CHAPTER 5

TEAMWORK
 Chapter 5: Teamwork

5.1 Introduction to Teamwork

5.2 Team-role description

5.3 Stages of team development

5.4 Team culture

 5.1. Introduction to teamwork

5.1.1. What is a Team?

A team is a small number of
people with complementary skills
who are committed to a common
purpose, performance goals, and
approach for which they hold
themselves mutually accountable.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork
5.1.1. What is a Team?
• Small number – five to ten people.
• Complementary skills – appropriate balance or mix of skills
and traits.
• Commitment to a common purpose and performance goals
– specific performance goals are an integral part of the purpose.
• Commitment to a common approach – team members must
agree on who will do a particular job & develop a common
approach.
• Mutual accountability – at its core, team accountability is
about the sincere promises we make to others & ourselves –
commitment & trust.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork

5.1.2. What is Teamwork?

Teamwork is an abstract concept. It represents a set of values
that:
• Encourages behaviors such as listening & responding to view
points of others.
• Providing support to those who need it.
• Recognizing the interests & achievements of others.
• Also promote performance as individuals and the performance
of the entire organization.
 Resistance to teams in organizations

• Lack of conviction
Teams are probably useful, from a human relations
point of view, but are hindrance when it comes to work
productivity and decisive action.
• Personal discomfort & risk
Many people fear or do not like to work in teams (time
consuming, too uncertain or too risky).
• Weak performance ethics
The environment undermines the mutual trust and
openness upon which teams depend.
 1. Introduction to teamwork

5.1.3. Why is teamwork popular?

• Teams typically outperform individuals.
• Teams use employee talents better.
• Teams are more flexible and responsive to changes
in the environment.
• Teams facilitate employee involvement.
• Teams are an effective way to democratize an
organization and increase motivation.
 Ten steps to do teamwork
1 Assign Roles.
2 Publish the Results
3 Do the Work.
4 Reward the Team.
5 Establish Guidelines
6 Review Team Performance
7 Focus the Team
8 Move On
9 Complete the Work
10 Plan the Work
 Ten steps to do teamwork
Phase I: Getting Organized
• Step One: Focus the Team
• Step Two: Assign Roles
• Step Three: Establish Guidelines

Phase II: Producing

• Step Four: Plan the Work
• Step Five: Do the Work
• Step Six: Review Team Performance
• Step Seven: Complete the Work

Phase III: Wrapping Up

• Step Eight: Publish the Results
• Step Nine: Reward the Team
• Step Ten: Move On
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork
5.1.4. Types of Teams
- Project teams
- Self-managed teams
- Virtual teams
- Operational teams.
5.1. Introduction to teamwork

Project teams are groups of employees who

work collectively toward shared goals. This type
of team allows you to structure work in a specific,
measurable, and time-constrained way. You can
assign clear roles, responsibilities, and deadlines.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork
Self-managed teams
Typically, members of self-managed
teams are employees of the same
organization who work together, and even
though they have a wide array of
objectives, their aim is to reach a common
goal. There is no manager nor authority
figure, so it is up to members to determine
rules and expectations, to solve a
problems when it arises, and to bare
shared responsibility for the results.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork
Virtual teams
Teams are made up of people who work
in different physical locations and who
rely heavily on collaboration tools to
get things done together. Virtual teams
provide members with better life-work
balance and allow business owners to
employ the best experts in the field,
regardless of the fact that they live on
another continent.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork

Virtual teams
- Time - WHEN people work. They could work during different
hours, on different shifts, or in different time-zones.
- Space - WHERE people work. They could be working right next
to each other or hundreds of miles away.
- Culture - HOW and WHOM people work for, includes factors
such as gender, race, language, profession, education, nationality,
political, social, religious, and economic factors.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork

Operational teams
Teams support other types of teams. They are formed to make sure
that all back office processes go smoothly.
 5.1. Introduction to teamwork

What type of team is right for you?

1. What’s the team’s purpose exactly?

2. How many people are required, and what will their roles
be?
3. Are selected members capable of self-management, or
they require a strong leader?
4. Is it necessary for them to be located in a single place?
5. Is their engagement temporary or permanent?
Belbin’s Team Roles

“What is needed is not well balanced

individuals, but individuals who
balance well with each other.”
Belbin 2003
 5.2. Team-role description

ACTION-ORIENTED
MEMBERS

Provides the necessary drive to ensure that the team keeps

Sharper
moving and does not lose focus or momentum.

Needed to plan a workable strategy and carry it out as

Implementer
efficiently as possible.

Most effectively used at the end of tasks to polish and scrutinize

Completer
the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest standards of
Finisher
quality control.
 5.2. Team-role description

Team Role Contribution Allowable Weakness

The drive and courage to Prone to provocation. -

Shaper
overcome obstacles. Offends people’s feelings.

Somewhat inflexible. -
Turns ideas into practical
Implementor Slow to respond to new
actions.
possibilities.

Searches out errors and

Completer Inclined to worry unduly. -
omissions. - Delivers on
Finisher Reluctant to delegate.
time.
 5.2. Team-role description

PEOPLE-ORIENTED MEMBERS

Needed to focus on the team's objectives, draw out team

Co-ordinator
members and delegate work appropriately.

Helps the team to gel, using their versatility to identify

Teamworker
the work required and complete it on behalf of the team.

Resource Uses their inquisitive nature to find ideas to bring back to

Investigator the team.
 5.2. Team-role description

Team Role Contribution Allowable Weakness

A good chairperson -
Can be seen as
Co- Clarifies goals, promotes
manipulative. Offloads
ordinator decision-making, delegates
personal work.
well.

Team- Listens, builds, averts Indecisive in crunch

worker friction. situations.

Over-optimistic. - Loses
Resource Explores opportunities. -
interest once initial
Investigator Develops contacts.
enthusiasm has passed.
 5.2. Team-role description

THOUGHT-ORIENTED MEMBERS

Tends to be highly creative and good at solving problems

Plant
in unconventional ways.

Provides a logical eye, making impartial judgements

Monitor
where required and weighs up the team's options in a
Evaluator
dispassionate way.

Specialist Brings in-depth knowledge of a key area to the team.

 5.2. Team-role description

Team Role Contribution Allowable Weakness

Ignores incidents. - Too
Plant Solves difficult problems. pre-occupied to
communicate effectively.

Monitor Sees all options. - Judges Lacks drive and ability to

Evaluator accurately. inspire others.

Contributes on only a
Provides knowledge and
Specialist narrow front. - Dwells on
skills in rare supply.
technicalities.
5.2. Team-role description
5.2. Team-role description
5.2. Team-role description
 Johari window (Windows of self)

• The Johari Window is a communication model that can be

used to improve understanding between individuals.
• Developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955.

Two key ideas behind the tool

• Individuals can build trust between themselves by disclosing
information about themselves.
• They can learn about themselves and come to terms with
personal issues with the help of feedback from others.
 Johari window (Windows of self)
WHICH QUADRANT OF JOHARI WINDOW
DO YOU BELONG TO?
 Johari window (Windows of self)

• In most cases, the aim in groups should be to develop the

Open Area for every person.
• Working in this area with others usually allows for enhanced
individual and team effectiveness and productivity.
• Self-disclosure is the process by which people expand the
Open Area vertically. Feedback is the process by which people
expand this area horizontally.
• By encouraging healthy self-disclosure and sensitive
feedback, you can build a stronger and more effective team.
 Johari window (Windows of self)

Practice
• The subject is given a list of 55 adjectives and you
pick 5 or 6 that they think describes their personality.
• Peers are given the same list and they each pick 5 or 6
adjectives they think describe the subject.
• You arrange the adjectives on the Johari Window
based on awareness.
 Johari window (Windows of self)

Here’s a summary of how to place the adjectives

• Arena – Adjectives selective by participant and peers are
placed in Arena.
• Facade – Adjectives selected by participant only are placed in
Facade.
• Blind Spot – Adjectives selected by peers only are placed in
Blind Spot.
• Unknown – Adjectives not selected by anybody are placed in
unknown.
5.3. Stages of team development
 5.3. Stages of team development
Orientation (Forming)
This is simply the bringing together of a group of individuals. At
this stage, members are:
• Moderately eager.
• Have generally positive expectations.
• Have some anxiety about why they are there and what it all
means.
• Have some anxiety about other members such as who they are
and what they are like.
 5.3. Stages of team development
Orientation (Forming)

=> The length of this stage will depend on how clearly the task
is defined.

=> This is an important stage because it serves to clarify the

team's mission and bond team members.
 5.3. Stages of team development

Dissatisfaction (Storming)
This stage is characterized by:
• Argument
• Conflict
• A dip in morale.
 5.3. Stages of team development

Dissatisfaction (Storming)
It results from:
• Differences between initial expectations and the reality of
the situation;
• Members may have varying opinions;
• Members are also beginning to confront the differences in
their personalities and values.
=> This stage is relatively short (stuck, demoralized, relatively
unproductive, never emerge from this stage and disband in
frustration)
 5.3. Stages of team development

Resolution (Norming)
This stage in the group's development involves the:
• Resolving of issues.
• Setting up group processes.
• Setting of group policies, procedures, and values.
• Increasing production.
=> the GROUP is developing into a TEAM
 5.3. Stages of team development

Production (Performing)
• The team is accomplishing work effectively.
• Production is high and the climate is positive.
• Member attitudes are characterized by positive feelings and
eagerness to be part of the team.
• Members are confident about the outcome, enjoy open
communication, exhibit high energy, and disagreement is
welcome and handled without emotional conflict.
 5.3. Stages of team development

Termination
• In the case of temporary teams such as task forces, design
teams, and problem solving teams, a fifth stage reflects the
ending of the process.
 5.4. Team culture

Definition
“A pattern of shared basic assumptions that a team has learned as
it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal
integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid
and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to
perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.”
 5.4. Team culture
Structure of team culture

Visible, but not always

Artifacts obvious, recognized initially, or
associated with values

Generally a higher level of

Values awareness of what is valued in
the organization

Basic Invisible, not usually stated,

Edgar H. Schein taken for granted
Assumptions
 5.4. Team culture
Structure of team culture

Artifacts & Behaviors

i.e., Relaxed, creative atmosphere

Values
i.e., Value for innovation

Basic Assumptions
i.e., Change is good

i.e., Value adaptability

i.e., bonuses for new ideas

i.e., suggestion boxes
 5.4. Team culture
Artifacts
Artifacts and creations are the constructed physical and social
environment. This includes physical space and layout, the
technological output, written and spoken language and the overt
behavior of group members.
 5.4. Team culture
Artifacts
• Physical space and layout

“Low prices. Every day. On everything”

 5.4. Team culture
Artifacts
• Physical space and layout
 5.4. Team culture

Artifacts
• Language
+ “customers” at Charles Schwab & Co. and “clients” at U.S.
Bank.
+ “PowerPoint culture” at Whirlpool.
+ Informal form of address in Vietnamese companies: second
eldest brother/sister, third eldest brother/sister, uncle, ant.
+ “Don’t do good things, only do right things” at Sieu Thanh.
 5.4. Team culture
Artifacts
• Stories – told by members of the organization which embed
the present and flag up important events and personalities, and
typically have to do with successes, failures, heroes, villains,
and mavericks.

Why businesses go up and down

while religion is steady and
prosperous.
 5.4. Team culture
Artifacts
• Rituals – the special events through which the organisation
emphasises what is particularly important and can include
formal organisational processes and informal processes.

 New hire trainings, new hire welcome lunches.

 Annual corporate conferences, awards.
 Offsite meetings and trainings.
 Social activities…
 5.4. Team culture
Artifacts
• Power structures – the most powerful individuals or groups
in the organization which may be based on management
position and seniority but in some organizations power can be
lodged with other levels or functions.

Strategic Level (Board of Director)

Tactical Level (Managers)

Operational Level (Workers)

 5.4. Team culture

Values
• Hewlett-Packard: Quality.
• Prudential: Worthy of trust, Customer focused, Respect for
each other, Winning.
• Walmart: Respect for the Individual, Service to our
Customers, Striving for Excellence.
 5.4. Team culture
Assumptions
• Hewlett-Packard: Everyone could make a creative
contribution to developing quality products.
• Walmart: We continually find ways to improve our customer
service and how to better serve our associates. We continue to
learn how to be a more efficient, more environmentally
friendly company.
• Apple: We can change the world.
 5.4. Team culture
Types of team culture
Flexibility & Freedom to act

External focus & Differentiation

Internal focus & Intergration
Clan Adhocracy

Hierachy Market
Stability & Control
 5.4. Team culture

Types of team culture

• Clan oriented cultures are family-like, with a focus on
mentoring, nurturing, and “doing things together.”
• Adhocracy oriented cultures are dynamic and entrepreneurial,
with a focus on risk-taking, innovation, and “doing things
first.”
• Market oriented cultures are results oriented, with a focus on
competition, achievement, and “getting the job done.”
• Hierarchy oriented cultures are structured and controlled,
with a focus on efficiency, stability and “doing things right.”
 5.4. Team culture

Attributes of a Clan Culture

• Members understand that contributions to the organization

exceed any contractual agreements.
• A clan culture achieves unity with a long and thorough
socialization process.
• Members share feelings of pride in membership, as well as
feelings of personal ownership of a business, a product, or an
idea.
 5.4. Team culture

Attributes of a Clan Culture

• Peer pressure to adhere to important norms is strong.

• Success is assumed to depend substantially on sensitivity to
customers and concern for people.
• Teamwork, participation, and consensus decision making are
believed to lead to success.
 5.4. Team culture

Attributes of a Hierarchy Culture

• Long-term concerns are predictability, efficiency, and

stability.
• Members value standardized goods and services.
• Managers view their roles as being good coordinators,
organizers, and enforcers of written rules and standards.
• Tasks, responsibilities, authority, rules, and processes are
clearly defined.
 5.4. Team culture

Attributes of an Adhocracy Culture

• There is a commitment to experimentation, innovation, and

being on the leading edge.
• This culture does not just quickly react to changes in the
environment - it creates change.
• Effectiveness depends on providing new and unique products
and rapid growth.
• Individual initiative, flexibility, and freedom foster growth and
are encouraged and well rewarded.
 5.4. Team culture

Attributes of a Market Culture

• Contractual relationship between individual and organization.

• Independence and individuality are valued and members are
encouraged to pursue their own financial goals.
• Does not exert much social pressure on an organization’s
members, but when it does, members are expected to conform.
 5.4. Team culture

Attributes of a Market Culture

• Superiors’ interactions with subordinates largely consist of

negotiating performance – reward agreements and/or
evaluating requests for resource allocations.
• Has a weak socialization process.
• Few economic incentives are tied directly to cooperating with
peers.
• Often tied to monthly, quarterly, and annual performance goals
based on profits.
 5.4. Team culture
Clan 50% Adhocracy
40%
30%
20%
10%

Hierachy Market
 5.4. Team culture
C H.1 A
1. Training, education... C H.2 A

2. Designers, brand-
building, fashion...
H M H M

3. Electronic apliances, C H.3 A C H.4 A

Quality consulting…

4. Distribution, retailers...
H M H M
 Teamwork activity
1. Write “something” on the blackboard
2. Create something for the leader to wear, such as a hat or tie...
3. Find out something unique about each person on the team and write down
on a paper
4. Take a photograph of all group members with the same pose
5. Make a paper airplane and throw it from one end of the room to another
6. Get 20 students in the room to sign a single piece of paper
7. Count the number of people in the class
8. Assign a nickname to each member of the team and write down on a paper
9. Create name cards for each team member
10. Make a tower out of the materials owned by your group
 Teamwork activity
11. Answer the question: Which character does Zhou Xun perform in
Story of Yanxi Palace?
12. Name your team and come up with a slogan; speak them out 5 times in
front of the class, using the microphone
13. Fold 3 different paper flowers
14. Make a list of what your team wants from this course and write down
on a paper
15. Learn by heart the following poem and read it again in front of the
class:
“A million stars up in the sky
One shines brighter - I can't deny
A love so precious, a love so true,
A love that comes from me to you.”
 Teamwork activity

16. Draw a portrait of a group’s member and show it to the lecturer

17. Collect ten kinds of Vietnamese currency
18. Re-create the sounds of 5 animals with the sounds of your voices and
speak them out in front of the class using the microphone
19. Find the answer for the following situation:
“You are at an unmarked intersection ... one way is the City of Lies and
another way is the City of Truth. Citizens of the City of Lies always lie.
Citizens of the City of Truth always tell the truth. A citizen of one of those
cities (you don't know which) is at the intersection. What question could
you ask to them to find the way to the City of Truth?”
20. Form a circle in the classroom and sing a song together