The effectiveness of teamwork. FGBOU VPO "Siberian State Technological University" Faculty: Economics Department: Personnel Management Ways to improve team efficiency

So, to make changes in the organization, you can create a team. To build a team, you need to know how it is created and shaped. You must choose the correct way to create the team. Team building by itself is not a sufficient condition for making changes. The team must act effectively - this is the key to the success of change, and it is the responsibility of managers and managers to monitor and improve efficiency.

The commands are most effective when:

  • - development of strategies in conditions of high uncertainty of the environment;
  • - vagueness and multiplicity of criteria for the selection of strategic options;
  • - simultaneous implementation of several strategies;
  • - the need to coordinate complex work;
  • - a wide range of experts' opinions regarding the assessment of strategic alternatives;
  • - conflict of interests of interested parties;
  • - a high degree of resistance to strategic changes.

It is clear from general assumptions that the more uncertain the task, the more effective the team approach, especially in cases where it is necessary to satisfy the diverse requirements of stakeholders. This is obvious, for example, in the development of technological innovation policy, when the choice between alternative development options is based on a detailed study of various data. In this case, there is not always enough evidence to determine the final version of the policy or strategy for innovation, support and development, therefore, when making a decision, the opinions and personal vision of the parties involved are taken into account. If the expertise does not allow to come to the necessary solution of problems, then compromises between alternative perspectives and the legitimate interests of the parties can be found as a result of teamwork.

The conditions under which teamwork can be ineffective are as follows:

  • - teams can work out all those that suit everyone, but not optimal solutions to problems;
  • - decisions may depend on the level of innovative thinking of team members;
  • - teamwork may be impractical in cases where there is limited time for making decisions.

Team efficiency is the degree to which the team realizes its goals, how close the team is to achieving them.

Overall performance in organizations is difficult to measure, and many managers find it difficult to measure performance as these methods are based on measuring characteristics that cannot be quantified.

The main reasons for the decrease in team efficiency can be determined by the fact that when the solution to problems is determined in the process of joint discussion, it is likely that extreme solutions, including, possibly, optimal solutions, will be excluded.

The result of teamwork is determined by the degree of progressiveness of the team in terms of its composition, norms and value orientations. A team that prioritizes the spirit of inventiveness and originality strives for innovative behavior. An innovative type of organization's behavior is an important competitive advantage; its resource is practically inexhaustible. If price competition is faced with many restrictions from both the state and business associations, then the possibilities of offering new products and services, changes in their quality are constantly supported by the achievements of scientists, engineers, managers, and non-standard thinking activities of gifted professionals in various fields of knowledge.

It takes more time to develop a team decision than to make an individual one, since mutual contacts and finding a consensus on the decision to be made are assumed.

There are three main factors for effective teamwork. These include:

  • - meeting the individual needs of team members;
  • - successful teamwork;
  • - solving the tasks assigned to the team.

These elements are interdependent. For example, personal satisfaction depends not only on successful problem solving, but also on the quality of team relationships, but also on the social aspects of teamwork. A high level of cohesion can increase the efficiency of the entire organization. Highly cohesive teams have fewer communication problems, fewer misunderstandings, tensions, hostility, and mistrust, and are more productive than non-cohesive teams. However, the negative consequence of high cohesion is the team like-mindedness.

The effectiveness of the strategic change team depends on the following types of work:

  • - managing the size of the team;
  • - management of functional responsibilities of team members;
  • - distribution of functional and team roles.

By managing these types of teamwork, you can monitor the effectiveness of teamwork, increasing efficiency and achieving success in the implementation of change projects.

From general concepts it is clear that the effectiveness of very small and very large teams will be less than when a certain optimum of the number is reached, although the desire to both reduce the number of team members and to increase it is justified. In the first case, the speed of intracomaid communication increases and, consequently, the speed of task execution. In the second, the inclusion of a larger number of specialists in the team will ensure an increase in the quality of the task. It would be advisable to have a team as small as possible in number, sufficient in order for the competence of its members to meet the requirements of the task.

The effectiveness of a team's work to a significant degree is determined by the personal qualities of its members and the relationship between them. Everyone should be ready to use all their abilities, experience and knowledge to solve a team problem.

The level of competence, which includes the knowledge, understanding, skills and personal qualities that team members must possess, are determined by the objectives and methods of achieving the goal.

An assessment of the relationship between team performance and competency requirements should be carried out as often as possible in order to timely identify possible problems and carry out the necessary rearrangements, organize training, etc.

An effective team can also be characterized by generally accepted criteria for the effectiveness of any organizational structure, but there are specific features that are unique to the team. Distinguish between efficiency in terms of professional activity according to the project and the organizational and psychological climate of the activity.

In a professional sense, efficiency is, first of all, the focus of the entire team on the end result, initiative and a creative approach to solving problems. High performance and focus on the best way solutions, active and interested discussion of emerging problems complement its characteristics.

From the standpoint of the organizational and psychological climate, an effective team can be called one in which:

  • - informal atmosphere;
  • - the problem is well understood and accepted;
  • - its members listen to each other;
  • - discussing tasks in which all members are involved;
  • - its members express both their ideas and feelings;
  • - conflicts and disagreements are present, but expressed and centered around ideas and methods, not individuals;
  • - its members are aware of what they are doing, the decision is based on consent, not on a majority vote.

Subject to these conditions, the team not only successfully fulfills its mission, but also satisfies the personal and interpersonal needs of its members.

The model of the team formation process (Fig. 21) includes a description of the characteristics of the task, work structure, individual characteristics, team characteristics, team processes, team formation processes, changes in the team, team activities, individual changes.

The immediate output is a completed project with planned characteristics as an indicator of team activity. There are also other intra-team outcomes, which can include team changes (for example, the emergence of new norms) and individual changes(for example, the acquisition of new knowledge, abilities, skills), which in turn can affect the improvement of team performance.

Team effectiveness factors

There are a number of factors that most strongly influence the success of a team's action.

  • 1. The team leader must occupy a sufficiently high position in the team (in some cases, he may not be the formal leader, but be the chairman). Its characteristics are similar to that of the coordinator.
  • 2. A successful team needs a good idea generator. If there are more than one such people, then the probability of the success of the whole team decreases, as competition and criticism will begin.
  • 3. Good distribution of intellectual abilities. The team should have at least two smart people who can stimulate each other. Some of the team members may be of intermediate (or higher) intellectual level - their inability to compete with smarter colleagues will force them to seek alternative roles in which they can excel. In general, the team will have a more complete range of merits.
  • 4. Variety of personal characteristics, allowing full coverage of command roles. A team that can assign most or all of the team roles to its members will perform better than others. In such a situation, there will be not only less friction, but also a greater chance for everyone to get the role that may be needed.
  • 5. A good balance between the relationships and responsibilities of the team members. In most successful teams, the functional responsibilities of the participants fit into the system of their own interpersonal relationships.
  • 6. Recognition of team imbalances and the ability to correct. A team that is aware of its challenges and is willing to adapt or change their roles in order to make the best of their traits or compensate for their weaknesses is in an advantageous position.

The best team composition can vary depending on the task at hand. Even a small team needs to have most of the team roles. Everyone can take on at least one secondary role.

How to improve team efficiency?

In practice, there is often a situation where there is no way to choose a team. In this case, you should use what is. The manager has several ways to improve the performance of the group.

Restructure. This can be an outlet for two or more team members: exchange roles or the main part of the work. If this gives them a role in which they are likely to do better, they are more likely to welcome change.

Redistribute responsibilities. Determine what tasks each team member likes. Then consider redistributing them. This is different from a full exchange of responsibilities.

Separate conflicting team members. Divide the team into several smaller groups, each of which will be responsible for different projects.

Hire a new employee. This is not always an option, but if the opportunity arises, you need to hire a good representative of exactly the type that you need.

How to recognize a leader?

Recognition of a potential leader is only possible for a person who himself has leadership qualities.

Michelangelo's answer to the question of how he managed to create such a brilliant work as the statue of David remained in history.

He said that the sculpture was always in this stone, all that remained was to cut off the excess.

Leaders must have the same vision to determine future leaders in their team.

The list of essential leadership qualities below will help you do just that.

  • 1. Leaders are characterized by a positive attitude towards reality, manifested in a positive perception of the current situation, themselves and other people.
  • 2. A leader should not be selfish. He is always interested in a common cause, ready to defend common interests, for the sake of which he is able to obey the one who is currently the leader, and is ready to follow him, to actively participate in the work of the team.
  • 3. The leader always strives for the development of his personality, its improvement due to the rich growth potential, which allows him to cope with increasingly complex tasks.
  • 4. A very valuable leadership quality is the ability and ability to complete any business.
  • 5. Devotion to the common cause, to your leader and to the organization is important for managing other people, when their interests are put above their own desires.
  • 6. The quality required for a leader is flexibility to cope successfully with unexpected situations.
  • 7. In no team will a dishonest leader enjoy authority. The team respects people whose strong and reliable character guarantees consistency in deeds and words.
  • 8. Not the last place among leadership qualities is occupied by the breadth of horizons, which allows you to see the state of the organization as a whole with its needs and requirements.
  • 9. Discipline, readiness to fulfill requirements, regardless of personal problems and mood - a guarantee against unpleasant surprises and the basis of authority.
  • 10. The ability to be grateful is a positive characteristic of any person. Showing deserved gratitude towards both those you depend on and those who depend on you is the last but not the least leadership quality on this list.

Having analyzed the characters of all employees for the presence of the listed qualities, it is not difficult to identify real leaders among them. Having identified such people, you need to take care of their development and training in line with the prospects for further promotion of the company. The benefits of this strategy are obvious. An experienced leader who will be able to bring up a worthy change for himself, thereby protects his business from collapse in the future, and also makes it easier for himself to work in the present at the expense of an intelligent assistant. The presence of a sufficient number of leaders is a guarantee of the successful fulfillment of the tasks facing the company. The young leader himself wins the most by realizing his potential and ensuring his career growth.

This list can be considered the minimum set of qualities required for a true leader. And all of them can be developed and improved if such people are identified in a timely manner. If a manager does not turn his attention to an employee with leadership competencies, he may lose him, since strong personalities are not afraid to change jobs in search of a place where they can fully realize their potential.

You can create a team to make changes to your organization. To build a team, you need to know how they are created and shaped. You must choose the correct way to create the team. Team building by itself is not a sufficient condition for making changes. The team must act effectively - this is the key to the success of change, and it is the responsibility of managers and managers to monitor and improve efficiency.

When is using commands more efficient than using groups?

Teams and groups are overlapping concepts. In some cases, it is advisable to pay closer attention to the team building processes, rather than being limited to the group's work.

The commands are most effective when:

  • developing strategies in a highly uncertain environment;
  • vagueness and plurality of criteria for selecting strategic options;
  • simultaneous implementation of several strategies;
  • the need to coordinate complex work;
  • a wide range of expert opinions regarding the assessment of strategic alternatives;
  • conflict of interests of interested parties;
  • a high degree of resistance to strategic change.

From general considerations, it is clear that the more uncertain the task, the more effective the team approach, especially in cases where it is necessary to meet the different expectations of stakeholders. This is obvious when making government decisions or when developing technology and innovation policies, when the choice between alternative development options is based on a detailed study of a variety of data. In such situations, the facts alone are not always sufficient to determine the final version of the policy or strategy for innovation, support and development, therefore, the opinions and personal visions of the parties involved are taken into account when making a decision. If the expertise does not allow to come to a satisfactory solution to the problems, then compromises between alternative perspectives and the legitimate interests of the parties can be found as a result of teamwork.



When can using commands be ineffective?

There are conditions where teamwork can be ineffective, including the following:

  • teams can work out what suits everyone, but not optimal solutions to problems;
  • decisions may depend on the level of innovative thinking of team members;
  • teamwork can be unacceptable when you need to find a solution quickly.

The reasons for the decrease in the effectiveness of the team are determined by the fact that when a solution to problems is sought in the process of joint discussion, it is likely that extreme solutions, including, possibly, optimal solutions, will be excluded.

The result of teamwork is determined by how progressive the team itself is in terms of composition, norms and value orientations. A team that cultivates a spirit of inventiveness and originality strives for innovative behavior.

It takes more time to develop a team decision than to make an individual one, since mutual contacts and finding a consensus on the decision to be made are assumed.

What are the main factors determining the effectiveness of the team's work?

There are three main factors for effective teamwork. These include:

  • meeting the individual needs of team members;
  • successful teamwork;
  • solving the tasks assigned to the team.

These elements are interdependent. For example, personal satisfaction depends not only on successful problem solving, but also on the quality of team relationships, as well as on the social aspects of teamwork. Lonely businessmen who combine an owner and a manager in one person are deprived of the opportunity to exchange ideas with their colleagues. Working alone can reduce their productivity over time. The effectiveness of the team also depends on the next step, i.e. on what happens after the goals are achieved.

Internal elements of team effectiveness

The model of the internal elements of a team's effectiveness is as follows. The three elements discussed above are represented as icebergs, most of which are under water. Observing the work of teams in organizations, you can make sure that most of the energy, if not all, is directed to the exact solution of the problem (what needs to be obtained, when, with what budgetary funds and what resources). Naturally, this is important, but we must not forget about the process (how the team will work) and that it is possible, as in cases with real icebergs, shipwrecks. For example, even a team that has achieved its goals can hardly be considered effective if its members have conflicting views and are so frustrated with their organization that they intend to look for another job. Therefore, the degree of readiness of its members to perform new tasks and their desire to continue working together can be considered as additional characteristics of the team's effectiveness.

How to improve the efficiency of the strategic change team?

The effectiveness of the strategic change team depends on:

  • managing the size of the team;
  • management of functional responsibilities of team members;
  • distribution of functional and team roles.

By managing these types of teamwork, you can monitor the effectiveness of the teams, increasing the effectiveness and achieving success in the implementation of changes.

How can you influence the performance of a team by managing its size?

From general considerations, it is clear that the efficiency of very small and very large teams will be less than when a certain optimum in size is reached, although the desire to both reduce the number of team members and increase it is justified. In the first case, the speed of intra-team communication increases and, consequently, the speed of the task execution. In the second, the inclusion of a larger number of specialists in the team will ensure an increase in the quality of the task. It would be most reasonable to have a team as small as possible, but large enough so that the competence of its members corresponds to the requirements of the task.

It is easiest to work in a team of two because of the ease of communication. In larger teams, team members are prone to disordered communication, which leads to disorganization and the feeling that a lot of time is wasted. With the increase in the size of the team, the number of interactions between its members increases dramatically.

Bearing in mind that every interaction contains a potential conflict between its participants, as the team expands, it becomes obvious that organizational difficulties are more likely.

If the team has more than twelve people, it would be reasonable to split it into two subgroups, giving each of them an integral part of the overall task and retaining the overall leadership of the group. If this is not done, the team will split into informal groups in an arbitrary way (for example, based on the sympathy of team members for each other), which will complicate the coordination of the task and reduce the effectiveness of teamwork. Therefore, the process of dividing a large group into subgroups, keeping in mind the achievement of team goals, is best managed consciously and carefully.

How can managing team members' responsibilities affect team performance?

The effectiveness of a team is largely determined by the personal qualities of its members and the relationship between them. Everyone should be ready to use all their abilities and knowledge to solve a team problem.

The level of competence, which includes the knowledge, understanding, skills and personal qualities that team members must possess, are determined by the objectives and methods of achieving the goal.

It is important to assess the relationship between the team's work results and the requirements for the level of competence as often as possible in order to timely detect emerging problems and make the necessary rearrangements, organize appropriate trainings, etc.

How can you improve the efficiency of teams by distributing functional and team roles?

When selecting people for a team, we, as a rule, make our choice based on their skills, knowledge and experience. But to achieve team effectiveness, not only skills, knowledge and experience are important, but equally personal qualities and personal characteristics team members.

When people work as part of the same group or team, each of them performs two types of roles: functional, based on professional skills and practical experience, and a team based on personality traits. The team role can be viewed as a characteristic of the quality of the application of individual skills and experience that make up the content of the functional role performed.

There are nine team roles. Research has shown that each team member plays not one, but often two, even three or four team roles. It should be noted that they can be considered equally important to the effectiveness of teamwork, provided that they are used within the team at the appropriate times and in the best possible way. For example, in the period when the team is just starting to consider a problem or develop a project, first of all, innovative ideas(thinker needed) followed by the need to assess how these ideas can be translated into practical actions and achievable tasks (performer). In these phases, success is achieved if the team has a good coordinator (chair) who is tasked with ensuring the best possible input from team members at the right time. The team gains driving forces and incentives thanks to the activity of an energetic shaper. When the need arises for complex negotiations with other groups, the qualities that a resource researcher have are of great importance. To contain excessive enthusiasm that distracts from the main activities of the team, there should be an evaluator in the team.

All sorts of sources of friction and misunderstanding between team members are eliminated by the collectivist, and thanks to the presence of a specialist, the team has at its disposal rarely encountered skills and knowledge, which periodically arises. The role of the closer is not to lose sight of even the smallest details of the implementation of the decisions made and to achieve the consistent implementation of all planned actions.

Clearly, for a team to derive the maximum benefit from the diversity of team roles, each team member must be aware of the specifics of the team roles of their colleagues. This is the only way to determine if there are nine roles that do not belong to the natural strengths of the team members. If this is the case, then those team members for whom the missing natural team roles are secondary will have to try to fill the gap. Obviously, this will require an atmosphere of frankness and trust. Sometimes managers speak out in the sense that, they say, they are entrusted with leading teams that are imbalanced in terms of team roles, and they have to deal with what is. In most modern organizations, there is a constant turnover of staff. When recruiting and hiring new employees, managers who have adopted the concept of team roles will purposefully recruit their own personnel.

Team Roles

Team role Necessary personal qualities and contribution to the team's activities Permissible disadvantages
Thinker Creative focus, rich imagination, extraordinary thinking. Committed to innovation. A source original ideas for the team Lack of interpersonal experience Psychological instability May be delayed for a long time under consideration " interesting ideas»
Executor Turns ideas into action. Turns solutions into easy-to-do tasks. Brings order to the team's activities Lack of flexibility. Rejection of fantastic ideas Dislike of frequent plan changes
Door closer Diligence and conscientiousness. Ensures that the tasks are completed in full. Tracks the timeliness of assignments Excessive concern about the state of affairs. Inclination to inner experiences. Reluctance to outsource responsibilities. Aversion to being frivolous about his responsibilities by others
Appraiser Professes an impartial critical analysis of the situation. Strategic approach and discernment in assessments. Accuracy of judgments, the desire to consider everything possible options solutions. Underestimating the factors of stimulation and excitement Lack of inspiration and creative imagination. Ability to suppress the initiative of others
Resource Explorer Possession of the art of negotiating, a variety of contacts. Talent as an improviser, explores opportunities. Enthusiasm, sociability Loses interest as enthusiasm fades. Jumps from one task to another. Needs external pressure
Shaper Constant focus on solving the assigned task; stimulates the work of the whole team. Promotes implementation decisions taken; encourages employees to work harder. Energetic, striving for excellence and working with full dedication Easily becomes irritable and frustrated Impulsivity and impatience Intolerance of vague wording and indecisive behavior
Collectivist Promotes the harmonization of team relationships and the elimination of disagreements. Listens carefully to the interlocutor; relies on the opinions of others. Sensitivity, absence overconfidence Indecision in crisis situations. The desire to avoid exacerbation of situations. Can prevent action from being taken at a crucial moment
Chairperson Formulates goals clearly; performs well as a moderator during discussions. Promotes effective decision making. Has good communication skills; social leader May give the impression of being manipulative. The tendency to shift their responsibilities onto others. Can credit the entire team to himself
Specialist Has rare skills and knowledge. Purposefulness and ability to concentrate efforts. Initiative and the ability to fully surrender to work Useful only in a narrow professional field. Often has poor communication skills. Often "he does not see the forest for the trees"

The effectiveness of the team depends on the management of the size of the team; management of functional responsibilities of team members; distribution of functional and team roles.

By managing these types of teamwork, you can monitor the effectiveness of the teams, increasing the effectiveness and achieving success in the implementation of changes.

Influence on the efficiency of the team by managing its quantitative composition. From general considerations, it is clear that the efficiency of very small and very large teams will be less than when a certain optimum in size is reached, although the desire to both reduce the number of team members and increase it is justified. In the first case, the speed of intra-team communication increases and, consequently, the speed of task execution. In the second, the inclusion of a larger number of specialists in the team will ensure an increase in the quality of the task. It would be most reasonable to have a team as small as possible, but large enough so that the competence of its members corresponds to the requirements of the task.

It is easiest to work in a team of two because of the ease of communication. In larger teams, team members are prone to disordered communication, which leads to disorganization and the feeling that a lot of time is wasted. With the increase in the size of the team, the number of interactions between its members increases dramatically. Bearing in mind that every interaction contains a potential conflict between its participants, as the team expands, it becomes obvious that organizational difficulties are more likely.

If the team has more than 12 people, it would be reasonable to split it into two subgroups, giving each of them an integral part of the overall task and retaining the overall leadership of the group. If this is not done, the team will split into informal groups in an arbitrary way (for example, based on the sympathy of team members for each other), which will complicate the coordination of the task and reduce the effectiveness of teamwork. Therefore, the process of dividing a large group into subgroups, keeping in mind the achievement of team goals, is best managed consciously and carefully.

Influence functional responsibilities team members on the effectiveness of its work. The effectiveness of a team is largely determined by the personal qualities of its members and the relationship between them. Everyone should be ready to use all their abilities and knowledge to solve a team problem.

The level of competence, which includes the knowledge, understanding, skills and personal qualities that team members must possess, are determined by the objectives and methods of achieving the goal.

It is important to assess as often as possible the relationship between the team's work results and the requirements for the level of competence in order to timely detect emerging problems and make the necessary rearrangements, organize appropriate trainings, etc. Improving the efficiency of teams by distributing functional and team roles.

When selecting people for a team, we, as a rule, make our choice based on their skills, knowledge and experience. But to achieve team effectiveness, not only skills, knowledge and experience are important, but equally the personal qualities and personal characteristics of team members.

When people work as part of the same group or team, each of them performs two types of roles: functional, based on professional skills and practical experience, and team, based on personality traits. The team role can be viewed as a characteristic of the quality of the application of individual skills and experience that make up the content of the functional role performed.

There are nine team roles (Table 19.1). Research has shown that each team member plays not one, but often two, even three or four team roles. It should be noted that they can be considered equally important to the effectiveness of teamwork, provided that they are used within the team at the appropriate times and in the best possible way. For example, at a time when a team is just starting to consider a problem or develop a project, first of all, innovative ideas are required (a thinker is needed), followed by the need to assess how these ideas can be translated into practical actions and achievable tasks (performer) ... In these phases, success is achieved if the team has a good coordinator (chair) who is tasked with ensuring the best possible input from team members at the right time. The team gains driving forces and incentives thanks to the activity of an energetic shaper. When the need arises for complex negotiations with other groups, the qualities that a resource researcher have are of great importance. To contain excessive enthusiasm that distracts from the main activities of the team, there should be an evaluator in the team.

All sorts of sources of friction and misunderstanding between team members are eliminated by the collectivist, and thanks to the presence of a specialist, the team has at its disposal rarely encountered skills and knowledge, which periodically arises.

The role of the facilitator is to keep in mind even the smallest details of decisions and to ensure that all actions are taken consistently. Clearly, in order for a team to derive maximum benefit from the diversity of team roles, each team member must be aware of the specifics of the team roles. their colleagues. This is the only way to determine if there are nine roles that do not belong to the natural strengths of the team members. If this is the case, then those team members for whom the missing natural team roles are secondary will have to try to fill the gap. Obviously, this will require an atmosphere of frankness and trust. Sometimes managers speak out in the sense that, they say, they are entrusted with leading teams that are imbalanced in terms of team roles, and they have to deal with what is. In most modern organizations, there is a constant turnover of staff. When recruiting and hiring new employees, managers who have adopted the concept of team roles will purposefully recruit their own personnel.

For a significant part of the working day, effective leaders settle conflicts between supporters and opponents, between subordinates, explaining to them that differences of opinion are an integral part of social life.

The fastest and most reliable way to change the course of a company is to change the process leader. Leadership or leadership of a team is very important to the effectiveness of its work. Let's take a closer look at how good leadership of the management team leads to a well-functioning team and a more complete and faster implementation of the strategic plan.

Table 19.1

Team Roles

Command

role

Permissible disadvantages

Thinker

Creative focus, rich imagination, extraordinary thinking. Committed to innovation. A source of original ideas for the team

Lack of experience of interpersonal communication Psychological instability May be delayed for a long time considering "interesting ideas"

Executor

Turns ideas into action. Turns solutions into easy-to-do tasks. Brings order to the team's activities

Lack of flexibility. Rejection of fantastic ideas Dislike of frequent plan changes

Door closer

Diligence and conscientiousness. Ensures that the tasks are completed in full. Tracks the timeliness of assignments

Excessive concern about the state of affairs. Inclination to inner experiences. Reluctance to outsource responsibilities. Aversion to being frivolous about his responsibilities by others

Professing an impartial critical analysis of the situation, insight in assessments. Accuracy of judgments, striving to consider all possible solutions. Underestimating the factors of stimulation and excitement

Lack of inspiration and creative imagination. Ability to suppress the initiative of others

Researcher

resources

Possession of the art of negotiating, a variety of contacts. Talent as an improviser, explores opportunities. Enthusiasm, sociability

Loses interest as enthusiasm fades. Jumps from one task to another. Needs external pressure

Shaper

Constant focus on solving the assigned task; stimulates the work of the whole team. Contributes to the implementation of the decisions taken; encourages employees to work harder. Energetic, striving for excellence and working with full dedication

Easily becomes irritable and frustrated Impulsivity and impatience Intolerance of vague wording and indecisive behavior

Command

role

Necessary personal qualities and contribution to the team's activities

Permissible disadvantages

Collectivist

Promotes the harmonization of team relationships and the elimination of disagreements. Listens carefully to the interlocutor; relies on the opinions of others. Sensitivity, lack of overconfidence

Indecision in crisis situations. The desire to avoid exacerbation of situations. Can prevent action from being taken at a crucial moment

Chairperson

Formulates goals clearly; performs well as a moderator during discussions. Promotes effective decision making. Has good communication skills; social leader

May give the impression of being manipulative. The tendency to shift their responsibilities onto others. Can credit the entire team to himself

Specialist

Has rare skills and knowledge. Purposefulness and ability to concentrate efforts. Initiative and the ability to fully surrender to work

Useful only in a narrow professional field. Often has poor communication skills. Often "he does not see the forest for the trees"

As a rule, in the process of team work, the leader does not seek to clearly dominate the others. On the one hand, there is no particular need for this - the level of consciousness and interaction of employees is high enough not to stand over them with a whip, on the other hand, an efficiently working team will not tolerate overly authoritarian leadership.

The best way to manage a team is to engage them intelligently in management, create the conditions for normal work and help in case of problems. The leader, using Western terminology, “manages by walking around,” that is, does not get involved in the details of the work, taking on leadership only in complex or non-standard situations... By the way, this guide will not necessarily be provided by the same person. It is quite possible that the functions of the leader are transferred for some time to the one of the team members who has the best knowledge of this issue. Indeed, for such a group, it is not important who controls, but how the work is carried out.

A less efficient group usually needs a permanent leader, who often has to act as a distributor of roles, tasks and resources, an arbiter in conflict situations by tracking even the smallest aspects of the job. At the same time, it is possible that the group will be dissatisfied with their boss, believing that he is not doing his job well enough.

Caring for team members and paying attention to personal relationships are essential to team performance. Team leaders should be interested in their subordinates, not only by duty. Improvement in change management results occurs when managers have an active interest in the team's ability to competently perform their work. This is due to the fact that the effectiveness of the team depends on both the fulfillment of plans and personal relationships.

Let's consider these features in more detail (Table 19.2). First, in a group, the performance of work usually depends on individual activities its members. The result of the team's work depends on the personal contribution of each of its members to the achievement of the goal, in close interaction.

Table 19.2

Options for working in groups and teams

Working alone or in groups is preferred

Teamwork is preferable

For solving simple problems or "puzzles"

To solve complex problems or "problems"

When cooperation is satisfactory

When Consensus Is Needed to Make a Decision

When the variety of opinions is limited

When there is uncertainty and multiplicity of decision options

When a task needs to be solved urgently

When high dedication is needed

When a narrow range of competence is sufficient

When a wide range of competence is required

When an organization prefers to work with individuals

When an organization intends to use the results of teamwork to develop strategy and vision

When optimal results are needed

When a versatile approach is needed (but remember to be mindful of groupthink)

The second difference is related to the place given to responsibility for the work performed. Usually, team members pool their resources to achieve a goal, although it is also the job of each individual, which is taken into account when it comes to awarding. Group members are most often not responsible for the overall result of their work, but are only responsible for their own personal activities. The teams also attach importance to both individual work each of its members, and the overall result. Its members work together to achieve an outcome (such as delivering a product, delivering a service, or developing a solution) that is the team's collective contribution to the work, and each team member shares responsibility for the outcome. The main difference is this: in groups, people who control the organization require a personal account of the work done from everyone, while team members exercise self-control.

Third, at a time when team members can only share a common goal, team members, among other things, share a common commitment to achieving the goal. Moreover, these goals are often viewed as an opportunity to win in the realization of a particular goal (to be the first or the best at something). For example, working in a factory for a company in financial difficulties, a team may seek to make that company a leader in its industry. A private general school team may strive to prepare its graduates to a higher standard of excellence than any other school in the area. Team members focus on joint achievement of higher goals, which, combined with the specifics of performing tasks, makes them strongly interested in the results of their activities. Teams can be said to have “ownership” of goals and usually spend a lot of time setting them. Like groups, teams strive to demonstrate the level of their skills and knowledge through the set goals. They set themselves broader goals, which are a significant source of emotional energy that stimulates their active implementation.

Fourth, teams differ from groups in the nature of their relationship to management. Usually, the management sets a goal for the team and does not interfere in the planning of intra-team work, i.e. teams must have varying levels of self-government. They must have high degree freedom and be able to independently set intermediate goals, calculate the time to complete the work and be able to bring the results as close as possible to the goal. All these actions should take place without intervention from the management or with his minimal involvement in the team work process.

In this case, team building is understood as the development from a formal, approved by the management of a management structure into a working group with a subculture. Researchers identify five stages of team development.

  • 1. Adaptation. From the point of view of business activity, it is characterized as a stage of mutual information and analysis of tasks. At this stage, the members of the group are looking for the optimal way to solve the problem. Interpersonal interactions are cautious and lead to the formation of dyads, the stage of verification and dependence begins, which presupposes orientation of the group members regarding the nature of each other's actions and the search for mutually acceptable behavior in the group. Team members get together with a sense of alertness and constraint. The effectiveness of the team at this stage is low, since its members are not yet familiar and are not confident in each other.
  • 2. Grouping. This stage is characterized by the creation of associations (subgroups) by liking interests. Its instrumental content consists in the opposition of group members to the requirements imposed on them by the content of the task, due to the identification of the discrepancy between the personal motivation of individuals and the goals of group activity. There is an emotional response of group members to the requirements of the task, which leads to the formation of subgroups. When grouping, group self-awareness begins to take shape at the level of individual subgroups that form the first intragroup norms. The peculiarities of the existence of groups at this stage are characteristic of working management groups with subcultures of the "clique" type. There is a unification of all members of the subgroup around its leader, which can cause uncritical perception of the latter by individual members of the group.
  • 3. Cooperation. At this stage, there is a realization of the desire to work on solving the problem. It is characterized by more open and constructive communication than in the previous stages, elements of group solidarity and cohesion appear. Here, for the first time, an established group emerges with a distinctly expressed sense of "we". The instrumental activity becomes the leading one at this stage, the members of the group are well prepared for its implementation, and organizational unity is developed. However, such a group lacks sufficiently pronounced psychological connections.
  • 4. Rationing of activities. At this stage, the principles of group interaction are being developed. The sphere of emotional activity is becoming dominant, the importance of the “I - you” relationship is sharply increasing, and personal relationships are becoming especially close. One of characteristic features This stage of development of the group is the lack of intergroup activity. The process of separating into a cohesive, well-prepared group, united in organizational and psychological terms, can turn it into an autonomy group, which is characterized by isolation on its own goals, egoism.
  • 5. Functioning. From the point of view of business activity, it can be viewed as a decision-making stage characterized by constructive attempts to successfully solve a problem. The stage of functional-role correlation associated with the formation of the team's role structure, which is a kind of resonator through which the group task is played. The group is open to the manifestation and resolution of the conflict. A variety of styles and approaches to problem solving are recognized. At this stage, the group reaches the highest level of socio-psychological maturity, distinguished by a high level of preparedness, organizational and psychological unity, characteristic of the command subculture.
  • 6. Disbandment. Sooner or later, the most successful groups, committees and project teams disband, intensive social relations their participants are gradually fading away.

Thus, teams are inherently self-governing or partly managed divisions of an organization. However, it would be wrong to assume that teams have complete independence from top management the company and from control by the relevant authorities of the organization. They are obliged to meet the requirements of the higher levels of management of the corporation, which can also be organized on the basis of the command principle.

Questions and tasks for self-control

  • 1. Name the difference between the goals and reasons for the formation of formal and informal groups and organizations.
  • 2. What dangers and benefits can arise from the activities of informal groups in the organization?
  • 3. Describe the communication problems in the activities of an organization in which there are numerous formal groups.
  • 4. What actions should a leader take to monitor and manage the activities of informal groups?
  • 5. What are the main factors affecting the effectiveness of the team?
  • 6. Under what conditions can a team's work be ineffective?
  • 7. What team roles can exist and what are their characteristics?
  • 8. Describe options for working in groups and teams.
  • 9. What is the algorithm for building and developing a team?
  • 10. What are the modern techniques and methods of building effective groups and teams?

Team efficiency

"Building an effective team" is a unique opportunity to form relationships full of trust, increase self-confidence, overcome fears, take on new challenges, and strengthen mutual ties.

An effective team can be characterized by generally accepted criteria for the effectiveness of any organizational structure, but there are specific features inherent only to the team. First of all, it is the focus of the whole team at the end result, initiative and a creative approach to solving problems. High productivity and focus on the best solution, active and interested discussion of emerging problems complement its characteristics.

According to Douglas MeGregor, who considered the qualitative characteristics of the effectiveness of the functioning of teams, an effective team can be called a team in which: an informal and relaxed atmosphere; the task is well understood and accepted; members listen to each other; there is a discussion associated with the task, in which everyone participates; people express both their ideas and feelings; conflicts and disagreements are present, but expressed and centered around ideas and methods, not individuals; the group is aware of what it is doing; the decision is based on consent, not on a majority vote.

From the point of view of W. French and C. Bell, when the given, conditions are met, the team, on the one hand, successfully fulfills its mission, and on the other hand, satisfies the personal and interpersonal needs of its members.

Formation of teams. Team building is one of the levels of organizational consulting. There are three levels of conducting team building processes:

1. Individual counseling, i.e. managing the difficult problems that arise as a result of being in the organization.

2. Directly forming a team. Active team involvement in planning organizational changes "(a team is defined as a group of people of more than two people who dynamically interact, are dependent on each other and are directed towards a common goal (mission)). Each team member has a specific role, occupies a specific position and performs a specific function in the team.

3. Building inter-team relationships. An organization may have several separate and independent groups from which it is necessary to form teams. In this case, organizational consulting is aimed both at the process of forming teams and at establishing a relationship between them.

To carry out the process of building a team, it is necessary to use the services of consultants specializing in the implementation of this type of activity. The task of the consultant is to help the group understand their own processes by developing and improving group skills and abilities.

Dyer described indicators that allow team members, management, or consultants to ensure that the team needs some form of building activity: unlimited leader dominance; warring subgroups; unequal participation and ineffective use of group resources; rigid or non-functional group norms and procedures; the presence of rigid protective positions; lack of creativity in problem solving; limited communication; avoidance of disagreements and potential conflicts.

The presence of these conditions reduces the team's ability to work together towards the collective resolution of problem situations. After realizing the presence of a problem situation, the group needs to establish a procedure, direction or action plan to reduce negative conditions. M. Beer distinguished four main approaches to team building: goal-setting (based on goals), interpersonal (interpersonal), role and management lattice. M. Beer considered the first three approaches to be the main ways of forming teams (Table 4). Teams can be divided into two classes according to their type: some are permanent "working" teams with experience of working together and consisting of a leader-manager and subordinates; others are specific ones that have just appeared, created anew due to organizational structural changes, mergers, tasks.

Basic approaches to team building.

Goal-based approach (based on goals)

This approach is based on improving the ability of group members to navigate the processes of selection and implementation of group goals. The process is carried out with the help of a consultant. Goals can be strategic in nature, or they can be set in accordance with the specifics of the activity, such as changing productivity or sales. Objectives can also be set as change internal environment or any processes

Interpersonal approach (interpersonal)

It focuses on improving interpersonal relationships in a group and is based on the fact that interpersonal competence increases the effectiveness of the group's existence as a team. Its purpose is to increase group trust, encourage joint support, and increase intra-team communication.

Role approach

This approach involves discussion and negotiation among team members about their roles. This approach is based on the assumption that teams in a role plan are composed of overlapping role areas. In team behavior, a lot can be understood and changed by changing their performance, as well as the individual perception of these roles.

Problem-oriented

Bullberg identified another approach to team building - through problem solving, which he defined as a pre-planned series of process facilitation (with the participation of a third party consultant) with a group of people who have a common organizational relationship and goals. The content of the process includes the sequential development of procedures for solving team problems, and then the achievement of the main team task. He assumes that along with the development of such a skill in all team members, the activity in its formation should also be focused on the implementation of the main task, interpersonal skills, and it can also clarify functional-role correlations.

Usually the formation of teams proceeds in four directions: diagnostics; achieving or completing a task; team relationships; team processes of team building. R. and L. Killman distinguish the following stage designations: entry into the working group (data collection); diagnostics of group problems; preparation of decisions and drawing up an action plan (active planning); implementation of the action plan (active process); monitoring and evaluating results. Let's consider how to implement each stage in the team building process.

Entrance to the working group. There are several ways to join a team in order to collect data and conduct diagnostics: a consultant meeting with a team without leadership; both the consultant and the management are present at the first meeting; management itself conducts the first team-building meeting - without the presence of the consultant after receiving certain instructions from him. It is preferable that the initial team-building effort be successful, even if it is negligible. In this case, the leadership and team members will be filled with courage to continue what they started. but the main objective team building - to ensure that the team itself effectively copes and manages its problems.

This process can be significantly extended in time.

It is often found that the main problem that prevents a team from working effectively is the boss or the manager himself. If he is not aware of this, then the situation becomes especially difficult until team members confront him about the devastating consequences of his or her managerial behavior. If the solution to this problem is avoided in the process of forming a team, then the rest of the steps in the process will be completely useless, since the main one is carefully hushed up.

Diagnostics of group problems. The chain of the diagnostic meeting to conduct a general criticism of the effectiveness of the team in order to consider the following general and special questions such as: "Where are we going?" And "How are we going to do this?" It is also necessary to present (define) existing problems in such a way (in such a way) that they can be worked out. In the course of joint work, the most important (actual) team problems are identified. By working with them, the group can achieve a new equilibrium that sets up a higher level of personal involvement and team climate.

Preparation of decisions and drawing up an action plan. Typically, a group discussion is particularly active when team members are asked how they feel about what can be done to solve their group problems. With a clear definition of the problem, a solution is developed through consensus-building and selection of one or more execution modes.

Action plan implementation (active process). The goal of conducting team building processes is to improve the efficiency of team activities through debugging the management of problem solving methods, intragroup communications and group processes.

The group criticizes its own performance, reviews its way of doing things for the team, and tries to strategize to improve its performance. The general task of such meetings may be to answer the question: "How can we change ourselves towards more effective team functioning?"

In the active stage of the team-building process, four main goals are distinguished: changing the set of goals or priorities; analysis and distribution of the way of working; consideration of norms, method of decision-making, communications; considering the relationships between people doing work.

Initial efforts should be more task-oriented than interpersonal. When a team is busy solving problems and focusing on a task, team members build something together. This Team work promotes a sense of connectedness.

Monitoring and evaluating results. The final stage of team formation. Includes an assessment of the results of all previous stages to see if the identified team problems are resolved. The data obtained as a result of the assessment process is an indicator of what is wrong, what needs to be worked on.

Team building affects the effectiveness of all subsequent team activities: leadership and decision-making quality improves; the team subculture is changing (usually towards greater openness); assertiveness appears in defending one's position, cooperation among all team members.

Main conclusions. Teams are especially needed when challenges arise that involve elements of risk, uncertainty, and lack of knowledge. Many groups, on the other hand, are more focused on internal issues, have a less orderly structure than most teams, and have less interest in the end results.

We all know very well that teamwork involves the risk of taking a traditional approach to solving a problem and slowing down the process of finding a solution due to the need to exchange views and reach consensus. But it is in teamwork that people reveal their hidden capabilities more. Although in this case the work proceeds more slowly, but all the "components" of this team are impeccably satisfied with the work to which they have dedicated themselves. And this is very important in general, even for the organization, since a close-knit team, which has its own team spirit, will fully devote itself to work, and invest all its skills in the problem that it solves. Therefore, at present, Western firms often practice a method of creating labor collectives, which is based on a voluntary choice of partners from among persons with whom a person has communicated for a predetermined time, as a result of which there is a persistent sympathy for some of them, antipathy for others, for the third is indifference.

In team management, both the end goal and the process of achieving it are equally important.

Achieving team effectiveness depends on the influence of not only internal factors (personnel and team relationships), but also external factors (customers, higher-level managers, other teams and the culture of the organization).

The competence of the team, the distribution of responsibility and the efficiency of its work are the subjects of concern not only for the manager and leader, but for all team members.

The teams shouldn't be too large. The larger the team, the higher the likelihood of conflicts and groupings.

To determine the quality and the ratio of the levels of competence, it is necessary to weigh the ratio of the functions of the team, which make up its four "faces": the task, people, internal and external relations.

In determining the composition of the team, the experience of multinational teams and those of senior management must be taken into account in order to achieve the right balance in personnel and in the balance of risks associated with uniformity and difference.

The required ratio of functional qualities is achieved by the distribution of the necessary roles in the team.

The effectiveness of a team is based on a clear understanding by its members of the relationship between goals, methods of work and the successful completion of a task. This includes working to resolve some conflicts about goals and intentions among team members.

Team goals often act as an intermediary between the goals of the organization and its strategy and individual goals and interests.

The goals should be agreed upon and can be changed and improved if necessary.

Defining a goal includes both creativity and technical analysis. Managers need to be proficient in issues such as shaping a common mission, encouraging participation, evaluating information, creating an atmosphere of innovation, and sustaining innovative ideas.

But most importantly, it is when the team needs to achieve the appropriate level of cohesion, while avoiding the danger of groupthink. As a rule, closely related, among themselves, members of small groups are not afraid and do not take risks if they express opinions contrary to the views of the majority, or readily join the point of view of its most influential members - this is group thinking.

Managing team dynamics can require significant tact, persistence, and unity from managers and team leaders when serious tensions and conflicts arise.

Attention should be paid to both formal and informal communication links in teams and groups.

Setting healthy norms and expectations is important element team building.

Managers and teams need to have an understanding of the basic stages of team building. Leadership at various stages of team building requires managers to be restrained and tolerant, along with proactive intervention.

Teams must distinguish and control boundaries between themselves and the rest of the organization. It is important to realize what is achievable and doable, especially in relationships with a high-level team leader and with the external environment.

Formation of autonomous teams. The entry of mankind into a new stage of its development - the era that is called the "post-industrial development of society" or "the stage of building an information society", also makes corresponding requirements for the design of companies, for the formation of management structures, for the unification or division of functions in it.

Autonomous groups (teams) are becoming the main component of the company and corporation of the future, each of which has a specific goal and a clear control over the achievement of these goals is carried out. Companies and corporations aim to continuously enhance the creative and productive performance of their workforce. The main advantage is the increased interest, involvement and responsibility of employees, which leads to faster and more complete satisfaction of the needs of customers and shareholders.

Experts assume that the finished corporation of the future will have only a few top managers, who will centralize the functions of finance and personnel management. Such organizational structure will be able to do with a maximum of three or four intermediate levels of management that manage the basic processes. The personnel of the corporation will work together in autonomous groups (teams) to solve cardinal issues, for example, on the creation of new products or the development of a sales network. The main task of the autonomous groups will be the most complete satisfaction of the needs of a particular customer with a maximum of three or four intermediate levels of management that manage the basic processes.

Virtual Teams are Teams of the Future. Modern telecommunication technologies are expanding the boundaries of cooperation. For effective collaboration, there is no longer a need for spatial concentration of personnel: work at the next table, be in the same office, building, city or even country. Modern computer technologies make it possible to carry out joint group work remotely.

Such groups (teams) are called virtual. They become virtual not only because individual members of this group work remotely through some intangible electronic space. The very status of an employee in the company is changing: he is no longer viewed from the position of the position held, not as a functionary, but as a potential resource, which is a body of knowledge and skills available to everyone within the company. Formally, for a virtual company, only the content of the resource and its availability.

V modern organization there must be a close-knit team.

What does it mean? In an organization, each employee is valuable in their own way. Such a collective can be compared to an anthill. Each ant has its own responsibilities: someone is engaged in construction, someone is cleaning, there are war ants, someone is caring for the offspring. The same should be in the organization, because no matter what position he works, he invests his contribution in the development of the enterprise.

In modern society, many managers underestimate ordinary employees, but in the enterprise everything is interconnected like in an anthill. The success of an enterprise depends not only on the work of higher authorities, but also on the work of: logisticians, freight forwarders, loaders, accountants and many other employees.

For example: If the loader does not come to work, the whole enterprise may stand up, since the goods will not be loaded and unloaded. Naturally, forwarders cannot go to points without goods for sale, therefore, there is no revenue, and the profit on which depends wage all employees.

In order to get good momentum in the enterprise, it is necessary to unite the team: arrange corporate events, encourage, set them as an example, so that each employee feels his own significance in the organization.

I think that modern manager must be able to build and establish relationships in a team, he will have more chances to keep his team. Employee education plays an important role in the operation of the enterprise, because we live in the age of technology.