WFED880:

Lesson 1 Overview

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Hello and welcome to WFED 880, Facilitating Groups and Teams! The overall objective of this course is to explore the foundational theories related to teams in organizations, and to analyze contemporary concepts, models, research and innovations related to improving teamwork in today's business environment. After completion of this course you will have the necessary skills and competencies to assess and facilitate team development by understanding the cultural, organizational, behavioral and environmental factors affecting teams. You will also be able to discuss and apply innovative models and methods designed to improve overall team performance. It is important to understand that success in this course is not only dependent upon your individual work, but is highly correlated to your active participation in the team environment and in the blog discussions.

Lesson 1 will introduce the characteristics and differences between groups and teams, explain the historical trend of groups/teams, discuss how teams are used in organizations, define the role of the facilitator, and allow you to become acquainted with your team members for this course. This lesson will also explain current research related to the importance of communication trends among teams.

Lesson Objectives

After successfully completing this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

• describe the characteristics of groups and teams in organizations,
• differentiate between groups and teams,
• explain how and why teams are used by organizations,
• identify how the study of group dynamics has evolved over time,
• describe the role of the facilitator, and
• learn about your teammates.

Lesson Readings & Activities

By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Lesson 1 Course Schedule.

Understanding Teams

Begin this lesson by watching Tom Wujec discuss a simple team building concept that unveils surprising characteristics of successful team problem solving.

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Groups vs. Teams

The concept of group development is well documented in the social science literature. Based on this body of work we can, and should, define the difference between two terms that are used interchangeably in this setting: group versus team. Research has uncovered important distinctions between collections of people, groups, and teams.

Groups who join together to achieve a specific task or goal do not always exemplify the true characteristics of a team.

To help in understanding the differences between groups and teams let’s review the social characteristics of each entity.

Characteristics of a Group

Table 1.1. Characteristics of a Group
Adapted from Johnson, D., & Johnson, F. (1997). Joining together: Group theory and group skills (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Characteristic	Description
Goal Orientation	People joining together for some purpose and to achieve some goal
Interdependent	People who have some type of relationship, see connections among themselves, or believe they share a common fate
Interpersonal Interaction	People who communicate and interact with one another
Perception of Membership	Recognition that there is a collective to which one belongs
Structured Relations	Roles, rules, and norms that control people's interactions
Mutual Influence	Impact people have on one another because of their connections
Individual Motivation	Satisfaction of personal needs through membership in the group

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Groups vs. Teams (Continued)

Figure 1.1 shows groups from a psychological perspective (Hayes, 1997).

The research outlining the distinction between groups and teams is not clear-cut and can be fuzzy at times. However, several critical characteristics of teams are evident based on foundational bodies of research in the field:

• Teams are groups in work settings (Parks & Sanna, 1999).
• Team members work together on a common project for which they are all held accountable (Forsyth, 1999).
• Teams are typically engaged in sports or work activities (Levi and Askay, 2020).
• Team members have applied functions that are related to their role as a team member. Members typically have specialized skills and knowledge that directly relate to their role on the team (Levi and Askay, 2020).
• Teams are typically composed of 3–12 people who interact directly, whereas groups are more inclusive and range in size from 2–2,000 people (Levi and Askay, 2020).
• Teams actively cooperate and provide assistance to one another in order to achieve goals and tasks (Hayes, 1997).

Due to the uncertainty in these distinctions, we will use groups and teams interchangeably throughout the course. When referring to research on group dynamics and the foundational aspects of a collection of individuals, I will use the term groups. When discussing a more applied approach in the organizational setting, I will use the term teams. For the areas of study that are less defined, I will use the terms interchangeably.

Check Your Understanding

Determine if each of the following regulations is true or false:

1. Both teams and groups can exist in an organizational setting. true false

   Correct.

   Incorrect.

2. Team members have specialized knowledge, skill, and abilities related to their tasks. true false

   Correct.

   Incorrect.

3. Teams are more inclusive than groups. true false

   Incorrect. Groups range in size from 2–2,000. Teams are more exclusive because they are typically smaller.

   Correct.

4. Both groups and teams have performance goals that are connected to a common purpose. true false

   Incorrect. Both entities have a focus on the overall outcome however, teams are typically more accountable in terms of performance goals in alignment with the common purpose. (slight distinction)

   Correct.

5. Organizations use the terms groups and teams interchangeably, given their close association. true false
    

   Correct.

   Incorrect.

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References

Conditions for Real Teams

In Figure 1.2 (below) Hackman (2002) offers distinct identification of five basic conditions that must exist if a group is to be considered a team.

Real existence

Teams cannot exist in name only. Real teams are groups of people who actually work together to achieve a common set of objectives (and who don't just “wear the team button”).

A compelling direction

Team members need to understand and embrace a shared purpose.

Enabling structures

Teams involve the right number and kind of people focused on the right tasks, governed by the right norms and shared values.

A supportive organization

Everything must facilitate success, including the structure of the systems, processes, and reward systems.

Expert coaching

Engaged and knowledgeable guidance is a key component of team success.

Pay particular attention to #5, as it relates to facilitation, which will be the focus of this course.

1. “Teams must be real.” Teams cannot exist in name only. Real teams are groups of people who actually work together to achieve a common set of objectives (and who don't just "wear the team button").
2. “Teams need a compelling direction.” Team members need to understand and embrace a shared purpose.
3. “Teams need enabling structures.” Teams involve the right number and kind of people focused on the right tasks, governed by the right norms and shared values.
4. “Teams need a supportive organization.” Everything must facilitate success, including the structure of the systems, processes, and reward systems.
5. “Teams need expert coaching.” Engaged and knowledgeable guidance is a key component of team success.

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Reference

Why Do We Use Teams?

Put simply, we use teams to improve the way that we do tasks.

In the organizational setting, globalization, increased competition, complex jobs, advanced technology, and an intense need for quality products and services require us to find better solutions to the problems organizations face (Helper, Kleiner, & Wang, 2010). Research shows us that teams, if well designed and purposeful, can deliver the complex solutions needed in today’s business arena.

Teams are comprised of a number of individuals with varying skills, knowledge, and attitudes, when collaboratively working to achieve commonly held goals, are capable of addressing job and organizational characteristics not easily handled by single individuals.

Job Characteristics

• Routine to nonroutine
• Diversity of knowledge and expertise is needed
• Complex jobs require multiple perspectives

Organizational Characteristics

• Increasing rate of change in business environment
• Enhanced global competition
• Technology advancement
• Simpler organizational hierarchies
• Integration of work areas is necessary

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References

How Do We Use Teams?

In order to understand the strategy of team facilitation, it is important to understand the ways in which contemporary organizations use teams. In the best-case scenario, teams are designed and utilized for the unique business environment and culture of the organization in which they will function. If teams are not utilized and supported based on this premise, the team structure becomes ineffective.

In terms of purpose and uniqueness to the organization, the power and authority given to teams varies. It is important to understand the power and authority teams have in order to successfully facilitate team development. This distinction is an important factor in understanding how organizations use teams.

What Functions Do Teams Perform?

According to Levi and Askay (2020),

“Sundstrom, McIntyer, Halfhillm and Richard (2020) identifies six types of work teams on the basis of the functions they perform:

1. Production teams, such as factory teams, manufacture or assemble products on a repetitive basis.
2. Service teams, such as maintenance crews and food services conduct repeated transactions to service customers.
3. Management teams, composed of managers, work together, plan, develop policy, or coordinate the activities of an organization.
4. Project teams, such as research and engineering teams, bring experts together to perform a specific task within a defined period.
5. Action or performing teams, such as sports teams, entertainment groups, and surgery teams, engage in brief performances that are repeated under new conditions and that require specialized skills and extensive training or preparation,
6. Parallel teams are temporary teams that operate outside normal work, such as employee involvement groups and advisory committees that provide suggestions or recommendations for changing an organization.” (p. 15)

Facilitation of teams will vary, based on the function and type of team. To fully understand how organizations use teams, let’s look at other ways that teams can be characterized, other than by the activities or functions.

Researchers (Devine, Clayton, Philips, Dunford, & Melner, 1999) have uncovered the fact that teams can be categorized by ways other than the activities that they perform. Research has shown us that teams can be categorized by: (1) whether they are permanent or temporary, (2) degree of internal specialization and interdependence they require, and (3) the level of integration and coordination with other departments/divisions (Mohrman, 1993; Sundstrom, DeMeuse, & Futrell, 1990).

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References

The Evolution and Importance of Group Dynamics

Although our understanding and appreciation of groups has increased tremendously over the years, an obvious gap still exists between our understanding of teams/groups and our understanding of group dynamics. As you may know through your own experiences, being on a team or being part of a group does not automatically guarantee high performance. The group's team dynamics play a critical role in the performance of the group. In order to understand the concept of group dynamics, let's take a look at the how we came to appreciate the social science aspect of groups.

At the turn of the century, studies done by Norman Triplett (1898) led to the concept of social facilitation.

Early team-related studies in psychology continued to focus on the individual and how groups affected individual performance or attitudes. In this research, groups were not treated as entities appropriate for scientific study. This thought process changed with the introduction of research done by Kurt Lewin (1951).

Kurt Lewin (1951) introduced the now long-standing term, group dynamics (the positive and negative forces within groups of people) to show interest in the group as a unit of study. Lewin's innovations and methods in this area of study anchor much of what we know today about organizational change and group dynamics. Lewin's studies led to the idea of action research.

By the 1990s, research had moved from social psychology studies of small groups in laboratories published in psychology journals to studies of groups that were performed and published by other disciplines (Stewart, 2010).

Today, models of group-based research focus on the conditions that help groups manage their own processes rather than simply noting the cause–effect relationships of group dynamics. Instead of searching for the best approach to manage group behaviors, contemporary work in the field focuses on equifinality—an understanding that there are many ways for groups to operate successfully.

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References

Facilitating Team Building

Now that we understand the origin and purpose of teams, we can begin to explore the current methods, tools, and practices that help to facilitate overall team development. This course will guide you through some of the practices used to help work teams capitalize on their skills, talents, and abilities in a collaborative fashion in order to achieve solutions to complex issues.

To begin, we must understand the role of facilitation and the role of the facilitator.

Facilitate

This definition fits perfectly for the role of the facilitator in team environments:

• To help make the process of team development a little easier, a little less difficult.
• To help group dynamics and processes move forward.

In his studies on team/group facilitation, Frey (1994) states that facilitation involves

“any meeting technique, procedure, or practice that makes it easer for groups to interact and/or accomplish their goals” (p. 4).

Facilitator

In helping to make the team process easier, successful facilitators must possess certain skills/attributes. A successful facilitator, as best described by Kolb, Jin, and Song (2008), is

Three Dimensions of Facilitation

The video below provides an overview of the facilitator role by defining three critical dimensions of successful facilitators: the architect, pilot, and guide.

Facilitating Teams Successfully

The challenge of successful facilitation is the “how” aspect:

• How do facilitators make teamwork easier?
• How do facilitators assist in the process of team building?
• How do facilitators use actions or processes to assist in team development?

The answers to these questions, and much more, will be the focus of this course. As a benchmark, let's see how much you already know about the role of the team facilitator.

Check Your Understanding

1. The role of facilitator does not need specialized skill or competencies. true false

   Incorrect.

   Correct.

2. Facilitators should remain neutral. true false

   Correct.

   Incorrect.

3. A primary role of a team facilitator is to manage team processes and group dynamics. true false

   Incorrect.

   Correct.

4. All team environments have facilitators. true false

   Correct.

   Incorrect.

5. Facilitators help with the problem-solving process. true false

   Correct.

   Incorrect.

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References

Lesson Activities

Team Member Introductions (T, U)

Overview

To begin building your team, you need to meet with your team members virtually using the technology of your choice by the end of Lesson 1. Canvas provides several options for collaboration (See Groups in Canvas Orientation). Alternatively, teams have the option of creating collaboration groups via Microsoft Office 365 at Penn State.

You may also choose to meet virtually using Google Hangouts, Skype, or other tools for online conference communication. If you wish to record your team meeting sessions, you are strongly encouraged to use Zoom.

Instructions

1. Complete the Survey: Attitudes Toward Teamwork on page 24 of the Levi textbook (2020) before the team meeting.

2. In your team meeting, please share information related to the following:

   • Give your name and profession.
   • Describe what experience you have had, if any, working in teams.
   • Discuss any experience you have facilitating/leading teams.
   • Share a discovery from your professional experience that has helped you become a better team player.
   • Explain what you believe is the greatest challenge of team building. Describe techniques you have leveraged to enhance outcomes.
   • Share your Attitudes Toward Teamwork survey score, and comment on your attitude toward the task and social aspect of teamwork.

Activity Timelines

Day	Task
Before team meeting	Complete Attitudes Toward Teamwork survey
By Sunday	Meet with your team members

Additional Resources

Instructions for using Zoom are included in the Resources section of the Zoom at Penn State site.

Lesson 1 Discussion (I, G)

Overview

To further understand contemporary uses of teams, tell us how your organization uses teams and why teams are implemented at your organization.

Instructions

Please post your thoughts that include the followings:

• Where do you see the use of teams within your organization?
• What are the purposes of these teams (to server customers, to initiate/improve internal/external processes, to address/improve Quality of Work Life situations, to solve problems, etc.)? What are the goals of each team?
• What is the duration of the teams? Does /Do the team(s) disband after a period of time or reform?
• What has been the success record of teams within your organization?

I am challenging you to write concise responses of no more than 3–4 sentences.

Posting Timelines

Day	Task
Monday–Thursday	Post initial reply.
Friday–Sunday	Review fellow learners' posts and respond to at least two.

Lesson 1 Blog: Understand the Dual Roles (I, G)

Overview

Review the definition of a small group process facilitator on page 4 of the Kolb text, in addition to pages 7–10.

Instructions

Pick one of the dual role situations listed below. Discuss special challenges or confusion that occur because of the dual nature of those roles. How can these challenges be overcome?

• Facilitator vs. Subject Matter Expert
• Facilitator vs. Trainer
• Facilitator vs. Mediator
• Facilitator vs. Leader

Deliverable

Please post your responses to your blog site, and submit the URL for your blog post to this assignment.