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Members of an effective team help each other achieve goals. Characteristics of Effective TeamsMany studies have been completed on the topic of what effective teams look like. They agree on key characteristics that effective teams share. The chart that follows identifies skills and attitudes that help teams function effectively.
Check out the following video to discover what Cisco has found to be the key tips for building effective teams: Common Techniques for Team BuildingOnce you know the characteristics of effective teams, how do you go about building those qualities into a group? When initially forming the team, follow these procedures and techniques to help create the environment needed for the development of those characteristics.
Optimal Team SizeThere seems to be no question about the right size of many teams. Basketball teams have five players (on the court), football is played with eleven members on the field, and a bridge team is made up of only two players. Businesses don’t have rules for the proper size of a team. Jeff Bezos, CEO and founder of Amazon, has his own rule for the right-sized teams: the team should only be as big as can be fed with two pizzas. By normal standards, that would suggest five to eight people on a team. Bezos is said to have followed this guide when he created the innovative and decentralized start-up that has grown into one of the most successful companies in the country. When in doubt about the right size of your team, you can always fall back on the “two-pizza rule.” The ideal size, according to most management experts, falls within the range of five to nine people. The reason the size is so important that it is the focus of research studies has to do with processes and outcomes. Too few people and the team may not have enough resources or skills. Too many people and communication becomes more challenging. Groupthink and social loafing may occur and negatively affect team performance. In one study, it was determined that teams with more than twelve people had greater conflict and formed subgroups that disrupted the team cohesiveness.[1] Experts also agree that the optimal size of the team is driven by other factors: what type of task the team will perform, what skills the team requires to complete the task, and the time provided to complete the task. Answers to those questions will often determine the best size for a team. If the task, for example, is a sales function, then one individual may do most of the work until the very end, when a finance and delivery/inventory manager gets involved. One business may be fortunate to have four employees with multiple skill sets whereas another company would have to include six or seven people to reach the same level of abilities. Finally, the shorter the timeframe to complete the task, the fewer the people should be on the team. Larger numbers increase complexity of communication and administration. What is the responsibility of every member in a small group?The five major responsibilities of every member of a small group are: Commit yourself to the goals of the group. Fulfill individual assignments. Avoid interpersonal conflicts.
What are the four kinds of leadership that may occur in a small group?All participants must be speakers and listeners. A problem-solving group is to solve problems. What are the 4 kinds of leadership that may occur in a small group?. No specific (Equal influence). Implied (rank, expertise). Emergent (Comes up during meeting). Designated (Elected or appointed). What are the three kinds of leadership needs faced by all problemAccording to your lecture, what are the three kinds of leadership needs faced by all problem-solving small groups? Task needs, procedural needs, and maintenance needs.
What are task needs in a small group?The task needs of a small group include such matters as distributing the workload among group members, keeping the group on track, and helping the group reach consensus. The procedural needs of a small group include such matters as whether members get along with each other and feel good about their roles in the group.
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