responsibility, and optimism.
Question: What behaviors do you sometimes demonstrate that works against team effectiveness?
Some of the behaviors demonstrated by me that work against team effectiveness are challenge, enthusiasm, and motivation.
Question: Later in our semester, each student will be part of a Course Project Team? What specifically will you do to assure your team is a highly effective team and one that produces high quality course project results?
Some of the actions are that I will take are displaying team effectiveness behaviors and team building characteristic. I will also regularly check if my team is operating effectively and take corrective action if needed.
Works Cited
Skuza., Arek. Five Ways To Build An Effective Team. Forbes. Forbes.com. 7 June 2013. Web. 1 September 2016.
Sundstrom, Eric D. Supporting Work Team Effectiveness: Best Management Practices for Fostering High Performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1999. Print.
Webster., Martin. Do You Recognise These 10 Essential Team Behaviours?. Leadership Thoughts. leadershipthoughts.com. 3 April 2016. Web. 1 September 2016.
