Leading Teams. Correct Team Building as a Success Factor in Companies

Seminar Paper , 2016 , 37 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

The paper provides a general definition for the terms "team" and "leadership", followed by an analysis of how to lead teams effectively. By identifying team dynamics, the different types of teams are explained by using Belbin’s team roles and the dysfunctions of a team. The meaning of leadership is reconsidered in this context. The role of a leader is analysed along with different leadership styles. An example of a team at ABC working against the corporate strategy is examined, ABC’s strategic direction and export team described, and the current team structure and dynamics analysed. A GAP-Analysis is made, leading to recommendations of action.

Today’s organisations are facing the challenges of the 21st century. Globalisation as well as a radical transformation in structure, resources, and expertise is increasing the level of competition in industry. One of the effects is that many successful companies have changed their organisation structure from a functional matrix and to a dynamic, team-orientated system. Thus, teams are key elements of organisations' business results by becoming performance and learning centres.

Teams are more than just a group of people working together. It is about the dynamics in the team. These team dynamics are responsible for a team's success or failure. Today’s teams are more diverse, geographically dispersed, digital and dynamic than ever before. The management of teams is the critical success factor for organisations and has become a complex challenge for all team leaders. It is necessary to strenghten skillsleading to an understanding of team dynamics and to the ability to identify potentials and synergies as well as risks and weaknesses of teamwork within the own organisation. To generate future competitive advantages and sustainable growth companies need to build high-performing teams that align all members to work towards a common goal and maintaining the strategic direction of the company.

Therefore, this paper will examine team dynamics. It will analyse how organisations and team leaders can build teams that work towards a common goal, in accordance with the organisational strategy.

Table of Content

List of Abbreviations ... III

List of Figures ... IV

List of Tables ... IV

1.

Introduction ... 1

1.1.

Definition of the Problem and Task Description ... 1

1.2.

Aims, Objectives and Structure ... 1

2.

Definition ... 3

2.1.

Team ... 3

2.2.

Team vs. Group ... 4

2.3.

Leadership ... 5

3.

Leading Teams ... 6

3.1.

Analysing Team Dynamics ... 6

3.1.1.

Types of Teams ... 6

3.1.2.

Belbin's Team Roles ... 7

3.1.3.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team ... 9

3.2.

Building an effective Team ... 11

3.3.

Leading a high-performing Team ... 14

3.3.1.

Role of the Team Leader ... 14

3.3.2.

Leadership Styles ... 14

4.

Analysis and Evaluation of the ABC's Export Team ... 16

4.1.

Company Review ... 16

4.2.

Corporate strategy ... 16

4.3.

Analysis of ABC's Export Team ... 16

4.3.1.

Structure of ABC's Export Team ... 17

4.3.2.

Analysis of ABC's Export Team Roles ... 18

4.3.3.

Analysis of potential Export Team Dysfunctions ... 20

4.4.

GAP-Analysis of the Export Team's Skills and Behaviours ... 20

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4.5.

Leading ABC's Export Team to Success ... 22

5.

Conclusion ... 24

6.

Bibliography ... 26

Appendix ... A

II

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List of Abbreviations

CO

Coordinator

CF

Completer / Finisher

IMP

Implementer

ME

Monitor Evaluator

PL

Plant

RI

Resource Investigator

SH

Shaper

SP

Specialist

TL

Team Leader

TM

Team Member

TW

Team Worker

III

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List of Figures

Figure 1: The three essential factors of a team ... 3

Figure 2: The three-pillars of leadership ... 5

Figure 3: Different types of teams ... 7

Figure 4: The five dysfunctions of a team ... 9

Figure 5: Overcomming the five dysfunctions ... 11

Figure 6: Hackman's basic conditions for successful teams... 12

Figure 7: Tuckman's stage model ... 13

Figure 8: Potential revenue development of ABC's export department ... 22

Figure 9: Results of TM 1 Team Role Survey ... A

Figure 10: Results of TM 2 Team Role Survey ... B

Figure 11: Results of TM 3 Team Role Survey ...C

List of Tables

Table 1: Team vs. Group ... 4

Table 2: Belbin's Team Roles ... 8

Table 3: Overview of Lencioni's model ... 10

Table 4: Three principles of leading teams ... 14

Table 5: Leadership-Theories ... 15

Table 6: ABC's export team members ... 17

Table 7: ABC export team's roles ... 19

Table 8: Potential dysfunctions of ABC's export team ... 20

Table 9: The three GAP-Scenarios ... 21

Table 10: Potential effects of a new TM ... 23

IV

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1.

Introduction

1st1. Definition of the Problem and Task Description

Today's organisations are facing the challenges of the 21

st

century. Globalisation as

well as a radical transformation in structure, resources, and expertise is increasing the

level of competition in industry. (Keeley et al., 2013) In this context, Spisak and Della

Picca (2017) suggest that many successful companies have changed their organisation

structure away from a functional matrix and toward a dynamic, team-orientated system.

Thus, teams are key elements of organisation's business results by becoming perfor-

mance and learning centres. (Ancona et al., 2009)

Due to that fact, the environmental developments have even an impact on the struc-

tures of a team. In 2016, Haas and Mortensen (2016) emphasised that today's teams

are more diverse, geographically dispersed, digital and dynamic than ever before. The

management of teams is the critical success factor for organisations and has become a

complex management challenge for all team leaders. It is imperative to build skills that

create an understanding of team dynamics and to identify potentials and synergies as

well as risks and weaknesses of teamwork within the own organisation. (Spisak and

Della Picca, 2017) To generate future competitive advantages and sustainable growth

companies need to build high-performing teams that align all members to work towards

a common goal maintaining the strategic direction of the company. (Scholtes, Joiner

and Streibel, 2003)

To be able to deal with such complex entities in an effective way, leaders need to be

aware of their skills and tools in connection with leading teams by creating framework

conditions of collaboration and developing team structures. Therefore it is important to

assess the team's chances of success to ensure a favourable outcome.

1.2. Aims, Objectives and Structure

This assignment will examine team dynamics. It will analyse how organisations and

team leaders can build teams that work towards a common goal, in accordance with

the organisational strategy.

The assignment is divided into five main sections.

First, it will consider a general defini-

tion for the terms team and leadership.

Second, it will describe the team dynamics.

After that, it will give a review of Belbin's team roles and examine the influence of dif-

ferent personalities working together. It will then focus the process of team building

1

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itself. A reflection of team leadership follows considering its meaning to achieve the

organisational goals. The

fourth part analyses the export team of the ABC-Company.

Finally, some conclusions will be drawn that results into recommendations for action.

2

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2.

Definition

2.1. Team

In current literature the understanding of a team depends on the author's perspective

on the greater team context. (Team FME, 2013) In 2006, Sagebiel and Vanhoefer

(2006) defined a team as a group of human beings. A very broad and simple definition.

In today's business life however teams are central components of organisations and

are a tool for the realisation of different management decisions. (Ancona et al., 2009)

To understand the complexity of a team, a more detailed view is necessary. According

to Brounstein (2009) teams are defined by three major aspects, as shown in Figure 1.

These three factors imply that a team is built around a certain task with a common goal

focusing its accomplishment. (WPGS - Wirtschaftspsychologische Gesellschaft, 2016)

Figure 1: The three essential factors of a team

Source: Own presentation. Following: (Brounstein, 2009, p.10)

But it is Katzenbach and Smith's definition of team that is most accepted:

"A team is small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a

common purpose, a set of performance goals and an approach for which they hold

themselves mutually accountable." (Katzenbach and Smith, 1993, p.45)

3

• College: Buckinghamshire New University
• Course: Leading Teams
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Jann Guzikiewitz (Author)
• Publication Year: 2016
• Pages: 37
• Catalog Number: V375255
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668526822
• ISBN (Book): 9783668526839
• Language: English
• Tags: Leadership, Team, Team building, Management of Teams, Teamwork, belbin, lencioni