Team Processes

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Team Processes
Cameron M. Ford, Ph.D. Organizational
Behavior Summer 2007
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Team ProcessesTask and Maintenance Functions

• Task Functions
• Initiating
• Seeking Information and Opinions
• Providing Information and Opinions
• Clarifying
• Elaborating
• Summarizing
• Consensus Testing

• Maintenance Functions
• Harmonizing
• Compromising
• Gatekeeping
• Encouraging

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Team ProcessesTeam Decision Making

• Frame Analyze Problem
• Propose Alternatives
• Evaluate Alternatives
• Implement Alternatives

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Team ProcessesTeam Communication

• Frequency
• Interruptions
• Encouragement

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Team ProcessesInfluence Tactics

• Rational Persuasion
• Inspirational Appeals
• Consultation
• Ingratiation
• Personal Appeals

• Exchange
• Coalition Tactics
• Legitimating Tactics
• Pressure

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Team ProcessesConflict

• Substantive

• Affective

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Team ProcessesAtmosphere

• Defensive
• Evaluation
• Control
• Stratagems
• Superiority
• Dogmatism

• Supportive
• Provisionalism
• Empathy
• Equality
• Spontaneity
• Problem Orientation
• Clear Description

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Team ProcessesEmotional Issues

• Disruptive Behaviors
• Fighting Controlling
• Withdrawing
• Dependency and Counterdependency

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The Hedgehog Concept

• A simple, crystalline concept that flows from
  deep understanding about the intersection of the
  following three circles
• What can you be the best at?
• What drives your economic engine?
• What are you deeply passionate about?
• Focusing on what you can do better than anyone
  else is the only path to greatness
• Sample companies typically took four years to
  fully articulate their hedgehog concept
• What is your hedgehog concept?

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Why Hedgehogs Earn Superior Returns

• They identify an enduring attributes that
  consumers value (e.g., convenience, price,
  quality), and focus all efforts and resources on
  becoming the best supplier of that attribute.
• They design a business model with associated
  financial (not process) controls (e.g.,
  profit/employee, profit/brand, etc.) that focuses
  effort and investment on achieving and sustaining
  1 status.
• They populate their business with positive people
  who are passionate about doing their best and
  being the best. This facilitates rigorous and
  creative strategy implementation.