Page 326 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

CHAPTER 10 • Understanding Groups and Managing Work Teams 325
going to do and how it’s going to be done. This is usually followed by a battle for con-
trol: Who’s going to be in charge? Once this issue is resolved and a “hierarchy” agreed
on, the group identifies specific work that needs to be done, who’s going to do each part
of the project, and dates by which the assigned work needs to be completed. General
expectations are established. These decisions form the foundation for what you hope will
be a coordinated group effort culminating in a project that’s been done well. Once the
project is complete and turned in, the group breaks up. Of course, some groups don’t get
much beyond the forming or storming stages. These groups may have serious interper-
sonal conflicts, turn in disappointing work, and get lower grades.
So, does a group become more effective as it progresses through the first four stages?
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Some researchers say yes, but it’s not that simple. That assumption may be generally true,
but what makes a group effective is a complex issue. Here’s why:

• Under some conditions, high levels of conflict are conducive to high levels of group perfor-
mance; that is, there might be situations in which groups in the storming stage outperform
those in the norming or performing stages.
• Groups don’t always proceed sequentially from one stage to the next. Sometimes, groups
are storming and performing at the same time. Groups even occasionally regress to previ-
ous stages.
• Don’t assume all groups precisely follow this process or that performing is always the most
preferable stage.

Think of this group stages model as a general framework that underscores the fact that groups
are dynamic entities and managers need to know the stage a group is in. Why? So they can
understand the problems and issues that are most likely to surface.
What else do you need to know about groups? Let’s look at some important aspects of
group behavior.

Watch It 1!

If your professor has assigned this, go to the Assignments section of mymanagementlab.com to
complete the video exercise titled Rudi’s Bakery: Work Teams.

A Question of Ethics

When coworkers work closely on a team proj- team. At other companies, managers often
ect, is there such a thing as TMI (too much hear awkward and questionable comments
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information)? At one company, a team that from their younger Gen Y employees about
had just finished a major project went out activities like too much partying after work
to lunch to celebrate. During lunch, one col- or on the weekend or that they’re looking for
league mentioned that he was training for a another job at another company.
20-mile bike race. In addition to a discussion
of his new helmet and Lycra shorts, the per- If your professor has assigned this, go to the As-
son also described shaving his whole body to signments section of mymanagementlab.com
reduce aerodynamic drag. Afterwards, another to complete these discussion questions.
team member said that she didn’t want to Talk About It 1: What benefits/draw-
hear that type of information from someone backs arise from sharing information like this?
who was a colleague not a friend and wasn’t Talk About It 2: What are the ethical
sure why this individual even wanted to share implications of sharing such personal informa-
such information with the rest of the work tion in the workplace?