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Supervision in Organizations Chapter
11 Supervising Groups Work Teams
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Learning OutcomesAfter reading this chapter, I
will be able to

• Contrast a group and a team.
• Define norm.
• Explain the relationship between cohesiveness and
  group productivity.
• Describe who is likely to become an emergent
  leader in an informal group.
• Explain what a supervisor can do when group norms
  are hindering department performance.
• List the characteristics of teams.
• List actions a supervisor can take to improve
  team performance.
• Describe the role of teams in continuous-improveme
  nt programs.

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What is a Group?

• Group
• Two or more interacting and interdependent
  individuals who come together to achieve
  particular objectives (p. 305)
• Formal Group
• Example Committees, group meetings, work teams,
  task force
• Informal Group
• Groups which are natural formations that appear
  in the work environment in response to the need
  for social contact (often to share frustration or
  let off steam)

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Why Do People Join Groups?
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Understanding Informal Groups

• To have a better understanding of informal
  groups, the following
• Norms
• Acceptable standards (e.g., effort and
  performance, dress, and loyalty) shared and
  enforced by the members of a group
• Output level
• Absenteeism rates
• socializing
• Cohesiveness
• The degree to which members are attracted to
  each other and are motivated to stay in a group
• Emergent leadership
• A leader who emerges within a work group without
  having formal authority in the organization

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Examples of Cards Used in Asch Study
Solomon Asch and Group ConformityDoes the
desire to be accepted as a part of a group leave
one susceptible to conforming to the groups
norms? Will the group exert pressure that is
strong enough to change a members attitude and
behavior? According to the research by Solomon
Asch, the answer appears to be yes.
Exhibit 8.9
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How to Influence Informal Work Groups

• Group Norms
• Reward members who act against dysfunctional
  norms
• Request Transfer of one or more members
• Give preferred work assignments
• Department Goals
• Show how dysfunctional behavior undermine
  organizational, departmental, or group goals
• Emergent Leaders
• Identify and develop positive relationship with
  emergent leader
• Utilize grapevine and validate concerns with
  emergent leader

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Teams vs. Work Groups

• Teams work groups established by the
  organization have designed work
  assignments and established
  tasks.
• Groups individuals working together to share
  info to make decisions to help
  each other perform better

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Turning Groups into Teams

• Working group group of individuals who interact
  to share information
  to help each other
  perform better
• Pseudo team product of negative synergy
• Potential team Going in the right direction
  but not there yet
• Real team unit with a set of common
  characteristics that lead
  to consistently high
  performance

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The Stages Of Team Development

• Stage 1 Forming
• The team experiences uncertainty about its
  purpose, structure, and leadership.
• Stage 2 Storming
• Intragroup conflict predominates within the group
• Stage 3 Norming
• Close relationships develop and group members
  begin to demonstrate cohesiveness.

• Stage 4 Performing
• The team develops a structure that is fully
  functional and accepted by team members.
• Stage 5 Adjourning
• The team prepares for its disbandment.

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How to Build Real Teams

• Small Size ten or fewer people
• Complementary Skills
• Technical skills
• Problem solving/decision-making skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Common Purpose vision with meaningful purpose
• Specific goals specific and realistic goals
• Common Approach plans with equal workload
• Mutual Accountability individual and group
  level
• Social loafing the tendency of an individual in
  a group to decrease his or her effort
  because responsibility and
  individual achievement cannot be measured

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Team Challenges for Supervisors