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Team Dynamics and Performance

Team Dynamics and Performance: Learning Objectives At the end of this Define topic, all learners will be able to:

define and describe the stages of team evolution, including forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning, and recognition. identify and help resolve negative dynamics such as the unquestioned acceptance of opinions as facts, groupthink, feuding, floundering, the rush to accomplishment, attribution, discounts, plops, digressions, tangents, and overbearing, dominant, or reluctant participants, etc. describe and define the roles and responsibilities of participants on Six Sigma and other teams, including master black belt, black belt, green belt, champion, executive, coach, facilitator, team member, sponsor, process owner, etc. define and apply team tools such as brainstorming, nominal group technique, multivoting, etc. use effective and appropriate communication techniques for different situations to overcome barriers to project success.

Types of Teams

Teams may take many forms. Work groups, cluster organizations, problem-solving teams, quality circles, self-managed teams, virtual teams, business teams, design teams, and process redesign teams are all among the many names for the types of teams. And the names may vary from organization to organization. For the purposes of this discussion, information is provided on the basic types of teams that have the greatest relevance for personnel:

Work groups

Process improvement teams New product and service design teams Process redesign or systems reengineering teams Self-managed or self-directed teams Temporary/ad hoc teams

Much of the information comes from a 1995 Quality Progress article by Peter R. Scholtes of Joiner Associates. Scholtes developed a catalog of several types of teams based on months of dialogue with people from a variety of organizations, combined with research on recent books and articles on teams. Work Groups Work groups are a type of team that represents the traditional way of getting the job doneby function. Traditional work groups are typically organized into separate specialized jobs. A natural work group is composed of people who work together on a daily basis in the same office or plant, at the same machine, etc. (as opposed to the team that is typically cross-functional). A work groups purpose is to carry out and/or improve the processes of their functions. Therefore, this approach is useful when organizations need a local perspective. Their ongoing charter is to continually improve those work processes within the company over which they have responsibility and ownership. Members of work groups may also be members of process improvement teams. Work groups allow organizations to focus on local issues. They may or may not be selfmanaged; however, quality organizations recognize that workers who operate in tight top-down environments with little opportunity for decision-making are less likely to contribute greatly to quality improvement.

Description

People who work together every day: same office, machine, location, or process Sometimes are developed into quality circles

Purpose

To study and improve the process, to receive and/or communicate vital information, and to participate in planning To establish and maintain the current standardized methods

When to Use It

When the issues need a local perspective When the focus is limited to this groups process, customers, and everyday work life

Should be constant and in every organization

Strengths

Creates routine monitoring, feedback, study, and quick response systems Creates local ownership and pride Improves awareness and attentiveness

Vulnerabilities

Overemphasizing part of the system to the detriment of the whole system Tampering with the system Chasing after symptoms of deeper systemic causes

Strategies/Methods/ Tools

Key process indicators Feedback loops from internal and external customers Standardization PDCA cycle Communication links with line management

Comments Leaderless groups will need to identify the functions of leadership and the methods by which these functions will be carried out without a designated leader. These functions too should be standardized into best-known methods.

Process Improvement Teams

Organizations often charter process improvement teams to enhance processes or to address specific process-related problems or issues. The process has an owner, and a team is formed to manage and examine the process. Authority Process improvement teams may or may not have decision-making authority. This is especially true in situations where a team may not have matured to the point where they have earned decision-making authority. It is also true in organizations whose management may be skeptical of the process. Thus, many organizations may limit the effectiveness of these teams to recommendations. In any case, process improvement teams are not generally turned loose in an organization without first proving themselves. Length of Service Process improvement teams are typically cross-functional; their purpose is to achieve some needed enhancements on an existing process that will add value to the customer. Such teams are generally a temporary grouping of personnel and resources. The life span of the team is based on the completion of the team purpose and specific goals. Process improvement teams are also called improvement project teams. Process Improvement Team Sailent Features Description A natural work group or cross-functional team whose responsibility is to achieve some needed improvements on an existing process; an ad hoc assignment. Purpose To improve an existing system or process for the design and delivery of a product or service. These improvement projects are usually specific and have a narrow focus. When to Use It

Continuously, but selectively, used as part of a larger strategy (probably an annual strategy) to pursue carefully selected organizational priorities. Dont overdo these; to successfully undertake these efforts requires considerable support from the entire organization. Strengths These process improvement projects can be combined into a system of efforts aimed at achieving improvements. When successful, these projects eliminate the causes of problems. Problems dont recur. Vulnerabilities

Using overly complicated methods (overfall) Cutting corners without an understanding of what is lost (underfall) Not applying the specific, proven methods: reverting to old problem-solving methods

Strategies/Methods/ Tools

Improvement methodology in general Standardization Methods for communicating with, educating, and involving others who work with the process under study

Comments Much of the quality improvement literature has been written with this approach in mind. Dont create a proliferation of these teams. These are easily started, but hard to sustain

New Prod w duct or Serv an Pro r vice nd oduct Redesign Team

New pro oduct and se ervice design teams are also called c n conventional works team l ms. "Conventional" mean the team works within the ordinar context an environm of the ns w n ry nd ment organizat tion. Product redesign or systems ree r engineering teams are ve similar to new produ and new t ery o uct eams, except they deal with the inter operatio that creat or deliver the product or t w rnal ons te r t service te service. Similar to pr S rocess impro ovement team they shou be used selectively. ms, uld

n/Reengineer ring Salient Features Redesign Descript tion Usually a cross-funct tional group assigned to deal with in nternal opera ations that cr reate and del liver a product or service. t Purpose Make exi isting metho processe or system for design developme delivery and/or serv ods, es, ms n, ent, y, vice more effe ective and ef fficient at meeting custo m omer requirem ments.

When to Use It Continuously but selectively used as part of a larger strategy (probably an annual strategy) to pursue carefully selected organizational priorities. Dont overdo these; to successfully undertake these efforts requires considerable support from the entire organization. Strengths Results in dramatic reductions in cycle times, waste, and staffing needs, and allows the organization to do more with higher quality and at less expense. Vulnerabilities Tampering; not basing changes on data but on guesswork, or disregarding the needs of internal and external customers. Strategies/Methods/ Tools

PDCA cycle Standardization Systems analysis Statistical thinking Measurement systems Participative methods DFSS

Comments Redesigners must keep in mind and in contact with those who will bear the brunt of their innovations.

Self-Managed Teams
Empowerment is a salient theme in quality organizations. Empowered individuals are trusted, encouraged, and supported in their efforts to achieve organizational goals without routine management. Self-directed teams must be based upon empowerment. Self-directed teams require little direct supervision as they manage themselves and their day-to-day work. Self-directed or self-managed teams are responsible for whole work processes, with each individual performing multiple tasks. But as Scholtes states, it is not a "you-have-it-or-you-dont-situation." Its a matter of how much self-direction teams have. Overall, when compared to more traditional work systems, self-directed teams generally report:

improvedproductivity decreasedoperatingcosts improvedquality improvedmorale

Work groups and process improvement teams may or may not be self-managed. Such teams, however, dont always work. The primary reasons they fail are lack of management commitment to the change process and lack of training for team leaders and team members. The decision to choose self-managed teams should be the result of careful consideration on how this process will work within the organization.
Planning the SelfDirected Team

At a high level, planning for the implementation of a self-directed team can follow the path shown in the picture. Temporary/Ad Hoc Teams

A final type of team to consider is the less structured, less formal group organized for a specific purpose. For example, an ad hoc group might be organized to address a customer complaint, or a virtual team may want to compare process used for design reviews by several different facilities

Stages of Team Development


As teams are formed, they typically go through a series of growth stages, from Forming to Adjourning. While teams may move through these stages as a group, it is also important to recognize that individuals go through these stages in their relationships with other team members.
The stages of the team:

Forming:birth Storming:conflict Norming:cohesion Performing:focus Adjourningandtransforming:completion

Before applying the right solution to build the team, recognize the teams current stage of growth. As you learn about the different stages, keep in mind individuals, dyads, small groups, and entire teams move back and forth among the various stages. A Performing team can slip back into major conflict (Storming) given a certain set of circumstances. Team leaders must be aware of this and issue the correct guidance at any given point.

Forming The Forming stage is synonymous with start-up; this is the stage in which the team comes into being. During this start-up period, team members may have a mixture of emotions, such as excitement, pride, energy, and optimism. They may also have anxiety, fear, and suspicion about the job ahead.

At this point in team development, behavior is characterized by a transition from individual to team member status. Team members attempt to:

definethetask. describehowthetaskwillbeaccomplished. identifyacceptableteambehaviorandhowtoresolveanyproblemsthatmayarise. determinewhatinformationisnecessary.

During the Forming stage, team members may be distracted by:


abstractdiscussionsofconceptsorissues. irrelevantdiscussionsofunrelatedsymptomsorproblems. complaintsabouttheorganizationandperceivedbarrierstotheteamstask.

It is common for team progress to be slow during the Forming period. Creativity and innovation are necessary during this stage; mistakes are not only accepted, but are considered "learning." The goal at this point is to focus so the team can move beyond this stage. The team needs to find a pattern and get a system in place. Stage Highlights Team members feelings:

Eagerwithhighexpectations Anxiousabouthowtheywillfitinandwhatisexpectedofthem Dependentonauthoritytoprovidedirection

Primary issues:

Inclusionandtrust Willingtoincludeothers Wanttobeincludedintheteamsprocesses Wanttofeeltheycantrusttheteamleaderandotherteammembers

Task accomplishment and morale:


Taskaccomplishmentislowtomoderate Teamenergyfocusedondefininggoals,tasks,andstrategiesforaccomplishment Highmorale

Storming Storming is the next stage of team development. At this point, team members may recognize the task is different from what they originally thought, and it may appear more difficult. Team members may resist trying methods of work that are beyond their comfort zone. Attitudes about the potential for the teams success or failure may fluctuate sharply. Conflict often arises during this stage. Members typically argue about next steps. Competition and control take precedence over collaboration and teamwork. The goal at this stage is to recognize the need for cohesion and to reestablish the teams goal and focus.

Stage Highlights Team members feelings:


Dissatisfiedwithdependencyonauthority Angryandfrustratedaboutgoalsandtasks Negativitytowardtheformalteamleaderandotherteammembers Incompetentorconfused Competitiveforpowerorcontrol

Primary issues of power and control:


Teammembersthinkasindividuals Maynotwanttofollowdirections Maywanttoinfluencethedirectionoftheteam

Task accomplishment and morale:


Taskaccomplishmentmaybedisrupted Skilldevelopmentincreasesasconflictsareaddressed Moraleislow

Norming Norming includes fine-tuning. During this stage, members start to get along, but they havent moved to task completion. During the Norming stage, team members:

accepttheteamanditscollectivepurpose,alongwiththerolesofindividuals. reconcilecompetingloyaltiesandresponsibilities. accepttheyhaveacommonfocus. feelasenseofcohesiveness.

Norming behaviors are characterized by:


attemptstoavoidconflictandworkoutdifferences. teammembersexpressingcriticismconstructively. attemptstoestablishandmaintainteam"norms"(groundrulesandboundaries). DuringtheNormingstage,teammemberstaskcompletionincreases.

Stage Highlights Team members feelings:


Moresatisfiedasteammemberslearntoworktogether Betteraseachteammemberappreciateseachothersdifferences Selfconfidenceregardingtaskaccomplishment

Primary issues:

Affectionandintimacy Teammembersbegintoopenupwithoneanother

Task accomplishment and morale:


Taskaccomplishmentincreases Positivefeelingsamongmembersincreaseteamresults

Moraleimproves

Performing Performing is the stage in which a team achieves task accomplishment. Team members recognize that individuals have differing talents, and they have learned their respective roles and responsibilities. Members contribute and move the team toward task completion. Relationship tension subsides, and the team can solve problems and begin to implement changes. During the performing stage, the predominant feelings and outcomes are:

Achievement Predictability Success Asenseofpride

The team is now a competent, cohesive unit. Team members feelings/actions:


Excitedandeageraboutteamactivities Capableofcollaboration Highlyconfident Recognizeandsupporteachother Communicatefreely

Primary issues: No major issues

Adjourning and Transforming As appropriate, teams need to disband when their work is accomplished. Adjourning refers to breaking up the team when the job is done. Lessons learned should be documented. Successes should be recognized and celebrated. Adjourning also implies a willingness to work together again in future assignments. A team that manages to remain together may transcend to a Transforming phase of achievement that can produce major changes in performance through ongoing team synergy

Stage Highlights Team members feelings/actions:


Sadorasenseoflossaboutseparatingfromtheteam Mayjoketodenyfeelings Strongpositivefeelingsaboutaccomplishments

Primary issues:

Lossandseparation Feelingsofsadness Tendencytobecomelessproductive

Task accomplishment and morale:


Taskaccomplishmentdecreases Moralestableordecreases

Reco ognitio on

Meaning of Recognition g one Recognit tion is a criti part of a project s su ical uccess. Anyo who has been on a s s significant company project has likely receiv the oblig y ved gatory "proje shirt", pe or paperw ect en, weight, but a are those gift meaningfu rewards? fts ul Meaning g We recog gnize individ duals or grou for a job well done a for the re ups b and esults they a achieve. But do we do tha for them or for ourselv at o ves? Many rewards are g r given out of a sincere ap f ppreciation f for accompli ishments, bu if the perso receiving the reward does not fee "lifted up" the reward can ut on g el ", d fall flat. Many people when aske to stand up in front of a group to b recognize are very M e ed p f be ed uncomfortable with public recognition. Such recognition as a reward may not ma their p h n d atch individua needs. al The rewa must mat the perso Find out something s ard tch on. specific that will truly m make each pe erson in the gro feel spec Then pr oup cial. resent "their reward" to t them in the w that fee comfortab to way els ble them. In additio make sur you provide the specif reason fo their recei on, re fic or iving the rew ward. "For a good job is mu less effec uch ctive than "Y improve the moral of the cust You ed le tomer servic departmen ce nt and saved the compa $250,000 a year." d any 0 Value of Recognitio f on A parent would not reward highr -school gradu uation for on child with a gift certif ne h ficate to a fa ast ther child wi a new ca for obtaini a B+ in m ith ar ing math. The re eward food restaurant, then bestow anot you prese should al ent lign with the particular results achie ved. How ha the achiev e r as vement affec cted the bottom line? Wha was the ef at ffort involve Rewards that match t achievem will als ed? the ment so

help people to understand that bigger rewards are based on bigger results, not any kind of favoritism.

Resolving Team Conflict


Conflict usually runs high during the Storming stage of team evolution. Usually team leaders are able to let this stage run its course. However, there are times when the team leader needs to step in to prevent team conflict from impacting other team members or the project schedule.
Trait Remedial Action

Overbearing Dominant

Reluctant participants Unquestioned acceptance of opinions as facts Feuding

Set up a Code of Conduct with the team members, stating that all ideas by all team members are to be shared and are equally valuable Include in the Code of Conduct for team members that all team members should participate. State this as a positive to obtain new ideas to find a solution toward the goal. Evaluate regularly. Limit dominant participation Use various team tools which encourage the quiet members to write down their ideas. Encourage their participation through validation. Have individual assignments and reports. Ask for opinions Avoid win-lose stalemates in discussions of opinions by asking the person to provide supporting data To minimize arguing, state a standard of behavior during meetings in the Code of Conduct. Should an argument arise, step in when arguing is non-productive. Make sure to focus on ideas, not personalities Remain impartial. Use team tools to flush out alternatives. Play "Devils Advocate." Break the team into small groups. Hold "Last Chance Meeting" to come up with other alternatives With this trait, treat as you would with an overbearing or dominant trait. Remind these people that every idea needs to be shared to find the best solution. Make sure the team reaches a consensus on the solution. Use team tools when necessary Attribution theory explains how high and low achievers think differently. High achievers invite challenges because they feel in control of success by their effort. When they fail, they attribute it to circumstances outside their control. Low achievers avoid challenges because they feel their success comes by factors outside of their control, so even when successful, low achievers do not gain confidence from their achievements To help prevent any problems in this area, train team members in what is expected from Six Sigma projects. If a problem arises in this area, remind the team that this is a Six Sigma project and they must stick with the Six Sigma scientific approach. Ask team members to confirm data To prevent problems in this area, provide training in effective listening. Support the discounted person. If the problem continues, confront anyone who continually discounts other team members outside of the

Groupthink

Rush to accomplishment

Attribution

Discounts

Digressions, Plops, and Tangents


team meeting To prevent problems in this area, follow the agenda and be able to draw the team back on topic

Team Roles and Responsibilities


Green Belt

Uses Six Sigma tools for problem-solving. Executes Six Sigma as a part of their overall job. Focuses on projects that tie directly to routine work. Helps deploy the success of Six Sigma techniques. Leads improvement projects within their respective area. Works part-time assisting Black Belts.

Associate Level Team Member

Attends short familiarization sessions of Six Sigma training to understand terminology, project goals, and expectations.

Champion

Owns the project. Implements solutions. Manages Black Belts.

Executive

Owns vision, direction, integration and results. Leads change. Note: The Champion and the Executive are often the same person.

Black Belt

Dedicates 50-100% of time to Six Sigma activities. Facilitates and practices problem-solving. Trains and coaches Green Belts and project teams.

Master Black Belt


Dedicates 100% of time to Six Sigma activities. Trains and coaches Green Belts and Black Belts Provides statistical problem-solving expertise. Facilitates communication.

Sponsor

Provides the financial support for the project.

Process Owner(s)

Participates as the principal stakeholder(s) of the project. Defines the project deliverables.

Brai instorming

Brainstor rming is a simple way to stimulate th o hinking and collect a teams ideas in a short time. a n Scholtes gives a six-s process for brainsto step orming. Procedure 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Review the to R opic Have silent th H hinking time e Let ideas flow L w Write all idea on a flipch W as hart Dont discuss ideas D s Build on othe ideas B ers

Nom minal Group Tech G p hnique e

Nominal group techn nique is a con nsensus plan nning tool th helps prio hat oritize issues and encour s rages participat tion from the entire grou The illustration below shows an example of n up. w nominal gro oup technique using four items. e Streibel outlines the two-part pro o t ocess: Part 1

Put the task in question fo n orm Outline the pr O rocess and procedure for the exercis p r se In ntroduce and clarify the question d Generate idea G as Write down ideas W Clarify and discuss ideas C Condense the list, potenti C e ially combin ning ideas

Part 2

Reduce the list to under 50 R 5 Provide notec cards (in a ro ough fraction of the num n mber of ideas s) Have members make cho H oices as to wh is most i hat important Have members assign poi to their choices H ints Total all poin T nts Discuss results D

Multivoting

Multivoting is a tool used to arrange, in order of importance, a list of items. Multivoting allows team members to place "votes" on the topics that are most important to them. Those items receiving the highest rankings from the group should get further attention and consideration. The graphic below displays a list of ideas for reducing absenteeism. The voting results are also shown. Multivoting Procedure 1. Combine like items if possible to decrease competing terms and redundancy. 2. Number or letter each item. 3. Decide how many votes each team member is allowed. Depending on the length of the list, each member will receive five to ten votes. 4. Ask team members to vote on the list of items. As mentioned in the previous step, each team member has a set number of votes, and can spread them out any way they wish (i.e. if one wishes, all votes could be placed for one single item). 5. Group and count the high scores from the voting activity. If necessary, perform a second vote on only the highly scored items from the first vote to further narrow the list.

Communications
Meeting Agenda/Meeting Minutes Purpose The meeting agenda enables all meeting attendees to see:

who is expected to attend the meeting. where the meeting will be held. when the meeting will be held. what topics will be covered at the meeting. time allotted to each topic.

Meeting minutes are distributed to all meeting attendees and people who were supposed to attend. Meeting minutes capture the following information:

Highlights of topics and discussions covered at meeting Action items Risks/issues Reminder of next meeting

User Tips

Publish your agenda well ahead of the meeting so attendees can come prepared. They will know how much time has been allocated to each item, and this will reduce the chance of a floundering session. A typical agenda template would include the following items: o Meeting time o Agenda items o Minutes per agenda item o Action items o Person responsible o Other Forms of Communication

E-mail

Documents for late review Non-urgent, not complicated, routine messages

Inter-office Mail or Facsimile (FAX):

Documents for review that are not able to be sent via e-mail

Telephone

For urgent or complex issues, it is best to make a phone call.

In Person

For very urgent issues requiring subtle, sophisticated, or very complicated communication, it is even better to meet in person.

Defi Mo ine odule: Lesso Sum ry : on mmar

The Defi phase is about definin goals of the project th pertain to the project team, defin ine a ng t hat o t ning the proce that flows through th organizatio effective managing the project and knowi ess he on, ely g t, ing when and why to use managemen planning and team to d e nt, ools. Process managemen for projec m nt cts Because it is importa for a cust ant tomer to get what they ex xpect from a product or service, customer feedback is collected th r s hrough surve interview focus gr eys, ws, roups and pro oduct return ns. The data is analyzed with an affin diagram check shee nominal g nity m, et, group techni ique or prioritiza ation matrix. Once the cu ustomer data is analyzed it is then tr a d, ranslated int goals and to objective using criti es ical-to-qualit (CTQ) att ty tributes and q quality func ction deploym (QFD). The ment phases of QFD link the voice of the customer (VOC) to e f t t r existing qua ality for impr roving plann ning of service and produ es ucts. Project managemen basics m nt Once nee eded improv vements have been identi e ified through customer f h feedback, est tablishing a project ch harter is a go start for project man ood nagement. A project char contains everything arter s from a pr roblem statement to desc criptions of all team mem a mber respon nsibilities to t scope of the the f project. To determine the scope of a project, you will use tools such as SIPOC (s T e o e supplier, input, process, output, and customer), process mapp c p ping, Pareto charts, and histograms. The next ste eps in project manageme are to dev ent velop metric utilize tim managem tools, an create pro cs, me ment nd oject

documents and risk analysis. At the close of the project, conduct a lessons-learned session to pass on to the next project team. Management and planning tools Selecting the appropriate management and planning tools during the planning process and using them throughout the DMAIC process is also very important to ensure the success of the Six Sigma project. Business results for projects A thorough analysis of the existing business processes is important because understanding where the performance measures today is necessary in order to make measurable and significant improvements of your processes tomorrow. Team dynamics and performance It is important that the project team understands their responsibilities and communicates effectively. There are five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. The second phase of SSGB training is Measure; it will further explain how to apply tools described in the Define phase, along with how to calculate statistical measures.

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