...Teams, Groups and Conflict Susan Pickett MGT/311 March 30th 2015 Charles Sprague Teams, Groups and Conflict As one of the team superintendents with Riordan Manufacturing I have been asked to come up with a Strategy Plan along with a Conflict Management Plan, for our new project underway. Our group was hired to lead new teams into the production of the newly designed Cardi Care Valve heart valves, most of us will have to relocate to Pontiac Michigan until the manufacturing of these custom plastic parts has been completed. A lot of the production teams are current employees from some of our other divisions, and we expect to hire a few more new employees to help us complete our goal with in a timely manner. Part I: Team Strategy Plan After carefully reviewing the employees that Riordan Manufacturing has elected to help us with our goal, I will collect all of the information one each employee and prepare a plan delegating who will be on what teams, but before this will happen I have to address a few strategies to help me produce this plan. There are five strategies to choose from when choosing a team strategy plan. The strategies include: clear expectations of goals, channels of communication, conflict resolution, consequences, and celebrating achievements as a team. Clear expectations of goals and targets: There should be a clear roles defined for each team member, every person in the team should know the role he or she is expected to play, without Clear expectations...
Words: 1544 - Pages: 7
...Groups, Teams, and Conflict MTG/311 March 4, 2015 Groups, Teams, and Conflict Team Strategy Plan 1. Complete the following table to address the creation of teams at Riordan Manufacturing. Strategy | Strengths | Weaknesses | Forming: Cross-Functional with Common Plan and PurposeIdentify team members, analyze work, develop goals to achieve mission success, and generate strategies to achieve goals (Robbins & Judge, 2013). | High level of communication promotes clearly defined purpose. Proper planning enhances climate of trust and allows common purpose to provide guidance for overcoming barriers (Robbins & Judge, 2013). Enhanced tendency to attain synergy and achieve goals (Wienclaw, 2015). | Personal agendas weaken the common purpose and reduce cohesiveness. Infrequent strategy reviews encourages team confusion (Robbins & Judge, 2013). | Storming: Team Member Commitment | Create structure and processes. Reduced dysfunctional conflict and build trust and cohesiveness (Robbins & Judge, 2013). | Challenges to authority. Some participants may struggle with the limits the team levies on individualism. | Norming: Determine Leadership Hierarchy and Performance Metrics | Clearly defined chain of command promotes normalcy and respect. Clearly communicated performance metrics enhances normalcy (Robbins & Judge, 2013). | New task assignments may cause some members to revert to Storming phase. | Performing: Coach to Goals | Team Manager is able to...
Words: 1238 - Pages: 5
...Groups, Teams, and Conflict Andrew Carnegie said “teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision; the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results” (Smart Entrepreneur). As one of the Superintendents at Riordan Manufacturing it is my belief that teams are an essential way to distribute job duties and complete a task on time. The teams which have been chosen will begin to form from current employees and some newly hired individuals. The objective of the teams is to start production of the newly designed CardiCare Valve at the Pontiac Michigan facility. The purpose of this paper is to identify the various strategies that make up the teams, the challenges which may occur, and the measures which will be taken to ensure the team is operating successfully. Various Strategies There are various strategies when forming a successful team. As role of Superintendent, I will use the five strategies of effective team building to assist in building the team of individuals to design the CardiCare Valve heart valves for Riordan Manufacturing. Clear expectations “begin by analyzing the team’s mission, developing goals to achieve that mission and creating strategies for achieving the goals” (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 327). The first strategy is to choose leaders within each team who will ensure the team know what their role is and then distribute the work evenly among the team...
Words: 957 - Pages: 4
...Groups, Teams, and Conflict MGT/311 January 19, 2015 CardiCare Valves Project Riordan Manufacturing is a Fortune 1000 company specializing in the design and manufacturing of custom plastics. Current customers include companies from the health care and food and beverage industries. The purpose of the following project presentation and plan is to accommodate the production of the newly designed CardiCare Valve heart valves. The company is currently planning to gear up for production under their current model, borrowing resources from varied divisions while expecting to hire an undetermined number of new employees. As one of the newly hired superintendents hired to assemble and lead new teams to begin this new production for Cardicare Valves, the research into the issue has been undertaken and the potential strategies have been identified to implementing a successful ramp-up and shift in production. Strategies The available strategies to build successful teams include the following: clearly defining the goals of the team and the skills required, selection of team members, ensuring valuable communication, promoting a productive workgroup, resolving conflicts, and managing motivation (Robbins & Judge, 2013). There are, of course, several challenges that could be barriers or obstacles to success. For instance, there might be personal or professional differences between team members and/or managers, chosen communicators may fail to properly communicate the goals of...
Words: 1073 - Pages: 5
...Employee Portfolio: Management Plan Errington Licorish MGT/311 May 5, 2014 Howard Kersey Thesis This summary report will identify the character traits of three colleagues that did a self-assessment earlier in the week. This summary will include the individual contributions to the Riordan Manufacturing organization as well as any debilitating traits that may conflict with the organizations overall mission. Included in the summary will be an individualized plan to help assist each employee with skills, training, and education to further their professional and personal lives as well as motivate them to be a more productive asset to the Riordan Manufacturing organization. Andrew Andrews’s personality is great for the team environment, however Andrew needs motivation to adjust to weather conditions. Andrews’s professional mannerisms and self-motivation is a great asset to the Riordan Manufacturing organization. Andrew is able to ably his training and skills to make thoughtful decisions to benefit the customer and the company. I recommend a six month follow up with Andrew after the management and organization help to accommodate Andrew with environmental supplies to help address his concerns with weather conditions, ect umbrella, short sleeve shirts for summer, long sleeve for winter, company jackets ect. Shawn Shawn is an outstanding employee with great ambition and assertiveness to get the job done. Shawn needs monetary motivation to excel to his full potential. The...
Words: 610 - Pages: 3
...Conference page 15 CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Brittany Sikes, Florida Institute of Technology Robert D. Gulbro, Athens State University Linda Shonesy, Athens State University ABSTRACT Conflict is almost certain to occur in work teams due to the fact that they are comprised of different people possessing different perceptions, personalities, and behaviors. Although incredibly effective, work teams may stumble upon barriers which must be overcome to allow for growth and continuation towards the common goals of the group. It is quite possible that a work team may perform without the presence of conflict, but oftentimes certain measures have been implemented to prevent such conflict from occurring. Occasional conflict, if managed appropriately, can lead to creativity, better decision-making, and improved results. However, too much conflict can lead to a decrease in performance and group cohesion. In global organizations there is an opportunity for cross-cultural differences that may increase conflict. Contained herein are both the positive and negative consequences of conflict, as well as courses of action to understand, prevent, and resolve conflict that occurs within work teams or groups. THE VALUE OF WORK TEAMS A work team is defined as an organized group, committed to the individuals within the group, whose members share the same intent of accomplishing a common goal. Managers have become more inclined to utilize work teams when presented with missions...
Words: 2676 - Pages: 11
...Introduction: Individual Reflection on Team Experience Today in many industries and organizations group/team work is a tool for effective achievement of organizational goals. Understanding the way groups develop and how they impact organizational success is important to the effective use of groups in organizations. One of the most common models to describe how groups develop was described by Tuckman. Tuckman studied group development as it was seen in group therapy. This was then extrapolated to involve the development of all groups and teams that exist in areas such as those seen in organizations. In 1966, Tucker proposed that group development progressed through four identifiable stages which were named forming, storming, norming and performing. The Tuckman model for the stages of group development is one of the most cited models in the business world. Over the years there were other studies that also agreed that groups go through stages and they had identified that there appeared to be an “ending” stage as well. In 1977 Tuckman with Jensen reviewed who the stages of group development had evolved over the years since his first proposal of the stages of group development and in response to other studies they added a final stage of group development which the called adjourning (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). The adjourning stage will not be reviewed in this paper since there was no real adjourning stage with this group. Another model for group development is the punctuated equilibrium...
Words: 3774 - Pages: 16
...Functional Vs. Dysfunctional Conflict in a Work Group There are several factors that are important in creating an effective and efficient work team. Some, such as diversity, knowledge, and skill are obvious. However, the most important factor in building a strong team is conflict. Most individuals have a negative view of conflict. While there are negative aspects of conflict, it can also draw team members together and create an atmosphere conducive to a creative and thorough problem solving environment. In today’s business world it is extraordinarily important for individuals to work within teams well. Each team member must be able to consider differing opinions and adapt their ideas to make the decisions that benefit the whole team. There are two main types of conflict to consider when working in teams: functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict. Functional conflict allows for creative ideas and strong team performance. As stated before, many people have a negative view of conflict but it is the very diversity of opinions and ideas within a group that is the most important factor in good decision making. It is these differing opinions that will create alternative solutions, which best utilizes scarce resources. Multiple ideas allow for healthy debate and problem solving. Debate allows everyone with a differing view to state their case and describe why their solution is better, and allows the team to make decisions with more potential solutions. An increased number of...
Words: 941 - Pages: 4
...Abstract When working in a team conflicts are bound to happen. Conflicts can range anywhere from the inability to agree on a topic to the lack of participation of team members. In order to be an effective team member and agree on the content of the project, team members need to be open minded and flexible. When students are a part of a team the end result should be the same for all of those involved. However, this is not always the case. Conflicts are thought of as being negative responses to someone else’s ideas or suggestions, but conflicts can help different team members open their minds to new approaches and tactics. Team members have the opportunity to grow and learn to appreciate how others work. However, since each team member has their own distinct way of learning, they also have their own way of dealing with conflict. There are different types of conflict and within each type of conflict there are different methods of conflict styles. The three types of conflict are; Substantive, Procedural and Affective Substantive conflict takes place when team members disagree over each other’s ideas. Substantive conflict happens when a team argues over the details that could stand in the way of the final goal of the group. For example, when a topic or idea is presented and no one can agree with each other. This disagreement can stand in the way of the completion of the project. Procedural conflict takes place when the team members disagree about the process taken to complete...
Words: 1595 - Pages: 7
...unite to work as a team for anything more than a brief duration, some conflict is normal, and should be expected. As workgroups from there is the inevitability of conflict; being able to recognize, address, and ultimately resolve conflicts is vitally important in order to create a workable environment and avoid disruptions. Conflict within groups can be both functional and dysfunctional. The dynamics and outcomes of these conflicts can exist on various levels, both individually and within group functions. By fully understanding both the conflict and the available resolution strategies, team members are prepared to select the best approach for managing or resolving conflict, which allows them to defuse the potential for it to derail the team's progress toward the achievement of its goals, damage, or even divide the team. Exploring various levels of conflict, conflict resolution and resulting outcomes allows us to clarify personal and group processes which evolve around conflict. The Conflict A short time ago, I was asked to participate in project at work. A team of subject matter expects was formed to work on a software project which would enhance and streamline day-to-day tasks. The purpose of the project was to brainstorm, test, and integrate this new software program to the Portfolio Analysts team, and then to the other various groups we worked with. There were six people in this task group and two upper level management team members to oversee the group. Though we all had...
Words: 1701 - Pages: 7
...members have begun to think of themselves as part of a group.. 2. storming stage - The second stage in group development, characterized by intragroup conflict. 3. norming stage The third stage in group development, characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness 4. performing stage The fourth stage in group development, during which the group is fully functional. 5. adjourning stage The final stage in group development for temporary groups, characterized by concern with wrapping up activities rather than task performance. groups that begin with a positive social focus appear to achieve the “performing” stage more rapidly. Storming and performing can occur simultaneously, and groups can even regress to previous stages. GROUPS WITH TEMP DEADLINES punctuated-equilibrium model A set of phases that temporary groups go through that involves transitions between inertia and activity. Work groups have properties that shape members’ behavior and help explain and predict individual behavior within the group as well as the performance of the group itself. - roles, norms, status, size, cohesiveness, and diversity psychological contract: an unwritten agreement that exists between employees and employer. This agreement sets out mutual expectations: what management expects from workers and vice versa.18 conform to the important groups to which they belong or hope to belong. These important groups are reference groups, in which a person is aware of other members, defines...
Words: 4412 - Pages: 18
...Student Guide In Week Three, you start to learn about the foundations of group behavior, the stages of group development, the various types of work teams, the difference between groups and teams, and how to create effective teams. You also learn about more about conflict in organizations through the different conflict-handling intentions and the negotiation process, and you learn more about the conflict process as a whole. Groups and Teams OBJECTIVE: Determine strategies to develop effective groups and teams. Resources: Ch. 9–10 of Organizational Behavior Content • Ch. 9: Foundations of Group Behavior o Defining and Classifying Groups – we define a group as two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. Informal group, command group, task group, interest group, friendship groups • Why do People Form Groups? Gives a sense of social identity o Stages of Group Development – groups generally pass through a predictable sequence in their evolution • The Five-Stage Model – Forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. • An Alternative Model for Temporary Groups with Deadlines – 1) their first meeting sets the group’s direction. 2) this first phase of group activity is one of inertia; 3) a transition takes place at the end of this phase, which occurs exactly when the group has used up half its allotted time; 4) a transition intitiates major changes;...
Words: 1289 - Pages: 6
...Team and Team Processes Shelitta Myers MHA601: Principles of Health Care Administration Dr. Bob 2 July 2012 Team and Team Processes In the following paper I will identify a minimum of three interventions to recommend that address the concerns expressed by Nurse B. The following are the three interventions that I will speak about: conflict management, role conflict, and striving toward the same goal. In closing I will support the recommended interventions with justification/explanation. A group consists of two or more people who interact with each other and share a common purpose (Erofeev, Glazer, & Ivanitskaya, 2009). A team is a type of group (Erofeev, Glazer, & Ivanitskaya, 2009). Teams are an essential part of any organization, especially within the healthcare organization. Each individual on a team plays a vital role in ensuring that all needs are met, task are completed daily and patients are being cared for properly. Teamwork and collaboration between all health professionals results in high quality clinical care, and increased job satisfaction for staff (Begley, 2009). When team members do not agree on the same goal, conflicts will arise. It is important for healthcare managers to control and management all conflicts within the organization. The key to successful conflict management is for both sides to try and solve the problem instead of trying to prove the other side wrong. In the case study presented, Nurse B voices concerns about working...
Words: 1128 - Pages: 5
...Behavior J. Organiz. Behav. 30, 359–378 (2009) Published online 25 April 2008 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/job.537 Team conflict management and team effectiveness: the effects of task interdependence and team identification ANIT SOMECH1*, HELENA SYNA DESIVILYA2 AND HELENA LIDOGOSTER1 1 2 University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel Emek Yezreel College, Emek Yezreel, Israel Summary The present study explores the dynamics of conflict management as a team phenomenon. The study examines how the input variable of task structure (task interdependence) is related to team conflict management style (cooperative versus competitive) and to team performance, and how team identity moderates these relationships. Seventy-seven intact work teams from high-technology companies participated in the study. Results revealed that at high levels of team identity, task interdependence was positively associated with the cooperative style of conflict management, which in turn fostered team performance. Although a negative association was found between competitive style and team performance, this style of team conflict management did not mediate between the interactive effect of task interdependence and team identity on team performance. Copyright # 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Introduction In modern organizations, teams have become the method of choice for responding quickly to technological and market changes and thus improving the organization’s chances of survival...
Words: 11106 - Pages: 45
...Uses of Conflict in Team Dynamics Introduction The Team concept is in no way a new idea, there have been many different types of teams throughout history sports teams, historical societies and theater groups just to name a few. However, in today’s work environment the Team concept has become a valuable tool used by various businesses to address and assess issues within those organizations leading to greater efficiency and production. As such conflicts, a common occurrence within a team, should be understood, properly managed and ultimately used as a positive method to help the team achieve its goal(s). The challenge is to take advantage of the opportunities inherent within conflict while reducing the potential negative effects. Definition of Conflict Conflict is generally a disagreement regarding interests and ideas between two or more individuals within an organization. While conflict can be viewed as negative, it has important implications in increasing the effectiveness of a team. (Esquirel & Kleiner, 2006). “A number of scholars have argued that conflict-management, and particularly conflict resolution, is an important predicator of the group conflict-performance relationship” (Marks, Mathieu & Zoccora, 2001, 356). If a group/team can effectively learn to recognize potential conflicts and be proactive in trying to avert them it shows that the team has learned to work as one unit, not diminishing the need for individuality, rather to show that...
Words: 1237 - Pages: 5
