Page 338 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

CHAPTER 10 • Understanding Groups and Managing Work Teams 337
others—are almost always dysfunctional. However, task conflicts—those based on disagree-
ments about task content—can be beneficial because they may stimulate discussion, promote
critical assessment of problems and options, and can lead to better team decisions.

Write It 1!

If your professor has assigned this, go to the Assignments section of mymanagementlab.com
and complete BCOMM 2: Managing Conflict.

Finally, effective teams work to minimize the tendency for social loafing, which we
discussed earlier in this chapter. Successful teams make members individually and jointly
accountable for the team’s purpose, goals, and approach. 46

How Can a manager Shape Team Behavior?

A manager can do several things to shape a team’s behavior including proper selection,
employee training, and rewarding the appropriate team behaviors. Let’s look at each.

WhaT roLe doeS SeLeCTion pLay? Some individuals already possess the interper-
sonal skills to be effective team players. When hiring team members, managers should
check whether applicants have the technical skills required to successfully perform the job
and whether they can fulfill team roles.
Some applicants may have been socialized around individual contributions and, conse-
quently, lack team skills, which could also be true for some current employees being moved
into teams due to organizational restructuring. When faced with this situation, a manager can
do several things. First, and most obvious, if team skills are woefully lacking, don’t hire the
person. If successful performance is going to require interaction, not hiring the individual
is appropriate. On the other hand, an applicant who has some basic skills can be hired on a
probationary basis and required to undergo training to shape him or her into a team player.
If the skills aren’t learned or practiced, then the individual may have to be let go.

Fifty-seven percent of team leaders said if someone The Container Store manager Jaimie Moeller
(left) leads a team huddle with employees
on their team hated their job, they would encourage before they begin their work day. Because
them to find another job. Only 7 percent said they employees work as a team in serving
customers, managers begin shaping team
would change their role to make them happy. 47 behavior when interviewing job candidates
and hiring only a small percentage of
applicants who are enthusiastic about
working in a team-oriented environment.
Can individuaLS Be Trained To Be TeaM
pLayerS? Performing well in a team involves a
48
set of behaviors. As we discussed in the preced-
ing chapter, new behaviors can be learned. Even
people who feel strongly about the importance of
individual accomplishment can be trained to become
team players. Training specialists can conduct exer-
cises so employees can experience what teamwork
is all about. The workshops can cover such topics
as team problem solving, communications, nego-
tiations, conflict resolution, and coaching skills. In
addition, it’s not unusual for these individuals to be
exposed to the five stages of team development that
49
we discussed earlier. At Verizon Communications,
for example, trainers focus on how a team goes
through various stages before it gels. And employees
are reminded of the importance of patience, because
teams take longer to do some things—such as make
decisions—than do employees acting alone. 50
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