Team roles

The Quality Toolbook > Teamwork > Team roles

Formal roles | Informal roles

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When teams are formed, it is normal for people to take different roles, according to
their position, ability or character type. Formal roles are the external, defined positions
that are associated with given responsibilities and are usually allocated according to
the position or ability of each person.
Individuals in a team will also tend to adopt informal roles that depend more on their
character than on any specific knowledge or position. Recognizing these behaviors can
be very useful when helping the team to work together.
Formal Roles
In order for a team to work in an organized way towards their objectives, several
formal roles are often allocated or decided on within the group. Although the leader is
the most common role, other positions of specific responsibility can help give focus to
specific activities and ensure formal tasks are completed.
Leader
The style of the group leader sets the style of how the group will operate. This style
should be more participative than directive, as improvement groups often operate on a
voluntary basis or where the work is outside their normal work scope. There also may
be no official reporting line to the leader, who may be a peer or from another area.
A key objective of the leader is to motivate the rest of the team into having a strong
focus on succeeding in their objectives. An active and effective way to achieve this is
by working within the team rather than directing it from above. An important factor is
that the leader should be respected by the team members, who will be willing to work
together with him or her. The leader should also be clearly enthusiastic about solving
the problem by using appropriate tools, rather than the less structured 'brainstorm and
implement' sessions that often occur.
The leader should also have a good understanding of the improvement process being
used and should be able to work closely with the facilitator.
Recorder
The information gathered, minutes of meetings, output from tool use and
communications inside and outside the team forms the 'group memory' of the team. If
this is not recorded and organized, it can result in the team itself becoming
disorganized.
The role of the recorder (or scribe or librarian) is thus to record and gather all the data
and present it in a format which the team can easily understand and reference. The
key skills for the recorder are a clear and concise writing style and an ability to
organize information for easy access.
Analyst
Measurements made during the project are seldom directly interpretable, and must be
translated into an understandable format from which decision points may be identified.
The analyst's key focus is on the measurement and interpretation of data to enable
these decisions to be made.
The exact skills of the analyst will vary with the type of project, for example where
detailed numerical measures are being made, a mathematical ability may be needed.
Other projects may need an understanding of psychology, for example where the
measurement is of people's opinions.
Expert
Experts in the team have specialized knowledge, for example about technical areas or
key processes, and act as advisors and authorities in their field of expertise. It is
important in an improvement team to either have appropriate expertise within the
team or to have it readily available.
A chicken and egg situation can occur, where an expert is required to identify a
problem, but the appropriate expert cannot be identified until the problem is known.
This can result in the problem being circled, but not approached. The effect of this on
the team is that experts may come and go, or may stay and become inappropriate
people to have on the team.
Facilitator
The facilitator is not an actual team member, but is closely connected with the team,
and especially with the team leader. This person is an expert in team dynamics and in
the improvement process, and thus acts as an advisor and teacher. The facilitator
never owns the problem, but does have a strong interest in the success of the group.
An effective way of allowing the facilitator to lead the team in specific activities, yet
without undermining the leader's role, is for the leader to describe the objective and
then to introduce the facilitator as someone who will help them achieve this. The
facilitator then takes over, with the clear mandate of helping the group, whilst the
leader sits with the group.
Informal roles
There are a number of models of interpersonal behavior in groups that identify specific
roles that people adopt, often unconsciously. It is important that these characters get
on together, as subliminal conflict, where people react emotionally to situations they
do not consciously recognize, can be particularly difficult to resolve.
In practice, behavioral style may vary along a spectrum between extremes. People
may also act at different positions along the spectra, depending on the situation.
Nevertheless, individuals do tend towards particular groups of behaviors and if these
are recognized, a cohesive and effective mix may be found in the group to enable its
members to work well together. A typical set of behavioral styles are as follows.
Social style: Self versus Group
It is natural to consider ones own opinions and feelings as important, and many people
are largely self-based in their thinking. However, people get on together by also
thinking about others, and a person who is more group-based will consciously aim to
bring the group together as a harmonious whole.
People with strong self-image may tend towards a leadership role, but unless they also
consider the people in the team and the group as a whole, there is a danger of them
becoming dictatorial, turning the focus away from the problem and onto personalities.
In effective groups, team members feel able to contribute their own ideas, but also
take seriously the thoughts of others and work towards an agreeable solution. It is an
important role of the leader to bring about this state of constructive cohesion.
Work style: Doer versus thinker
Some people have a practical work style, working to plan and taking pleasure in
completing actions. Others are more interested in the reasons behind the actions, and
may challenge conventional approaches.
In teams, a balance of both styles is needed, to ensure thoughtful beginnings and solid
completions to team actions.
Thinking style: Divergent versus convergent
Divergent thinkers are good at brainstorming and coming up with unusual ideas.
Convergent thinkers, however, are good at judging and selecting items from a large
set of possibilities.
Improvement teams often have an equal need for both styles of thinking, for example
where divergent thinking is used to find possible causes, then convergent thinking is
used to select likely key causes to be carried forward for further investigation.
Decision style: Intuition versus facts
In making decisions, a certain amount of personal judgment is required to be combined
with the hard data available to help reach a conclusion. An intuitive decision maker
tends to rely more on feelings and unidentified experience, whilst a factual decision-
maker will seek to increase confidence in a decision by seeking out and analyzing clear
facts.
Quality improvement activities tend more towards the factual end of this spectrum,
although there are some situations (often to do with people) where there is little hard
data available, and an intuitive approach can yield good results.

A number of quality improvement and problem-solving tools are most effective when
used with a group of people, each of whom may make a specific contribution. When
the team meets, both the conduct of the meeting and the layout of the room should
help them to work on the problem together, as one team.
Planning
Meetings are very expensive in terms of people's time and if there is no objective or
agenda, then little is likely to be achieved. A short, focused meeting with a simple and
clear objective is likely to be far more productive than a lengthy meeting with
unspecified aims. The meeting is also more likely to be successful if the process and
tools to use in the meeting are identified beforehand and a facilitator brought in as
appropriate.
It is thus worth spending time before the meeting identifying the objective of the
meeting, how this may be achieved and how any blocks to progress may be overcome.
Room layout
When sitting together, all members of the team should feel equally able to contribute.
A long, rectangular table can isolate people at the ends; the best shape is a simple
circle.
When working with a whiteboard or flipchart, people should sit in a wide semicircle or
arc, facing the work area. This will help them to focus on the problem, rather than one
another. Attention to the problem can be further helped by clearly displaying the
objective of the meeting, for example on a single sheet of flipchart paper which is
taped to the wall.
In the meeting
When the objective and process is agreed by all, the meeting simply becomes a matter
of following this plan.
It often occurs that one or two people will dominate any meeting and will tend to do all
the talking. This prevents or inhibits other people from making useful input to the
team. Other people may also be naturally reticent or unwilling to become involved.
It is one of the tasks of the team leader to enable and encourage contributions from all
members of the team, which may require specific attention to be paid to both
dominant and reluctant individuals.
At the end of the meeting, all decisions, actions, responsibilities and timescales should
be agreed and clear to everyone. These key points may be reinforced in a written
meeting summary (not detailed minutes).

Successful teams
The Quality Toolbook > Teamwork > Successful teams

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In summary, teams can be helped to be more successful by considering a few key
points:
Smaller groups are usually more focused and successful. Larger groups are slower
and more conservative. Around three or four people is a good size for a problem-
solving team, although up to ten can work.
If formal and informal team roles are complementary, the team will find it easier to
work together on the problem without conflict and are more likely to have requisite
skills available for specific tasks.
A successful team has a sense of cohesion and focus, having worked through to the
'perform' stage. The problem is well understood and 'owned'. They believe they can
succeed and are committed to success.
When the team is focused is on solving the problem, advantage is taken of any
available ways of achieving this, including tools, training and facilitation.
People are more likely to accept changes when they have been involved in the
decision-making and implementation processes.
Finally, it is worth noting that research has clearly shown than teams learn faster,
come up with more ideas and make better decisions and than individuals working
alone. The only disadvantage is that this usually requires a greater total effort. If the
potential benefit of team problem-solving is considered worthwhile, then the
investment has a good chance in paying off with effective results.





http://www.syque.com/quality_tools/toolbook/Teamwork/team_roles.htm

Goals Roles Processes Relationships Model
When work groups need to function as teams, one model that helps them assess where they are and
develop
their teamwork involves the Goals-Roals-Processes-Relationships framework, using the following steps:
Step One: Assess Goal Clarity and Consensus

Have goals been set and communicated?

Do these goals accommodate external conditions with which the team
must work??

Are goals understood and agreed with?

Is there a plan for achieving the goals?

Focus team building on
developing vision, team
goals, action planning and
ensuring consensus about
priorities.
NO
YES
Focus team building on
responsibility charting and
other techniques that help
team members clarify their
role responsibilities,
authorities and expectations
about performance.
YES
YES
NO
Focus team building on environmental conditions outside of the team
such as functional placement, supplier/customer processes, organization
culture and politics.
Step Four: Assess Team Interpersonal Relationships

Are there significant differences in interpersonal styles that are causing
misunderstandings or problems?

Are team members using ineffective or dysfunctional interactive styles?
Step Three: Assess Effectiveness of Team Processes and Norms

Does the team have and use efficient planning, decision making and
problem solving processes?

Are effective two-way communications processes in place?

Is there demonstrated team leadership?

Do group norms support high performance/high commitment
teamwork?
Step Two: Assess Clarity of Roles and Responsibilities

Are team members clear about responsibilities and authorities?

Have any gaps or overlaps in role responsibilities or authorities been
worked out?

Have team members discussed and resolved different perceptions or
expectations about how other team members are performing, or should
be performing their roles?
NO
Focus team building on
identifying and addressing
processes, procedures and
norms that are interfering
with effective teamwork.
NO
Focus team building on:
1) Understanding and
valuing individual
differences and/or 2)
Identifying and
addressing dysfunctional
interactive styles
YES


http://moscowitzmediation.com/Goals_Roles_Processes_Relationships_Model.pdf

Define roles and responsibilities.

It is important that the members of the team
understand what their roles and responsibilities are.
Regardless of its representation, the team is responsible
for ensuring that the acquisition:

Satisfies legal and regulatory requirements.

Has performance and investment objectives
consistent with the agency's strategic goals.

Successfully meets the agency's needs and intended
results.

Remains on schedule and within budget.





Successful teams typically have a
number of features: shared
leadership roles, individual as well
as mutual accountability, collective
work-products, performance
measures related to the collective
work-product, and other
ingredients.
In a team environment, the roles
and responsibilities of the members
blur and merge, often with striking
results.




http://www.acquisition.gov/sevensteps/step1_define.html

Building a Collaborative Team Environment
Teams are expected to produce results, but performance is hindered
when team members do not work well together. A collaborative team
environment is essential for the team's success. To create a
collaborative environment, team members must practice the following:
Have a Common Purpose and Goal
A team is defined as a group of people working together toward a
common goal. Without a goal, there is no team. Ideas for creating a
common goal include:
Create and/or review the team's charter.
Discuss why the team exists.
Allow each team member to express commitment.
Create mottoes, symbols, awards, or posters that portray the team
as one unit.
Use the common purpose to prioritize team actions.
Trust Each Other
Team members must trust each other if they are to work together
successfully. Ideas for creating trust among team members include:
Be honest.
Work to eliminate conflicts of interests.
Avoid talking behind each other's back.
Trust teammates (you must trust them before they will trust you).
Give team members the benefit of the doubt.
Clarify Roles
Knowing everyone's role and being familiar with the responsibility of
those roles create efficiency and flexibility. Ideas for clarifying roles on
the team include:
Review team members' roles frequently.
Relate team member expectations to the team's overall purpose.
Clarify responsibilities when action planning.
Learn what others do on the team.
Figure out ways to help each other.
Communicate Openly and Effectively
Miscommunication can create hard feelings and undermine the success
of the team. Ideas for improving communication include:
Err on the side of overcommunicating.
Seek to understand all angles.
Take responsibility for being heard and understood.
Work to clear up misunderstandings quickly and accurately.
Reinforce and recognize team member efforts.
Appreciate Diversity
Team members come from all walks of life, with different backgrounds
and perspectives. Ideas for taking advantage of team diversity include:
Remember that reasonable people can and do differ with each
other.
Try to learn as much as you can from others.
Evaluate a new idea based on its merits.
Avoid remarks that draw negative attention to a person's unique
characteristics.
Don't ignore the differences among team members.
Balance the Team's Focus
Finally, team members need to recognize that they should measure and
monitor the products and services the team provides as well as the
team's internal group dynamics and relationships. (Sometimes team
members get so involved in the process of becoming a team they forget
the reason they were made a team in the first place, or vice versa.)
Ideas for creating that balance include:
Regularly review and evaluate the effectiveness of team meetings.
Hold team celebrations for achieving results.
Praise individual effort.
Design individual performance goals that emphasize both results
and teamwork.
Assign certain team members to monitor task needs and others to
monitor relationship needs.
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/performance-management/teams/building-a-collaborative-
team-environment/

How to Build Positive Relationships Among Your Team
Members
by Denise Brown, Demand Media

Positive team relationships encourage the team to perform beyond expectations.
Related Articles
How to Build Team Members Around You
Team Project: Perceptions That Build Work Relationships
The Rules & Roles for Team Building
Professional Team Building Activities
Team Building Ideas for the Workplace
5-Minute Team-Building Exercise

How team members feel about their co-workers can affect how effectively the team accomplishes tasks.
Positive team relationships help create teams that are productive, which affects the company's bottom line. As
a team leader it's up to you to build team relationships that help your group meet their goals and objectives,
and to work as one cohesive unit. Successful team member relationships often extend beyond the walls of the
workplace and into the personal lives of the workers.
Ads by Google
Team Building Lessons
Printable PDFs & Worksheets For Team Building Lessons.
lessonplanet.com/Team-Building
Step 1
Communicate what you expect each team member to accomplish in such a way that all members know you are
aware of their particular talents. Build on their strengths. Give them a verbal boost whenever they tackle an
assignment that goes outside their comfort zone.
Step 2
Demonstrate to your team that you are accountable to them and to your superiors by being reliable and
responsible. Serve as a role model for your team by doing your best work at all times. Expect the same of
them. As you work together, you and the team can begin to trust each other to consistently accomplish tasks in
a timely manner.
Related Reading: How to Get the Best Performance From Team Members
Step 3
Recognize the work your team accomplishes. Look for positive things to say on a daily basis. While
constructive criticism has its place, do it in a manner that does not offend the team.
Step 4
Build team relationships by encouraging team members to recognize each other's strengths. For example,
during morning briefings let each team member identify some business trait they appreciate about the person
seated to their left. Someone might recognize a co-worker's willingness to work late, while another team
member might state that a teammate's organizational skills contribute to the group's efforts.
Step 5
Listen to what the team members have to say about each other and to you in a nonjudgmental manner. If your
team members share a concern with you, take steps to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Keep the team
informed regarding the resolution.
Step 6
Give your team glimpses of your personal life. This makes you seem more approachable as the leader.
Encourage them to do the same.
Step 7
Build team member relationships outside the office. As time and finances allow, try to plan some fun activity
that the entire group can share. The camaraderie from the outing carries back into the workplace.
Step 8
Celebrate life's moments with your team. Celebrating employee's birthdays as well as other milestones in their
lives helps promote positive team relationships. Ask for their input on what kinds of celebrations would be
meaningful for them.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/build-positive-relationships-among-team-members-10129.html


LO2.

Effective Communication Within a Team
Business Development, Professional DevelopmentMay 25th, 2009
Coaching teams within an organisation is one of the most on-demand areas of Coaching. And when
it comes to teams, the number one aspect that dictates the results attained by that team is
effective communication amongst its members.
In this article, we discuss some elements of effective communication within a team environment
and provide a range of strategies that coaches can successfully apply when working with teams.
What is effective communication?
Effective communication does more than just convey information. In an effective communication
transaction a message is conveyed with shared meaning. It may be helpful to reflect on the
following key areas to assist you in developing or enhancing your communication with other team
members:
The message you think you are sending may not be the same message being received. Within a
team environment, members still bring their own experiences, beliefs and interpretations. When
communicating a message, expect to be misinterpreted and make adjustments to your message to
account for potential areas of misunderstanding.
Seek feedback. As misinterpretations are common in communication, it is often advisable that
you continually seek feedback to ensure that your messages have been received accurately.
Make it your priority to express rather than impress. The aim of communication is to express an
opinion, idea or to transfer knowledge. It is important to remember that your primary aim is to
get your message across, try not to obstruct it by being focused on sounding impressive or
knowledgeable.
Choose the right medium. Effective communication means choosing the appropriate medium for
your message. Some information is best conveyed in a team meeting, whilst other information
may be received more appropriately in an email or memo, other information should be
communicated face to face. Select the medium to suit the message and the person you are
communicating with.
Be conscious of your non-verbal communication. Be conscious of what you are conveying non-
verbally. Avoid diluting the impact of your message with mismatched or incongruent body
language. Where possible, adjust your body language to align with your message.
Why is communication important for a team to be effective?
Team communication processes that function effectively can increase team motivation, foster
trust and respect between members, greatly improve decision making processes and contribute
substantially to the overall productivity and performance of the team.
Yet, communication processes that are ineffective can decrease member motivation, lessen team
commitment, increase team gossip and lower productivity. Effective communication processes,
therefore are vital to team performance.
What makes a communication process effective?
Effective communication processes are:
Regular. Regular communication within, and between teams helps members to maintain focus,
allows all members to keep up to date with team progress and ensures that difficulties or setbacks
can be dealt with promptly and collaboratively.
Transparent. Transparent communication processes provide all team members with the same
information where possible and keep all members adequately informed.
Transparent processes maximise the likelihood that team members will be aligned in their concept
of where they are going and how they are going to get there. Failing to adequately inform all
team members, equally, may greatly compromise their ability to contribute equally to team
processes and decision making.
Focused and related to team goals. Communication processes that are focused and related to
team goals encourage team members to similarly remain goal focused and outcome directed.
Modes of communication
Within the work environment, communication can occur through a variety of modes depending on
personal preference. Some of the more popular modes for team communication are:
1. Team meetings
2. Newsletters
3. Email updates
When using these modes it is important to remain mindful of the 3 characteristics that make
communication processes effective (i.e. should be regular, transparent and goal focused).
1. Team meetings
One of the primary forums for team communication is the team meeting. When conducted with
structure and purpose, regular team meetings can be an effective and productive means of team
communication.
However, team meetings can evolve into a drawn-out procedure that fritters away valuable time
and results in decreasing motivation, frustration and productivity. To conduct an effective team
meeting the following principles should be considered:
What is the purpose of the meeting? Prior to the commencement of the meeting, all team
members should be aware of the meetings purpose. Set an agenda and stick to it. The meeting
should remain focused on team goals and objectives. It may be necessary to note down some of
the areas of discussion that arise as side issues or tangents to the purpose at hand. These issues
may need to be addressed in a later forum.
Are members aware of what they may be asked to contribute to the meeting? It is helpful for
team members to have a clear idea of the kind of information they may be asked to contribute.
Contributing facts, knowledge or recommendations may require different preparation than
contributing opinions or brainstorming.
Team members, who are provided with an idea of what they may be asked to contribute, are thus
provided with an opportunity to prepare accordingly. If you put team members on the spot it can
decrease their commitment.
Has a meeting agenda been distributed to all members prior to the meeting? In addition to
understanding the purpose of the meeting and their likely contribution, team members should all
be furnished with an agenda prior to commencement of the meeting. A meeting agenda will state
the purpose and focus of the meeting as well as outline the proposed topics and areas for
discussion.
Has a time-frame been established prior to the commencement of the meeting? Team meetings
should commence and finish on time. When members are aware of a finishing time from the
outset they are better equipped to budget time accordingly.
Finish the meeting on a note of accomplishment. The completion of a meeting should be a
reflection of what has been accomplished within the meetings time-frame. The original goal or
objective should be revisited and comment should be made on its achievement (whether the
achievement was partial or full).
2. Newsletters
Newsletters can be a creative and effective method of regularly conveying information to fellow
team members. Newsletters may also serve as a useful mode for distributing information from
your team to other teams.
Constructing an effective newsletter
In the process of constructing an effective team newsletter, consider the following points. Decide
on the basics early on:
What is the purpose of the newsletter?
Who are its intended audience?
How frequently will it be circulated?
How will it be circulated?
Clear concise information. Effective newsletters are concise and easily understood. They should
provide relevant information that is both up to date and useful.
Informal and humorous. Newsletters do not necessarily need to be formal documents. A light,
humorous tone may encourage regular readers and consequently increase the newsletters
effectiveness.
It may be helpful to remember that newsletters are an ideal tool for highlighting team
achievements and recognising individual accomplishments.
3. Email updates
Email has fast become the one of the most widely used mediums for business communication.
Mastering email correspondence is one of the simplest and most effective ways of ensuring that
your messages are not only read but followed up accordingly.
Inboxes are often overloaded with numerous messages of varying importance. If you are sending
emails as a means of communicating with your fellow team members you will want to ensure that
your message gets read and is clearly understood.
Constructing an effective email
To construct an effective email it may be helpful to remember the following key points
Make use of the subject line. The subject line provides an opportunity to inform the receiver of
the purpose of the email. A subject line ideally should describe exactly what the email is about.
An appropriate subject line will maximise the possibility of your message being read.
Use concise language. Like any written business correspondence its important to keep business
emails concise and to the point. Often the viewing area for emails is limited, so if possible limit
messages to a few short paragraphs. Everyone is busy dont waste their time be clear and
concise.
Make any required follow up clear. If your email is a request for action or follow up from a team
member make this clear in your message. Remember to include any contact details (such as phone
or fax numbers and addresses for snail mail) that the receiver may require.
Respond to emails in a timely manner. Prompt responses to emails not only promotes efficiency
but often encourages team members to respond in a similar timely manner.

http://www.livetocoach.com/index.php/2009/05/25/effective-communication-within-a-team/
TEAM STRUCTURES


I am to discuss different Team Structures the influences
they might have on project development.

Team structures are important in project developments
because the sum of ideas of each individual is greater
than those working alone. Being in a team makes a work
easier and there will be sharing not only ideas, but skills and experience will be put
to test.

As a project manager, one must select individuals not only the technically competent
ones but those who are willing to be part of the team. Lack of team work and team
spirit will result the project being jeopardised and encounter loads of hardships. A
project manager in a way must form a team that


There will be no communication gap between the team members
Any technical and administrative issues must be resolved in effective and good
decision
Motivation is effective and important
Monitoring the progress is crucial
If there are personnel leaving in mid-project, it should not affect the entire project
any way


Team structures are:

Democratic team
Hierarchical team
Chief programmer team
Ego-less (self-directed)





Demo
cratic
Team


A
democr
atic
team
does not
enforce
hierarch
y teams.
Usually
a project
manage
r
provides
leadersh
ip at
times but the rest of the team might also impose leadership. It is appropriate in
teams with fewer problems, usually a group of few people, where every member can
solve problems than a single individual unlike chief programmer teams.



All decisions will be discussed by each member of the team and agreed by everyone
There will be constant communication among the members
The senior-most person can act as coordinator communicates with the client by
admin and managerial work







Hierarchical Team

The characteristics of this structure are:

There will be a project manager who will be responsible of the project activities.
There will be project leaders who report to the project manager.
The project leaders will then be responsible to the project team members.
Project manager will co-ordinate with the project leaders to solve problems relating
to the project.





This team structure is suitable for large projects because the project will then be divided into
different tasks and different groups. Each project leader would be responsible to each task and
the project manager will then coordinate the combination of all these tasks into the overall
project.

The disadvantage of this structure is that the team will be dependant to the team manager. If the
manager will somehow leave midway from the team, the project will be doomed. It will be very
difficult to have a back-up plan or some cases to have a back up person. The project manager
also needs to be dynamic and dedicated to manage the project.



Chief Programmer teams

Most of teams in organisations have leaders and chiefs that lead the team to be working
effectively and efficiently. In this type of team structure, a project leader provides leadership and
is designated as the chief programmer. The chief programmer divides the task into small
activities and assigns them to the team members. He also integrates and verifies the tasks
developed by different team members. As seen in the Figure 3, the team members report to the
chief programmer ie the Project Leader. The chief programmer provides authority, and this
structure is more efficient than the democratic team because there is someone who led the
team and has authority to make things work. However, the chief programmer will lead the team
to lower team morale because the team members work under supervision of the chief
programmer. This is like an autocratic type of management where members of the team inhibit
their opinion and ideas to be brought forward as the leader will always have their say and make
decisions. The chief programmer team will subject to single point failure since too much
responsibility and authority is assigned to the chief programmer.






This kind of team structure probably is the most efficient way of completing small and simple
projects since the chief programmer can plan small events and ask the members to help out by
organising venues and accommodation. The chief programmer team structure will work well
when certain task is within the intellectual grasp of a single individual. However, even for simple
and easily-understood problems, an organisation must be selective in adopting this kind of team
structure for projects. The chief programmer structure should not be used unless the importance
of completing the project is more important than other factors such as team morale, personal
developments, life cycle cost etc.



Ego-less teams (self-directed)

Just like democratic team structure, this team structure has a definition in which everybody is
equal, decisions are made by consensus, and the team works together to achieve a common
goal. This team can produce creative solutions since group members spontaneously get
together to solve problems when they arise. This type of team structure is well suited to difficult
projects with many technical challenges and it is recommended that every must communicate
with one another. This team depends on the personalities of the individuals and it may run into
trouble if personal conflicts arise.





In project development, delegation is important so much that there should also be a leader to
manage the team and keeping the project in the right order. A good delegation will allow the
team to learn the expertise of a project leader, and this will give them the opportunity to grow
towards their potential. It may be difficult to delegate tasks but in todays business environment,
learning to delegate projects is especially important as people are challenged every day to do
more. When someone is the project leader, delegation is important as it will make the difference
of the success and outcome of the project. To employ a project leader the organisation should
beforehand know if this person has the right qualifications and skills to manage a project and be
able to take full responsibility.


Teams should also be aware of their roles and how they should contribute to the project. Having
a good balance of roles and skills is important and they must be able to work well together. In
the 1970s, Dr Meredith Belbin observed teams with a view to finding out where and how the
differences in working with teams come about. He and his research team wanted to control the
dynamics of teams to discover if and how problems could be prevented or avoided. As
research progressed the research revealed that the difference between the success and failure
of the team do not depend on the factors such as skills and intellect but more on behaviour. The
research team began to identify separate clusters of behaviour, each of which formed distinct
group contribution or team roles. A team role is defined as has the tendency to behave,
contribute and interrelate with each other in a particular way. There are nine overall identified
distinct psychological roles that members of the team can adopt. Although most people have
one or two dominant preferred roles, many have more of the balance between roles
preferences, and most of the team can switch between roles when necessary.



The Nine Team Roles


The first Team Role to be identified was the Plant. The role was so-called because
one such individual was planted in each team. They tended to be highly creative and
good at solving problems in unconventional ways.


One by one, the other Team Roles began to emerge. The Monitor Evaluator was
needed to provide a logical eye, make impartial judgements where required and to
weigh up the teams options in a dispassionate way.



Co-ordinators were needed to focus on the teams objectives, draw out team
members and delegate work appropriately.


When the team was at risk of becoming isolated and inwardly-focused, Resource
Investigators provided inside knowledge on the
opposition and made sure that the teams idea would carry to the world outside the
team.



Implementers were needed to plan a practical, workable strategy and carry it out as
efficiently as possible.


Completer Finishers were most effectively used at the end of a task, to polish and
scrutinise the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest standards of quality control.


Teamworkers helped the team to gel, using their versatility to identify the work
required and complete it on behalf of the team.


Challenging individuals, known as Shapers, provided the necessary drive to ensure
that the team kept moving and did not lose focus or momentum.

It was only after the initial research had been completed that the ninth Team Role,
Specialist emerged. The simulated management exercises had been deliberately
set up to require no previous knowledge. In the real world, however, the value of an individual
with in-depth knowledge of a key area came to be recognised as yet another essential team
contribution or Team Role. Just like the other Team Roles, the Specialist also had a weakness:
a tendency to focus narrowly on their own subject of choice, and to prioritise this over the teams
progress.



Finally, in this project, there are only a number of team members who will organize a conference
that will be held in 2011. There are a number of team members involved and there is a Project
Leader who will take responsibility and also has an authority in the group. Because it is not a
large team and the task are already allocated to the members, the team structure I feel is best
for this project are the Democratic Team and Ego-less Team Structures. Both these team
structures are practically the same in some aspects. There will be a leader who will be in-charge
to monitor the members progress and guide them along the way. The members should be able
to communicate their opinions and ideas freely and decisions are made by the agreement of all.
Good teamwork will make a huge difference of the success and failure of the project.
http://pmgroup7.wikispaces.com/Team+Structures

ere can be advantages and disadvantages in involving teams of people in decision making. Some
advantages include; accumulating more knowledge, taking a broader perspective and gaining
support by letting individuals participate in the process.
Some of the disadvantages in group decision making include often a slower time to get a
decision, a necessity for compromise which results in a less than optimal outcome and the
potential for an individual or clique to dominate the group, negating its original benefit.
One difficult decision in itself for a manager or business owner is determining when to engage a
group, and the extent to engage a group to help make a decision or whether to go alone and
make a decision individually.
As the advantages and disadvantages can be different for different situations, there are tools
available to assist you in determining, if, when and how to make group decisions.
One such tool is the Vroom-Jago decision model. The model begins by analysing individual
situations with questions including;
As the leader, do you have enough information of your own to make a good decision?
Is the problem structured in that it is clearly defined, organised and has recognised solutions?
Do the members of the group have to accept this decision for it to work?
If you make this decision yourself, are you sure the group will accept it?
Are the group members aligned with the same goals that you are trying to achieve?
Is disagreement likely among group members in reaching a decision?
If it is determined that a group decision is the preferred option, some simple guidelines for the
decision making process can help as follows;
Develop a clear understanding of the problem and the need for a decision
Develop a clear understanding of the requirements for an effective choice
Thoroughly and accurately assess all the positive qualities of alternative solutions
Thoroughly and accurately assess all the negative qualities of alternative solutions
Although group decision making can be effective, it can also have disadvantages such as;
Social pressure. The pressure to conform to the group can have adverse effects on the
creativity of the individual group member.
Domination by a vocal few. Group members may be ignored and outspoken by members who
speak the loudest and longest.
Goal displacement. The primary objective of making a sound decision may be affected by a
member's personal considerations such as winning an argument, or getting back at another
group member.
Groupthink. Groupthink occurs when group members try to minimise conflict and want to
remain within the comfort zone of the group's consensus thinking. Creativity and independent
thinking are usually the first things to be sacrificed, resulting in poor quality decisions.
In the workplace, conflict is inevitable, usually occurring when one party perceives that their
interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. Conflict can produce either a
positive or negative outcome. By being able to identify potential conflict before it arises and
knowing how to effectively manage it, you will be able to help your staff increase the chances of
turning conflict into a positive outcome. There are two types of conflict, functional and
dysfunctional.
Functional conflicts
Functional conflicts are constructive, support your company's goals, and improve performance. It
generally involves people who are genuinely interested in solving a problem and are willing to
listen to one another.
Stimulating functional conflict is a great way to improve your team's performance and generate
new ideas. It involves getting your team to either defend or criticise ideas based on relevant
facts rather than on the basis of personal preference or political interests.
There are two widely accepted techniques for doing this: devil's advocacy and the dialectic
method.
Devil's advocacy
This method involves assigning a team member the role of a critic. This person should always
question and critique any ideas that your team may have, usually resulting in critical thinking
and reality testing. However, it is recommended that this role gets rotated amongst your team to
avoid any particular person from developing a strictly negative reputation.
Dialectic method
This approach involves facilitating a structured debate of opposing views prior to making a
decision. By hearing the pros and cons of all the different ideas, your team will have greater
success in making sound decisions. However, it should be noted that a major drawback of this
method is that the emphasis to win a debate often clouds the
issue at hand.
Dysfunctional conflicts
Dysfunctional conflicts on the other hand, consist of disputes and disagreements that hinder your
company's performance. This generally involves people who are unwilling to work together to
solve a problem and is often personal.
When dysfunctional conflicts arise in the workplace, there are various methods for dealing with
it, including: integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding, and compromising.
Integrating
This method is also known as problem solving and generally involves encouraging opposing
parties to confront an issue and cooperatively identify the problem, generate alternative
solutions and select the most appropriate solution. Misunderstandings and similar disputes can
often be resolved using this method.
Obliging
This occurs when a person neglects their own concern in order to satisfy the concern of the
opposing party. A characteristic of this conflict management style includes playing down
differences while emphasising on commonalities.
Dominating
Also referred to as forcing, people that adopt this approach often have an "I win, you lose"
mentality. Dominating relies on formal authority to force compliance and is generally appropriate
when unpopular but necessary solutions are implemented.
Avoiding
This involves either passive withdrawal from the problem or active suppression of the issue. It is
generally appropriate for trivial issues or when the negative effects of confrontation outweigh the
benefits of resolving the conflict.
Compromising
This is a give-and-take approach for resolving dysfunctional conflicts and is particularly useful
when the parties involved possess equal power.
The following are some examples of situations that can produce either functional or dysfunctional
conflict:
Incompatible personalities
Overlapping or unclear job boundaries
Competition for limited resources
Inadequate communication
Interdependent tasks
Unreasonable rules
Unreasonable deadlines or extreme time pressure
Collective decision making (the greater the number of people participating in a decision, the
greater the potential for conflict)
Decision making by consensus
Unresolved or suppressed conflicts
As a leader or manager, you should be continually aware of staff interactions within the
workplace. As such, you should carefully observe and react appropriately to these early warning
signs as they have the potential to lead to major conflict, reduce morale, motivation and cause
business inefficiency.
more

Models of Decision-making
Decision-making Styles
Group Decision-making
Types of Conflict
Managing Conflict
Conflict in the workplace can arise in many different forms, however, the three most common
are personality conflicts, intergroup conflict, and cross-cultural conflict. By understanding the
causes of these conflicts, you will have a greater chance of successfully managing and reducing
their negative impacts on your employees.
Personality conflicts
Personality conflicts can be defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike and/or
disagreement.
[1]
It can arise from something trivial or major, such as an employee not liking
another based on their dress sense, work ethic, attitude, or communication style etc. As minor
as it seems, if personality conflicts are not dealt with from the beginning, they can have serious
effects on employee morale and significantly hinder team performance. Therefore, as a leader or
manager, it is crucial that you carefully select your team not only based on their ability, but also
consider their compatibility and commitment to your company's work culture.
Another common cause of personality conflict is incivility. Examples include the use of vulgar
language in the workplace, or not cleaning up after using shared facilities. To combat this sort of
behaviour, some organisations have resorted to workplace etiquette training for their employees.
However, as a leader or manager, you will have to lead by example and act as caring and
courteous role models if that is what is expected from your employees.
Traditionally, personality conflicts were either ignored or a party to the conflict would lose their
job. However, this may lead to discrimination lawsuits so there are more effective ways for
dealing with personality conflicts. The following are some suggestions for dealing with such
conflict:
Investigate and document the conflict.
Attempt informal dispute resolution and encourage the parties involved to work out their
differences in a constructive and positive manner.
Avoid dragging other team members into the conflict.
Do not take sides.
Seek help from human resource specialists or professional counsellors if you are still unable to
resolve the issue.
Intergroup conflict
Intergroup conflict generally arises when there are conflicts of interests within competing groups
within an organisation. It is often the result of group cohesiveness, which is the "we feeling" that
binds group members together. Although a certain level of cohesiveness is essential for an
effective team, too much can also generate adverse effects, including:
Members of in-groups view themselves as a collection of unique individuals, while they
stereotype members of other groups as being all alike.
In-group members perceive themselves in a positive manner and as politically correct, while
other group members are negative and immoral.
In-groups view outsiders as threats.
Some other common causes of intergroup conflict include:
High levels of conflict within a group, often leading to conflict amongst other groups
Negative interactions between groups as a whole or individuals
Third parties engaging in negative gossip about a group
As intergroup conflict can seriously hinder your organisation's performance and productivity,
there are certain things you can do to prevent or minimise intergroup conflict which include:
Providing team building exercises to reduce conflict within a group and prepare them for
working with other groups
Encouraging friendships and good working relationships amongst different groups
Appropriately dealing with negative gossip as soon as they arise
Cross-cultural conflict
Cross-cultural conflict can be defined as conflict between individuals or groups that are separated
by cultural boundaries. In today's workplace, the ability to deal with people from different
cultures is absolutely critical in order to achieve succes s.
The main cause of cross-cultural conflict is miscommunication. For example, if you have
employees from high-context cultures, such as Japan, China, Mexico and Arabic nations, you
may find that they heavily rely on nonverbal communication to get their message across. In
contrast, people from low-context cultures such as Australia, North America, Germany and
Switzerland, usually prefer to use verbal and written communication to convey their message.
To avoid misinterpretation and misunderstanding with your employees, you should have a good
understanding of key differences within different cultures. However, you should not stereotype a
person based on their cultural background as you may often find that some people are able to
easily adapt to their surroundings.
As cross-cultural conflict can have major impacts on the productivity of your team, you should
always be proactive. Some of the ways to build cross-cultural relationships include:
Being a good listener
Being sensitive to the needs of others
Being cooperative, rather than overly competitive
Compromising rather than dominate
Regularly engaging in conversations to build relationships
Being compassionate and understanding

http://toolkit.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/part/8/42/203