Professional Documents
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Participant S Workbook
Participant S Workbook
NIS Sparta
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First published by NIS Sparta in 2008. Publishers: NIS Sparta
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Table of Contents
1: Course Overview
2: Organizations Today2
3: Types of Teams
4: Team Norms 8
5: Towers
10
11
7: Beckharts Activities 13
8: Parkers Characteristics
16
9: Pre-Assignment Review
19
22
23
42
50
40
19: Exploration 51
20: Analysis
53
21: Evaluation 54
22: Other Problem-Solving Techniques 55
23: Interventions
57
65
80
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Team Building
Developing High Performance Teams
1: Course Overview
Learning Objectives
At the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
Identify different types of teams.
Build teamwork by recognizing and tapping into the twelve characteristics of an
effective team.
Promote trust and rapport by exploring your team player style and how it impacts on
group dynamics.
Recognize the key elements that move a team from involvement to empowerment
and how to give these elements to your team.
Develop strategies for dealing with team conflict and common situations.
Understand how action planning and analysis tools can help your team perform
better.
Personal Objectives
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2: Organizations Today
There are signs that both the nature of organizations and the self-concept of the
individuals who make them up are changing in fundamental ways. Some basic shifts
are underway. For example, organizations are evolving from pyramid to fishnet
structures, as hierarchies collapse and partnerships and mergers become the order
of the day.
Are there examples you can share about flattened organizations?
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Within organizations, individuals are less apt to work in big structures and more likely
to participate in business teams and ad hoc alliances.
Can you think of some examples of business teams or ad hoc alliances within your
own organization?
Businesses have shifted their attention from their competitors to their customers.
Competitive analysis still plays a role but blind competition is giving way to cooperative competition. There is an intense interest in customer needs and customer
service.
Can you give any examples of a renewed interest in customer service, either as an
employee or as a consumer?
Diversity is a simple business reality in the global marketplace. What do you see as
the advantages and disadvantages?
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An orientation toward continual learning has replaced one-time training for most
employees. Learning must be life long for everyone.
From your reading, and your analysis of your own organization, can you identify
some of these shifts that are happening? If so, what impact is this having on your
organization? On you?
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3: Types of Teams
A rose may be always a rose, but a team is not always a team. So many groups are
called teams these days that the word team has almost lost its meaning. There may
be an executive team, a quality team, a service team, or a sales team, but just calling
a group a team doesnt make it so.
Types of Teams
There are several modern classifications of teams.
The Traditional Model
This refers to a group of people who have a traditional boss but whom also share
some of his/her responsibility and authority. How much is shared is usually
dependent on the topic under discussion. A person is in charge, but on various issues
that person may allow other team members to take the leadership role.
work together to accomplish goals, but they may meet only at the beginning of their
project and thereafter interact through e-mail and telephone. They can also fit any of
the four models listed above.
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Into which model does your team fit? Why do you feel that way?
Defining a Team
How would you define a team?
We can define a team as a group of people who come together under shared
leadership, mutual responsibility, and conscious authority to achieve agreed-upon
goals in a mutually effective fashion.
If you broke down this definition into its words and phrases, could you justify each
one?
Group
Shared leadership
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Mutual responsibility
Conscious authority
Agreed-upon goals
Mutually effective
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4: Team Norms
All teams, whether they know it or not, have norms, rules, or guidelines that guide the
behavior of team members. In most cases they are not written down: they are simply
understood because thats the way the team always operates.
Norms can be positive and thus help the team be an effective organization. For
example, all team members show up on time for team meetings. Norms can also be
counterproductive as when excessive joking and side conversations prevent a
meeting from being productive.
1
Come on time (office / meeting/ workshop)
2
Dress formally in office
3
Arrange open house
4
Share positive feedback before giving any
negative feedback
5
Weekly status review meeting
6
A team lunch (Once in a month)
7
Sharing of best practices
8
Team training sessions
9
Celebrate birthdays of team members
10
Meet deadlines of critical projects
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Describe several other norms your team follow and positively affects the team
performance.
Do
Dont Do
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5: Towers
The TORI model of team building includes:
T is for Trust: interpersonal confidence and absence of fear.
O is for Openness: free flow of information, ideas, perceptions, and feelings.
R is for Realization: self-determination, being role free, doing what you want to do.
I is for Interdependence: reciprocal influence, shared responsibility, and leadership.
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7: Beckharts Activities
Richard Beckhart said in 1972 that there are four activities a group should perform on
a regular basis if they desire to grow into a team. Researchers today still agree on
these four activities.
Set and reset goals and priorities.
Analyze or allocate the way work is being performed, according to team members
roles and responsibilities.
Examine the way the team is working.
Examine how the group handles agreement and how it handles conflict and how group
members relate to one another.
Ways to Implement
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Ways to Implement
Ways to Implement
Examine how the group handles agreement and how it handles conflict and how
group members relate to one another.
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Ways to Implement
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8: Parkers Characteristics
The twelve characteristics of effective teams were developed by Glenn Parker, who
has devoted his whole lifes work to studying teams. For the remainder of the
afternoon and for part of tomorrow, the group will look at some of these
characteristics.
Clear Purpose
Informality
Participation
Listening
Civilized Disagreements
Consensus Decisions
Open Communication
Clear Roles and Work Assignments
Shared Leadership
External Relations
Style Diversity
Self-Assessment
Clear Purpose
Do your team members know and accept the vision or mission of the organization?
Are they part of the goal setting for the department or unit?
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On a personal note, having goals or a clear purpose is important to each of us. In one
landmark study done with Yale graduates, only 3% of the graduates set goals, but that
3% earned more money and were more successful than the other 97% put together.
For leaders who are serious about setting goals, there are some things to keep in mind,
and these were nicely summed up by an acronym: SMART PPP. This acronym stands for
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and with Timelines. Goals should also be
expressed Positively, be Personalized for each member of the team, and all goals should
be Put in writing, where you and the team can see them often.
Once you sit down with your team and set some goals, it can be very useful to
develop some type of action plan for accomplishing that goal.
Listening
High-performance team members also use effective listening techniques such as
questioning, paraphrasing, and summarizing to get out ideas. Listening is the single
most effective factor that distinguishes effective teams from ineffective teams.
Unfortunately, it gets more lip service than action.
The ability to really listen is an important skill for any team member to have. Listening
allows you to understand where the other person is coming from, and shows youre
interested in what he/she has to say. Unfortunately, we all experience common
listening problems.
We let our attention wander.
We miss the real point of what is being said.
We let our emotions interfere with our judgment.
We interrupt and step on the statements of others.
We think ahead to what we want to say next and miss whats being said right now.
To improve your listening skills, use the three steps of active listening.
Non-Verbal Messages. Eye contact, an alert expression, head nodding, and a forward
lean to the body expresses listening.
Cues or Invitations. These are the phrases like uh-huh, OK, yes, or go on that signal
our attention and invite an individual to continue talking.
Clarification of what has been said. We can do this in one of several ways: by asking
questions, summarizing what has been said, or paraphrasing the message in your
own words.
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9: Pre-Assignment Review
Weak Area
Ideas for Improvement
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Definitions
Civilized disagreements mean there is disagreement, but the team is comfortable with
this and shows no sign of avoiding, smoothing over, or suppressing conflict.
Some people may find team contracts something they feel comfortable with, while
others may dislike them.
Advantages
Disadvantages
For important decisions, the goal is substantial (but not necessarily unanimous)
agreement through open discussion of everyones ideas and avoidance of formal
voting or easy compromises. Consensus is finding a proposal acceptable enough that
all members can support it; no member opposes it. Consensus, however, is not a
unanimous vote as a consensus may not represent everyones first priorities. In a
majority vote, only the majority gets something they are happy with; people in the
minority may get something they dont want at all, which is not what consensus is all
about.
A state where everyone is totally satisfied requires these elements:
Time
Active participation of all group members
Skills in communication: listening, conflict resolution, discussion facilitation
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Teams can use this checklist to evaluate their leaders ability to give clear assignments.
Work Methods
Understanding our leaders expectations
Time Frames
Understanding due dates for the completion
and nonnegotiable.
Work
Understanding each team members role
Responsibilities
when we are assigned to a given job or
responsibility.
Customer/Supplier
Understanding our leaders expectations
Interface
when dealing with supplier problems or
Work Priorities
Understanding which jobs take priority and
other jobs.
Performance
Understanding what our leader expects in the
Expectations
way of desired outcomes, what it means to do
Resources
Understanding what resources (facilities,
decisions.
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Being a leader doesnt mean doing it all yourself. Nor does it mean always being the
one out in front. Shared Leadership is an idea to consider when working in team
environments (and we all function in them in some form). One idea is to have different
people serve as SMEs (subject matter experts).
The key to shared leadership is communication. If several (or all) members of the
group are going to share in leading the group, they must agree on where they are
going and how they are going to get there. They must also communicate along the
way to make sure they are on track.
As an example, lets look at a traditional construction team. Typically, you have the
foreman or forewoman. This person directs the rest of the workers to get the
construction project accomplished.
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Now, lets say that this team decided to use shared leadership and eliminate the
foreperson position. Without communication, this could be a disaster. You would
probably end up in a situation where one person is laying carpet before painting has
been completed.
However, if the team meets each morning and lays out responsibilities and plans
together, this shared leadership formula might work very well for them.
How can you implement shared leadership in your team?
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Your team represents a company that builds space craft. The teams will be competing
for a lucrative contract to build a particular type of craft for the next decade. Your task
is to design, construct, and build a spacecraft suitable for the transportation of boiled
eggs: an Egg Transportation Device. Use the space below to design your ETD.
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Too results-oriented
Too laid back
Self-righteous
Short-sighted
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Sometimes I:
See team climate as an end in itself
Play devil's advocate far too long
Fail to see the importance of effective team process
Overemphasize strategic issues and minimize short term task accomplishments
People have often described me as:
Independent
Dependable
Imaginative
Participative
Most of the time I am:
Responsible and hard-working
Committed and flexible
Enthusiastic and humorous
Honest and authentic
In relating to other team members at times I get annoyed because they don't:
Re-visit team goals to check progress
See the importance of working well together
Object to team actions with which they disagree
Complete their team assignments on time
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Scoring
Transfer your answers for questions 1 through 18 to the appropriate box below.
Be careful when recording the numbers as the order of the letters change for each
question.
The totals for the four styles must equal 180.
Question
1
a
b
c
d
2
d
a
b
3
c
d
a
4
b
c
d
5
a
b
c
6
d
a
b
7
c
d
a
8
b
c
d
9
a
b
c
10
d
a
11
c
d
a
12
b
c
d
13
a
b
c
14
d
a
b
15
c
d
a
16
b
c
d
17
a
b
c
18
d
a
b
Totals
= 180
Contributor
Collaborator
Communicator
Challenger
The highest number designates your Primary Team Player Style. If your highest
numbers are the same or within three points of each other, consider them both as your
primary style. The lowest total indicates your Least Active Team Player Style.
Your primary team player style defines a set of behaviors that you use most often as a
member of a team. It does not mean that it is the only style that you use. All of us have
the capacity to use any one of the four styles. We simply use one style our primary
style more often.
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dependable
short-sighted
systematic
data-bound
proficient
perfectionist
efficient
narrow
practical
cautious
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forward-looking
too future oriented
cooperative
not task-focused
independent
unrealistic
flexible
unconcerned about group process
imaginative
s dreamer
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accomplishment
encouraging
impractical
enthusiastic
vague
supportive
manipulative
humorous
not sufficiently serious
relaxed
not bottom-line focused
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candid
rigid
honest
arrogant
principled
self-righteous
assertive
aggressive
ethical
unyielding
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Case Study
Background
At the June 12 staff meeting of the Information Technology (IT) division, Division
Director Smita Shah expressed great concern about the recently released results of
the Corporate Customer Attitude Survey which is as follows:
The survey measures the attitudes of both internal and external customers. In
particular, Smita pointed to the low level of satisfaction among users with the way they
are treated by the IT staff. Smita was especially upset because the percentage of
favorable responses among division users was much less than overall company
results, and lower than other divisions reporting to the same vice president.
Several managers in the meeting told Smita not to worry because most of the
dissatisfaction probably comes from the employees in the marketing area. Although
data are not available for specific work groups, these managers feel that the new
system deployed earlier this year stirred up this discontent. In fact, one of the
managers says, If the marketing groups data was separated out, the overall results
would be much different.
Smita is not impressed. I want those numbers up next year, she declares. As a result,
she appoints a Quality Action Team (QAT) to investigate the customer service problem
in the division. Subsequently, she names Meenal Singh as chairperson of the team
Meenal is a surprise choice to head the QAT. She is a marketing specialist with about
two years with the company. Meenal came over from one of our competitors, Crocker
and Ramble. In that time she has impressed everyone with her technical expertise and
willingness to work hard and long to meet project deadlines. Marketing is one of ITs
principal users.
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Meenal is, by all accounts, a real mover and shaker. Nevertheless, she is not a people
person and more than once she has become impatient in meetings with developers.
Other members of the QAT include:
Ravi Sharma, Personnel Specialist, 35 yrs, B.A., Organizational Behavior, TISS
College. Ravi is an experienced group facilitator. He is a facilitator-trainer for other
teams in the organization. However, Ravi is unhappy because he feels he should have
chaired the QAT.
Kedar Nair, Senior Systems Analyst, 47 yrs, B.E., Electrical Engineering, Pune
University. Kedar came up through the ranks and is considered a solid, dependable
person.
Abhishek Pandey, Programmer II, 29 yrs, NIIT 1 year Diploma in Computer Science.
Abhishek is a hard worker and is well respected by the users for his no-nonsense
approach to the job.
Rahul Kadam, Director of Business Planning, 28 yrs, B.A., Economics, Mumbai
University, M.B.A.., Manipal University. Rahul is known to be a fast tracker in the
company. Joining the organization after he got out of school, Rahul is considered an
expert in strategic planning and as a result, likes to look at the long-term aspects and
big picture of any project.
A few days later Smita meets with Meenal to tell her about the Quality Action Team, her
role as chairperson, and the names of the other team members. She explains that the QAT
has an important charge because she is very unhappy with the results.
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There is little discussion of each idea. However, body language seems to indicate
disagreement by other members as each idea is presented.
Meenal asks for ideas on what to do next. Rahul suggests that each person gather
information on their idea and report back in a month. In the meantime, each person
will stay in touch with Meenal. There is some nodding in agreement and the meeting
adjourns.
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Discussion Questions
What are the critical team issues facing this team?
What are the positives in this situation? For example: what are the teams strengths?
What other potentially effective things have been done (by Smita, Meenal, and the
team)?
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What things have been done by Smita, Meenal, and the team that have been (or are
potentially) counterproductive?
What steps should Meenal have taken prior to the first meeting? After the first
meeting?
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As a team building consultant, what would you advise Meenal to do right now (at the
end of the second meeting)?
If Smita had come to you prior to establishing the QAT and asked your advice, what
would you have proposed?
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Dictation One
Dictation Two
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19: Exploration
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Keys to Exploration
Encourage your team to come up with the broadest possible range of creative
solutions to the current problem.
Encourage building on one anothers ideas.
Avoid the concept of team leader as hero, or team members will rely too heavily on
you to come up with all the creative solutions.
Try not to rephrase team ideas or censor them in any way. If you are unclear about
what they mean, ask them for clarification.
Suggest to the group you want multiple options, just not the single best solution to a
problem.
Depersonalize ideas. Post them all so they become the common property of the team.
When the ideas are reviewed, team members are less apt to take criticism personally.
Encourage input from outside your team.
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20: Analysis
Many teams fail to utilize this phase of problem-solving. They dont stop to consider
alternative approaches to analyzing and reviewing a problem. Some ways to get your
group to pause and reflect include:
Review all the potential solutions to make sure they are understood.
Generate a list of pros and cons for each option.
Compile a list of questions the team would use to review each option.
Encourage team members to identify one benefit and one drawback to each solution
before discarding or selecting it.
Set a time limit so the team doesnt get bogged down in the process.
Pairs Exercise
Rural
Urban
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21: Evaluation
In this phase the team evaluates the solutions they have generated. Encourage the
team to discuss the relative merits of each solution before attempting to rate them.
Suggestions for this process include:
Most solutions must meet a number of criteria in order to be deemed effective.
List the criteria and discuss them before evaluating solutions. These can include cost, time
required for completion, ease of implementation, support of senior management, impact on
other groups such as customers or suppliers.
Sometimes team members can become attached to their own solution. The multivoting technique is one way to encourage a more balanced approach.
Some easy ways to evaluate ideas include:
Sort solutions by category.
Identify the advantages and disadvantages to each solution.
Identify what you like about each idea and what you dont like.
Number your ideas in order, from the one that seems the most feasible to the one that
seems the least feasible. This is useful for small problems.
You can also use a criteria checkerboard. Our criteria are listed across the top and the
options are listed down the side. You can then rank each option based on various
criteria. This is a great option for thorough evaluation.
able?
solution?
Close factory
No
No
Yes
Yes
We can now easily see which solutions are possible, which are out of the question,
and which ones need more investigation.
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Basic Questions
Who, what, where, when, why, how?
Break it Up
Breaking a problem down into mini-problems or sub-problems lets you eat the
elephant one bite at a time. For example, lets say you are having problems with your
garden. If we break this problem down into separate problems, you can deal with
slugs, acid soil, and no rain. Then we can deal with each issue separately.
Force Field Analysis
Force field analysis will examine restraining forces (forces that discourage the
problem) vs. sustaining forces (forces that encourage a problem). Take an example
like John arriving late for work.
What are the restraining forces?
Boss is angry
Hes behind with his work
Parking spots all gone
What are the sustaining forces?
Gets to sleep an extra 15 minutes
Takes the kids to the babysitter
Misses traffic on way to work
How can we weaken the sustaining forces and strengthen or shore up some of the
restraining forces?
Generalize/Exemplify
This allows us to move from the general to the specific or vice versa to make certain
we are seeing the situation from all sides.
Expert
Avoid rumors and dont reinvent the wheel. Ask, Who can we invite in to talk about
this? or Who has dealt with this before?
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23: Interventions
How to Handle It
Problem 2
A side conversation takes place between two team members.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
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Problem 3
Team members are distracted.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
Problem 4
Two or more team members argue with each other.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
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Problem 5
One or two team member dominate the meeting.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
Problem 6
Team members get nervous and are anxious to leave.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
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Problem 7
The team members refuse to participate.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
Problem 8
The leader gets off the subject.
How to Prevent It
How to Handle It
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Case Study
A Hidden Agenda
Look, youve had more than enough time, exclaimed Mohini, the director of planning,
to Raj, the manager of production control. I put you in charge of this committee so
you could get everyones ideas and generate some intelligent solutions.
I wasnt able to get past the first point on the agenda, replied Raj. I tried, but it felt
like I was on a treadmill. I just couldnt get the staff to come to any decisions. Mohan
kept telling the group our ideas would never fly. He said hes tried them all before. Bani
put down every suggestion I made, and seemed to enjoy making me look like a fool.
Sandeep just sat there like a dummy and never said anything at all. I can certainly see
why hes been passed over for a promotion. And I know Atul is a bright enough guy,
but he only talked about the baseball game last night.
Raj sighed and continued, It was a rough afternoon, Mohini. Everyone seemed to be
working at odds with each other.
People often use meetings such as Rajs to satisfy their own needs at the expense of
others.
An awareness of the hidden agendas and needs people bring to a meeting can help
the group leader understand the groups dynamics and better direct the meeting. What
might you suggest to Raj as a way he could get different results from his meeting?
What might you suggest to Raj as a way he could get different results from his
meeting?
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Case Study
Background
At the June 12 staff meeting of the Information Technology (IT) division, Division
Director Smita Shah expressed great concern about the recently released results of
the Corporate Customer Attitude Survey which is as follows:
59%
17%
the real needs of their customers.
The survey measures the attitudes of both internal and external customers. In
particular, Smita pointed to the low level of satisfaction among users with the way they
are treated by the IT staff. Smita was especially upset because the percentage of
favorable responses among division users was much less than overall company
results, and lower than other divisions reporting to the same vice president.
Several managers in the meeting told Smita not to worry because most of the
dissatisfaction probably comes from the employees in the marketing area. Although
data are not available for specific work groups, these managers feel that the new
system deployed earlier this year stirred up this discontent. In fact, one of the
managers says, If the marketing groups data was separated out, the overall results
would be much different.
Smita is not impressed. I want those numbers up next year, she declares. As a result,
she appoints a Quality Action Team (QAT) to investigate the customer service problem
in the division. Subsequently, she names Meenal Singh as chairperson of the team
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Meenal is a surprise choice to head the QAT. She is a marketing specialist with about
two years with the company. Meenal came over from one of our competitors, High
performance Private LTD. In that time she has impressed everyone with her technical
expertise and willingness to work hard and long to meet project deadlines. Marketing
is one of ITs principal users.
Meenal is, by all accounts, a real mover and shaker. Nevertheless, she is not a people
person and more than once she has become impatient in meetings with ES
developers.
Other members of the QAT include:
Ravi Sharma, 35, B.A., Organizational Behavior, TISS College. Ravi is an experienced
group facilitator. He is a facilitator-trainer for other teams in the organization. However,
Ravi is unhappy because he feels he should have chaired the QAT.
Kedar Nair, 47, B.E., Electrical Engineering, Pune University. Kedar came up through
the ranks and is considered a solid, dependable person.
Abhishek Pandey, 29, NIIT 1 year Diploma in Computer Science. Abhishek is a hard
worker and is well respected by the users for his no-nonsense approach to the job.
Rahul Kadam, 28, B.A., Economics, Mumbai University, M.B.A.., Manipal University.
Rahul is known to be a fast tracker in the company. Joining the organization after he
got out of school, Rahul is considered an expert in strategic planning and as a result,
likes to look at the long-term aspects and big picture of any project.
A few days later Smita meets with Meenal to tell her about the Quality Action Team, her
role as chairperson, and the names of the other team members. She explains that the QAT
has an important charge because she is very unhappy with the results.
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SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
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SMART
Goals should be SMART.
S-SPECIFIC
When we make our goals too general we arent able to visualize them, and if we cant
see them, we have a hard time devoting our efforts toward reaching them. We are
more apt to do a good job of redecorating the bathroom if we have a picture in our
mind of how it will look when its done.
M-MEASURABLE
If we cant measure a goal, we have no idea how close we are getting to reaching it,
and that can be de-motivating. For example, you have decided you will save some
money from every paycheck in order to take a vacation this summer. But if you dont
set a specific amount each pay, and you dont have an amount you want to reach, you
are less apt to put the money away.
A-ATTAINABLE
We sometimes think that we should set high targets or goals for ourselves, in order to
grow and stretch. Well, we do want to grow and stretch, but if we set goals that arent
doable, we soon get discouraged and we stop trying. The really high achievers in the
world know this. They set goals that they know they can reach, with a little stretching,
and when they get there, they set another goal they know they can reach. They climb
the mountain one foot at a time.
R-RELEVANT
Goals have to make sense, and have some importance, or they will soon be
discarded. Set goals that make sense to you. (Another word that is often used for the
R in this acronym is Realistic.)
T-TIMED
Put a deadline on your goals. Deadlines are great for getting things done.
You will also want to make sure that your goals have the three Ps. Personal: There
has to be a buy-in.
Positive: You won't want to work towards if it isn't.
Put in writing: Remember and can refer back to for all of the above.
Make them Personal.
You set goals because you want to reach them, not because your boss or your spouse
wants you to. Similarly, when you are helping your employees set goals, they must be
goals that your employees want, not the goals you want for them. Without buy-in, you
are wasting your time.
Make them Positive.
We can create some negative energy by saying what we arent going to do, but the
effect is more sustainable when we say what we will do.
Goals arent just about work. You are a whole person with many more sides to you
than just your skill as a supervisor for your organization. While you are thinking about
setting goals, lets think about areas in which you want to set goals.
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Setting a goal isnt enough though. The next step is deciding how we can achieve that
goal. Do any of you have a goal you are willing to share? If nobody is willing to share a
goal and the strategy they will use to get there, you might use common goals (such as
losing weight or saving Rs.1000 for an escape weekend) and get the group to suggest
strategies that will get you there.
According to Brian Tracy, a Canadian who is doing very well as a motivational speaker
and trainer, most people do not have goals. So if you do have goals, you are one step
ahead of the pack. And if you have a strategy for reaching your goals, you are two
steps ahead of the pack. Now the final thing I would suggest to keep you out there is
to put these goals where you will see them often, to remind you of what you want to
achieve.
Put these goals or targets in writing.
So everyone will remember them all the time and work towards them.
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We seem to lack
Well pay more attention
During the next six weeks,
foresight. Team members
to our planning.
each project leader will
are too often taken by
create a troubleshooting
surprise with performance
checklist detailing potential
problems, such as errors
obstacles and indicating
or project delays.
appropriate preventive
actions.
Communication
Well schedule more
During the next three
breakdowns are occurring
meetings.
weeks, Theresa will
within the team.
schedule two
videoconferences. The
Coast.
years.
Were receiving an
Well ask our internal
On the 23rd of this month,
increasing number of
customers for feedback
Jim and Lisa will conduct a
complaints from our
on our performance.
focus group with
internal customers.
representatives from our
engineering department to
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for action
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The survey measures the attitudes of both internal and external customers. In
particular, Smita pointed to the low level of satisfaction among users with the way they
are treated by the IT staff. Smita was especially upset because the percentage of
favorable responses among division users was much less than overall company
results, and lower than other divisions reporting to the same vice president.
Several managers in the meeting told Smita not to worry because most of the
dissatisfaction probably comes from the employees in the marketing area. Although
data are not available for specific work groups, these managers feel that the new
system deployed earlier this year stirred up this discontent. In fact, one of the
managers says, If the marketing groups data was separated out, the overall results
would be much different.
Smita is not impressed. I want those numbers up next year, she declares. As a result,
she appoints a Quality Action Team (QAT) to investigate the customer service problem
in the division. Subsequently, she names Meenal Singh as chairperson of the team
Meenal is a surprise choice to head the QAT. She is a marketing specialist with about
two years with the company. Meenal came over from one of our competitors, Crocker
and Ramble. In that time she has impressed everyone with her technical expertise and
willingness to work hard and long to meet project deadlines. Marketing is one of ITs
principal users.
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Meenal is, by all accounts, a real mover and shaker. Nevertheless, she is not a people
person and more than once she has become impatient in meetings with ES
developers.
Other members of the QAT include:
Ravi Sharma, Personnel Specialist, 35 yrs, B.A., Organizational Behavior, TISS
College. Ravi is an experienced group facilitator. He is a facilitator-trainer for other
teams in the organization. However, Ravi is unhappy because he feels he should have
chaired the QAT.
Kedar Nair, Senior Systems Analyst, 47 yrs, B.E., Electrical Engineering, Pune
University. Kedar came up through the ranks and is considered a solid, dependable
person.
Abhishek Pandey, Programmer II, 29 yrs, Bachelors in Computer Science, Community
College. Abhishek is a hard worker and is well respected by the users for his nononsense approach to the job. He is a knowledgeable techie and is considered an
excellent motivator and mentor of other people.
Rahul Kadam, Director of Business Planning, 28 yrs, B.A., Economics, Mumbai
University, M.B.A.., Manipal University. Rahul is known to be a fast tracker in the
company. Joining the organization after he got out of school, Rahul is considered an
expert in strategic planning and as a result, likes to look at the long-term aspects and
big picture of any project.
A few days later Smita meets with Meenal to tell her about the Quality Action Team, her
role as chairperson, and the names of the other team members. She explains that the QAT
has an important charge because she is very unhappy with the results.
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There is little discussion of each idea. However, body language seems to indicate
disagreement by other members as each idea is presented.
Meenal asks for ideas on what to do next. Rahul suggests that each person gather
information on their idea and report back in a month. In the meantime, each person
will stay in touch with Meenal. There is some nodding in agreement and the meeting
adjourns.
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Action Plan
Action to be
Team
Date this
Date this
Date for team
taken
member(s)
action will
action will be
review
responsible
begin
completed
for action
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I know where Im starting from. I know I am already good at these things, and I can do them
more often:
I can learn this, I am learning this, and I am doing what I can at this stage as well. I have
already learned:
I will start with small steps, especially in areas that are difficult for me. My short term goals for
improvement are:
I promise to congratulate and reward myself every time I do something, no matter how small,
to maintain and improve my skills. My rewards will be:
Im setting myself up for success by choosing long-range goals to work for gradually. My longterm goals for success are as follows:
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Byham, William C., Richard S. Wellins, and Jeanne M. Wilson. Empowered Teams.
Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. Pocket Books, 1998
(Reprint).
Caroselli, Marlene. Leadership Skills for Managers. McGraw-Hill, 2000. Cava,
Roberta. Difficult People. Key Porter Books, 1992.
Covey, Stephen. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press, 2004.
DeBono, Edward. The Six Thinking Hats. Penguin Books, 2000.
Fisher, Kimball. Leading Self-Directed Work Teams. McGraw-Hill, 1999.
Guffey, Mary Ellen. Essentials of Business Communication . South-Western College
Pub, 2006.
Hamilton, Cheryl, and Cordell Parker. Communicating for Results. Wadsworth
Publishing, 2007.
Harrington-MacKin, Deborah. The Team Building Tool Kit. AMACOM, 1994. Huszczo,
Gregory. Tools for Team Excellence. Davies- Black Publishing, 1996. Manz, Charles.
Superleadership. Berkley Trade, 1990.
Parker, Glenn M. Team Players and Teamwork. Jossey-Bass, 1996.
Portnoy, Robert. Leadership: 4 Competencies for Success. Prentice Hall, 1998.
Templar, Richard. The Rules of Work. Pearson Education, 2003.
Tjosvold, Dean. Teamwork for Customers. Jossey-Bass, 1993.
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