Contemporary issues in Managing Teams

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Contemporary Issues in Managing Teams

Reinvigorating Mature Teams

Mature teams, while often successful initially, can encounter significant challenges as they progress. These issues stem primarily from groupthink and the complexity of tasks they face over time.

Challenges for Mature Teams:

  • Groupthink: As teams mature, members may start assuming they understand each other’s thoughts and perspectives, leading to reduced expression of individual opinions and reluctance to challenge ideas.
  • Early Success and Complacency: Initial successes often come from tackling easier problems. As the team progresses to more difficult challenges, entrenched processes and routines can hinder adaptability and innovation.
  • Communication Breakdown: Established routines may not be effective for complex problems, leading to communication issues and increased conflict.
  • Decline in Performance: With more complex issues, internal processes may falter, causing a drop in team performance.

Strategies to Reinvigorate Mature Teams:

  • Prepare Members for Maturity Issues: Remind teams that facing challenges is a normal part of their development and that they are not unique in this experience.
  • Offer Refresher Training: Provide training in essential skills such as communication and conflict resolution to help teams regain confidence and trust.
  • Provide Advanced Training: Equip team members with advanced problem-solving, interpersonal, and technical skills to handle more complex issues.
  • Encourage Continuous Learning: Promote a culture of ongoing improvement where teams view development as an opportunity for learning and growth.

Teams and Total Quality Management (TQM)

TQM emphasizes continuous process improvement and high levels of employee involvement. Teams play a central role in TQM by facilitating communication, adaptation, and coordination.

Key Elements of TQM in Teams:

  • Encouragement to Share Ideas: Employees are encouraged to contribute ideas and act on suggestions.
  • High Communication Levels: Effective TQM requires constant communication and coordination within teams.

Ford’s TQM Approach:

  • Small, Efficient Teams: Teams are kept small to ensure efficiency.
  • Proper Training: Members receive the necessary training for their roles.
  • Sufficient Time Allocation: Teams are given adequate time to address problems.
  • Authority and Responsibility: Teams have the authority to implement solutions.
  • Designated Champions: Each team has a champion to help navigate obstacles.

Amana’s Cross-Functional Task Forces:

  • Vertical and Horizontal Communication: Task forces improve communication across different levels and departments.
  • Specific Problem-Solving Areas: Each task force focuses on a specific type of problem, enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Teams and Workforce Diversity

Diversity in teams can offer fresh perspectives but also presents challenges in unifying team members and reaching consensus.

Benefits of Diversity in Teams:

  • Enhanced Problem-Solving: Diverse teams bring multiple perspectives, increasing the likelihood of creative solutions.
  • Reduced Groupthink: Heterogeneous teams spend more time discussing issues, reducing the risk of weak alternatives being chosen.

Challenges of Diversity:

  • Initial Difficulties: Diverse teams may struggle with cohesion and problem-solving initially.
  • Decreased Cohesion: Over time, as teams become more familiar, the benefits of diversity may diminish, and cohesive teams tend to have higher satisfaction and lower absenteeism.

Balancing Diversity and Cohesion:

  • Supportive Norms: Teams that support diversity norms can maximize the value of heterogeneity while achieving high cohesiveness.
  • Diversity Training: Participating in diversity training can help team members appreciate and leverage differences effectively.

Summary

Managing contemporary teams involves understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by mature teams, leveraging the principles of TQM, and balancing diversity within teams. By preparing for maturity issues, offering targeted training, encouraging continuous learning, and supporting diversity, organizations can optimize team performance and drive innovation.