Question 1

Think of a past or present job. Based on your knowledge of the distinction between a group and a team, would you say you were part of a team or a group? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Think of a past or present job....

Question 2

Identify a team you were or are a part of and describe the advantages that you derived from being a member of the team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify a team you were or are...

Question 3

Have you worked in a team in which former managers have been reassigned to function simply as members of the team? What was your experience with the behavior and attitude of these former managers in their new role as team members?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Have you worked in a team in...

Question 4

Describe which of the facilitator's team building activities your SMT or other type of team facilitator employed in leading the team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe which of the facilitator's team building...

Question 5

Rick and Ellen have been disagreeing a lot during recent team meetings; however, no one on the team has stepped up to help them overcome their differences. Which of the following guidelines for improving SMT effectiveness is missing in this situation?
 a. top management suppoit and commitment
b.   unambiguous go als and objectives
c. appropriate compenssation structure
d. appropriate task design and measurement system
e. appropriate scope of authority
f. adequate information system
g.  strong and experienced facilitator

Accepted Answer

The answer of Rick and Ellen have been disagreeing a...

Question 6

Identify and describe any team you have been a member of, or know about otherwise, that has a strong norm of teamwork that all members buy into. What role did the team leader play in making this possible?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and describe any team you have...

Question 7

Based on Self-Assessment 1, list some things that a team could do to improve its level of teamwork. Use experiences associated with a present or past job.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on Self-Assessment 1, list some things...

Question 8

If you have been part of an SMT, describe the benefits that you derived from being part of the team. Be specific, matching your description to the list in Exhibit 8.6.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you have been part of an...

Question 9

Some of our team members receive different incentives and rewards when we complete our projects. Which of the following guidelines for improving SMT effectiveness is missing in this situation? a. top management suppoit and commitment
b.   unambiguous go als and objectives
c. appropriate compenssation structure
d. appropriate task design and measurement system
e. appropriate scope of authority
f. adequate information system
g.  strong and experienced facilitator

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some of our team members receive different...

Question 10

Interview someone you have worked with or know who is a team leader. Ask him or her to provide specific examples for some of the roles outlined in Exhibit 8.1 that he or she employed.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Interview someone you have worked with or...

Question 11

Using your own experience, or asking someone who has been part of an SMT, describe some of the self-managing activities of the team that made it a truly self-managing team as opposed to a traditional team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using your own experience, or asking someone...

Question 12

Recall a team decision that you were a part of, and describe the team leader's role during the process leading up to the final decision. Would you characterize the leader's role as belonging to the leader-centered or team-centered approach to decision making?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall a team decision that you were...

Question 13

What are some of the key indicators of team dysfunction?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some of the key indicators...

Question 14

Think of a work situation in which you were required to do a lot of creative thinking, or in which your job required doing a lot of very creative things. In what ways did the organization and your immediate supervisor or leader facilitate or hinder your effectiveness? Use the discussion of top management and the team leader's roles in facilitating creativity as your guide.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Think of a work situation in which...

Question 15

Recall a present or past job. Describe what type of team you are in or have been in¾functional, cross-functional, or self-managed.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall a present or past job. Describe...

Question 16

Recall any experience you have had or currently have, working with individuals from different disciplines or technical specialties from yours. How did you get along with these individuals? Describe the positives and negatives of your experience.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall any experience you have had or...

Question 17

Our team seems to always be in a state of flux because no one seems to know what they are doing. Which of the following guidelines for SMT effectiveness is missing in this situation? a. top management suppoit and commitment
b.   unambiguous go als and objectives
c. appropriate compenssation structure
d. appropriate task design and measurement system
e. appropriate scope of authority
f. adequate information system
g.  strong and experienced facilitator

Accepted Answer

The answer of Our team seems to always be in...

Question 18

Recall a meeting you attended. Did you receive an agenda prior to the meeting? How well did the leader conduct the meeting? Give ideas on how the meeting could have been improved. Did the group have any problem members? How well did the leader handle them?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall a meeting you attended. Did you...

Question 19

Teams are often credited with making better decisions than individuals, yet they are also criticized for groupthink. What are some strategies for creating effective teams that are not victims of the groupthink phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Teams are often credited with making better...

Question 20

Recall a team you have worked with that you would characterize as effective. What role(s) did your leader and/or organization play in making the team effective?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall a team you have worked with...

Quiz 8: Team Leadership and Self-Managed Teams