Theoretical Model
Analysis
When working on our theoretical model we didn’t want to overthink the objective of a team. Harvey Dubin stated, “Although the business landscape is complex, building a high performance team doesn’t have to be: It can begin as simply as a single leader with a challenge” (46). Our team chose this approach by combing six elements that included diversity, communication, energizer, procedural-technician, task focused, and adaptive to new ideas. These six elements then break down into three categories, which are new ideas and understanding, structured leadership, and individualistic attributes. In the end this will all lead to a high performance team. In the first part of our model we included diversity and communication that leads to new ideas and understanding. When working in a team its important to have different individuals with different personality’s to give a different perceptive on how to complete the goal or task which makes up diversity among a team. Dubin mentioned “the pathway to achieving the outcome emanate from the commitment. Because people past experiences are not enough to guide them through the effort. They become open to new perspectives, skills and work practices” (46). What Dubin is saying, is that with individual experiences will not be enough to complete the task at hand. When you diversify a team and combine everyone’s past experiences, it will open up the member’s minds to new perspectives, and will increase the commitment among a team. After diversifying the team and working with one another it will end up being the same ol same old day-to-day operations. Dubin sums this up very will “their way’s of thinking and working become the new norm and a sustainable approach to unprecedented achievements” (46). To reinforce my argument a little more about diversity in a team Cross, Ehrlich, Dawson and Helferich mentioned, “The primary work unit in the enterprise will be the virtual ‘matrixed’ team, which is composed of diverse competencies, knowledge, and capabilities, and assemble to meet specific project goal or ongoing process deliveries” (74). What the authors are saying here is that in enterprises today teams are going to be made up of diverse people in most cases because of how big the business world is, and how many components make it up.
Now that I’ve talked about diversity it’s time to talk about the second aspect that is communication. When it comes to communication there a many different kinds of it, but the most desirable form would be face-to-face. Sadly in todays business world face-to-face communication is slowing going away. In todays world communication is starting to become more e-mail and cloud based. In the article titled Managing Collaboration, Improving Team Effectiveness Through A Network Perspective mentioned, “Traditionally, teams communication have focused on face-to-face and virtual communication that first serve to build harmony to ensure execution against a project plan” (81). What this statement is getting across is that communication is needed in any form to build harmony or a connection among the team members. Connection among team members is a crucial part of a team, because members must be able to comfortable around them to share new idea. When working in a team it’s always important to make sure that the group leader knows what’s happing so they can inform the rest of the team. A group leader has a lot of control over the flow of communication in a group, which could lead to the flow of the project and how it’s going to get done. The same article mentioned above stated, “By mapping the dimensions of relationships that precede or lead to effective knowledge sharing, team leaders have a much better view of ways to improve collaborations at the point of need” (81). With the leader knowing everything that’s going on in a project they will be able to solve a problem faster as they arise.
Now that I’ve talked about diversity it’s time to talk about the second aspect that is communication. When it comes to communication there a many different kinds of it, but the most desirable form would be face-to-face. Sadly in todays business world face-to-face communication is slowing going away. In todays world communication is starting to become more e-mail and cloud based. In the article titled Managing Collaboration, Improving Team Effectiveness Through A Network Perspective mentioned, “Traditionally, teams communication have focused on face-to-face and virtual communication that first serve to build harmony to ensure execution against a project plan” (81). What this statement is getting across is that communication is needed in any form to build harmony or a connection among the team members. Connection among team members is a crucial part of a team, because members must be able to comfortable around them to share new idea. When working in a team it’s always important to make sure that the group leader knows what’s happing so they can inform the rest of the team. A group leader has a lot of control over the flow of communication in a group, which could lead to the flow of the project and how it’s going to get done. The same article mentioned above stated, “By mapping the dimensions of relationships that precede or lead to effective knowledge sharing, team leaders have a much better view of ways to improve collaborations at the point of need” (81). With the leader knowing everything that’s going on in a project they will be able to solve a problem faster as they arise.
In the second group of characteristics that make a high performance team we focused two characteristics that we feel a strong leader needs to possess in order to benefit and maximize the output of a high performance team. The first characteristic is that of an energizer. In the article “Positive Intelligence” Shawn Achor stated, “…managers jack up everyone’s anxiety level, which activates the portion of the brain that processes threats-the amygdala-and steals resources from the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for effective problem solving.” (100) This is a perfect example of why the leader has to be a great energizer. When a team works, it isn’t always excited and paying full focus to what it needs to accomplish. The leader needs to keep the group members motivated and on task to make sure the group maximized efficiency. In our Organizational Behavior book, the authors Colquitt, Lepine, and Wesson said “…leader effectiveness will be defined as the degree to which the leader’s actions result in the achievement of the unit’s goals, the continued commitment of the unit’s employees, and the development of mutual trust, respect, and obligation in leader-member dyads.” (466) What they are saying is that for a leader to be an effective one, the leader needs to constantly review goals of the group, and make sure the group members are doing all of their work like they are supposed to and that they fully trust not just in the leader but in each other. By being a good energizer a leader will be able to reach this level of effectiveness, by boosting the groups mood, reducing overall stress. For our second characteristic of the group a great leader will be required to maintain the groups progress routinely.
By being able to routinely check the groups progress a great leader will be using the characteristic of a Procedural-technician. This ensures that the group is always doing what needs to be done at that moment, or in simpler terms, the highest output task. Shawn Achor mentions in his article a good way a leader can incorporate being a procedural-technician with a little bit of energizing to boost a teams output. Achor says, “Engaging in one brief positive exercise every day for as little as three weeks can have a lasting impact, my research suggests.” (100) Achor gives a good example of a procedure that a leader can use within their team to help energize the members and keep them focused on their tasks. Achor tried this task and shared his results saying, “Several days after the training concluded, we evaluated both the participants and a control group to determine their general sense of well-being. How engaged were they? Were they depressed? On every metric, the experimental group’s scores were significantly higher than the control group’s.” (101) This quote shows how effective performing something as simple as a exercising can do to maximize efficiency. This is just one specific example of something a leader can do. Generally the tasks that the leader will perform to evaluate the team’s performance will be more routine. These tasks may include doing things such as meeting with the group members individually to get more ideas of what the group could be doing that maybe a person didn’t want to say because they felt is was less important. Another routine task that a leader will perform in a team setting will also be individual performance checks so that the whole team is working at the same pace or at about the same speed, that way the group doesn’t get out of balance.
A good leader, in terms of our model, will be able to use characteristics of both the energizer and procedural-technician to maximize their team’s output. When using these characteristics strategically the leaders place amongst the team members will become more structured, and over time, will be easier for groups to adapt to and work with, maximizing the teams overall performance.
In the third group of characteristics that make an effective team we focused on the aspects of being task-focused and being adaptive to new ideas. These two factors play pivotal roles in the success of an organization. Having an organization be task-focused starts with the leader. This leadership style includes aspects of task management and leadership. Being task-oriented means the members of the organization are able to perform the tasks necessary to accomplish the goal. It is the responsibility of the leader to set the agenda, and also make sure that everyone is well-informed of their individual role. As mentioned by Gretchen Spreitzer in the article Creating Sustainable Performance, she states “The leadership aspects include taking responsibility for decisions, setting short- and long-term strategic goals and training employees to perform their assigned tasks.”(98) The aspect of training the employees to perform assigned tasks can be overlooked but it is very important. In order for a group to maximize their potential, everyone inside the group must have a full understanding of their individual role and how to complete it. Spreitzer mentioned “leaders communicate where they want to take their companies. They also organize groups for particular tasks and ensure that group members have a clear understanding of their individual roles.”(94) The first part of this quote really stood out to me because it really is important that a leader communicates the direction in which they are leading their companies. Short-term goals should be established as well as long-term goals. A leader’s job isn’t done after they delegate responsibilities to their employees. They are looked on to motivate their employees with the goal of assisting the employee in achieving full potential. Spreitzer commented on this saying “Managers can use the task-oriented leadership style to define tasks and expectations, and the relationship-oriented style to motivate ordinary employees to achieve extraordinary results.”(98) The true measure of a good leader is their charisma and their ability to inspire others to do well.
Good businesses stay the course with what has made them successful in the past. Great businesses adapt to changes over time and are receptive to new ideas. The society and the economy are changing almost every day and it is important that an organization embraces these changes. Being adaptive to new ideas can also be done by changing the way you think. For example, in the article How Successful Leaders Think, it talks about hiring employees who think differently than you do to diversify the ideas and keep things fresh. Roger Martin states “integrative thinkers don’t mind a messy problem. In fact, they welcome complexity, because that’s where the best answers come from.”(66) Being adaptive to new ideas bridges the gap between what an organization wants to achieve and what an organization is capable of achieving. This requires taking time to reflect and identify what has made you successful in the past, and areas in which you could improve. However, you must make sure that the change you are going to make is feasible. There is no point in having a vision if you don’t have people with the skills and expertise to deliver it. Social media is a good example of “keeping up with the times.” It is hard to find a company that is not on Twitter or Facebook these days and it’s because social media has expanded the ability to network. Companies are finding that using social media has significantly expanded the company’s exposure. In today’s economy, you need to be adaptive to new ideas otherwise your organization will ultimately fail.
By being able to routinely check the groups progress a great leader will be using the characteristic of a Procedural-technician. This ensures that the group is always doing what needs to be done at that moment, or in simpler terms, the highest output task. Shawn Achor mentions in his article a good way a leader can incorporate being a procedural-technician with a little bit of energizing to boost a teams output. Achor says, “Engaging in one brief positive exercise every day for as little as three weeks can have a lasting impact, my research suggests.” (100) Achor gives a good example of a procedure that a leader can use within their team to help energize the members and keep them focused on their tasks. Achor tried this task and shared his results saying, “Several days after the training concluded, we evaluated both the participants and a control group to determine their general sense of well-being. How engaged were they? Were they depressed? On every metric, the experimental group’s scores were significantly higher than the control group’s.” (101) This quote shows how effective performing something as simple as a exercising can do to maximize efficiency. This is just one specific example of something a leader can do. Generally the tasks that the leader will perform to evaluate the team’s performance will be more routine. These tasks may include doing things such as meeting with the group members individually to get more ideas of what the group could be doing that maybe a person didn’t want to say because they felt is was less important. Another routine task that a leader will perform in a team setting will also be individual performance checks so that the whole team is working at the same pace or at about the same speed, that way the group doesn’t get out of balance.
A good leader, in terms of our model, will be able to use characteristics of both the energizer and procedural-technician to maximize their team’s output. When using these characteristics strategically the leaders place amongst the team members will become more structured, and over time, will be easier for groups to adapt to and work with, maximizing the teams overall performance.
In the third group of characteristics that make an effective team we focused on the aspects of being task-focused and being adaptive to new ideas. These two factors play pivotal roles in the success of an organization. Having an organization be task-focused starts with the leader. This leadership style includes aspects of task management and leadership. Being task-oriented means the members of the organization are able to perform the tasks necessary to accomplish the goal. It is the responsibility of the leader to set the agenda, and also make sure that everyone is well-informed of their individual role. As mentioned by Gretchen Spreitzer in the article Creating Sustainable Performance, she states “The leadership aspects include taking responsibility for decisions, setting short- and long-term strategic goals and training employees to perform their assigned tasks.”(98) The aspect of training the employees to perform assigned tasks can be overlooked but it is very important. In order for a group to maximize their potential, everyone inside the group must have a full understanding of their individual role and how to complete it. Spreitzer mentioned “leaders communicate where they want to take their companies. They also organize groups for particular tasks and ensure that group members have a clear understanding of their individual roles.”(94) The first part of this quote really stood out to me because it really is important that a leader communicates the direction in which they are leading their companies. Short-term goals should be established as well as long-term goals. A leader’s job isn’t done after they delegate responsibilities to their employees. They are looked on to motivate their employees with the goal of assisting the employee in achieving full potential. Spreitzer commented on this saying “Managers can use the task-oriented leadership style to define tasks and expectations, and the relationship-oriented style to motivate ordinary employees to achieve extraordinary results.”(98) The true measure of a good leader is their charisma and their ability to inspire others to do well.
Good businesses stay the course with what has made them successful in the past. Great businesses adapt to changes over time and are receptive to new ideas. The society and the economy are changing almost every day and it is important that an organization embraces these changes. Being adaptive to new ideas can also be done by changing the way you think. For example, in the article How Successful Leaders Think, it talks about hiring employees who think differently than you do to diversify the ideas and keep things fresh. Roger Martin states “integrative thinkers don’t mind a messy problem. In fact, they welcome complexity, because that’s where the best answers come from.”(66) Being adaptive to new ideas bridges the gap between what an organization wants to achieve and what an organization is capable of achieving. This requires taking time to reflect and identify what has made you successful in the past, and areas in which you could improve. However, you must make sure that the change you are going to make is feasible. There is no point in having a vision if you don’t have people with the skills and expertise to deliver it. Social media is a good example of “keeping up with the times.” It is hard to find a company that is not on Twitter or Facebook these days and it’s because social media has expanded the ability to network. Companies are finding that using social media has significantly expanded the company’s exposure. In today’s economy, you need to be adaptive to new ideas otherwise your organization will ultimately fail.
References
Achor, S. (2012). Positive intelligence. Harvard Business Review, 90(1, 2).
Colquitt, J. A. , Lepine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2010). Organizational Behavior: Improving Performance and Commitment in the Workplace, 2nd Ed. Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill, Inc
Cross, R. , Ehrlich, K. , Dawson, R. , & Helferich, J. (2008). Managing collaboration: Improving team
effectiveness through a network perspective. California Management Review, 74.
Dubin, H. (2005). Building high-performance teams. Chief Learning Officer, 4(7), 46-49.
Martin, R. (2007). How Successful Leaders Think. (cover story). Harvard Business Review, 85(6), 60-67
Spreitzer, G. , & Porath, C. (2012). Creating sustainable performance. Harvard Business Review, 90(1, 2).
Colquitt, J. A. , Lepine, J. A., & Wesson, M. J. (2010). Organizational Behavior: Improving Performance and Commitment in the Workplace, 2nd Ed. Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill, Inc
Cross, R. , Ehrlich, K. , Dawson, R. , & Helferich, J. (2008). Managing collaboration: Improving team
effectiveness through a network perspective. California Management Review, 74.
Dubin, H. (2005). Building high-performance teams. Chief Learning Officer, 4(7), 46-49.
Martin, R. (2007). How Successful Leaders Think. (cover story). Harvard Business Review, 85(6), 60-67
Spreitzer, G. , & Porath, C. (2012). Creating sustainable performance. Harvard Business Review, 90(1, 2).