MODULE 04

PROGRAM: MBA SEMESTER: I

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
COURSE NAME
COURSE CODE: 1T4 COURSE TYPE: CORE
COURSE: NAME OF THE FACULTY(NOTES PREPARED BY) :Prof
ORGANIZATIONAL Deepika Soni
BEHAVIOR

CO4: The future managers/ students will be able to analyse the

behaviour of individuals and groups in organisations in terms
of the key factors that influence
organisational behaviour and demonstrate skills required for
working in groups (team building).

1.GROUP

A group is a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s
actions impact the others. In other words, a group is defined as two or more individuals,
interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. In
organizations, most work is done within groups.

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Meaning

Groups where people get along, feel the desire to contribute to the team, and are capable of
coordinating their efforts may have high-performance levels.

The group can be defined as a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent
interaction, mutual influence, the common feeling of camaraderie, and who work together to
achieve a common set of goals.

Some other simple ways: can give the definition of a group

 Several people or things are together or in the same place.

 Some shared activity, interest, or quality connects several people.
 Several individuals assembled or have some unifying relationship.
 A set of people who meet or do something together because they share the same
purpose or ideas.
 The term group can be defined in several different ways, depending on the perspective
that is taken.

Definition: A Group is basically an assemblage of people. It can be understood as a

collection of individuals (two or more), who come together and interact with each other, so as
to achieve the objectives of the organization. These are the foundation of an organization.

1.2 Functions of Groups

The organizational functions of groups help to realize an organization’s goals.
Such functions include the following:

 Working on a complex and independent task that is too complex for an individual to
perform and that cannot be easily broken down into independent tasks.
 Generating new ideas or creative solutions to solve problems that require inputs from
several people.
 Serving liaison or coordinating functions among several workgroups whose work is to
some extent independent.
 Facilitating the implementation of complex decisions. A group composed of
representatives from various working groups can coordinate the activities of these
interrelated groups.
 Serving as a vehicle for training new employees, groups teach new members methods
of operations and group norms.
 The list is not comprehensive. The importance of groups in organizations cannot be
overemphasized because most of the organizational activities are carried out by
groups.

 Since jobs in organizations are becoming more complex and interdependent, the use
of groups in performing task functions will become increasingly important.

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  One of the most common findings from the research on groups in organizations is that
most groups turn out to have both formal and informal functions; they serve the needs
of both organizational and individual members.
 Psychological groups, therefore, may well be the key unit for facilitating the
integration of organizational goals and personal needs.
 For example, a formal workgroup in an industrial establishment often evolves into a
psychological group that meets a variety of its members’ psychological needs.
 If this process occurs, the group often becomes the source of much higher levels of
loyalty, commitment, and energy in the service of organizational goals that would be
possible if the members psychological needs had to be met elsewhere.

1.3 Types of Groups

Groups may be classified according to many dimensions, including function, personal
involvement, and organization. types of groups are;
1. Formal Groups
2. Informal Groups
3. Managed Group
4. Process Group
5. Semi-Formal Groups
6. Goal Group
7. Learning Group
8. Problem-Solving Group
9. Friendship Group
10. Interest Group

1.Formal Groups
Formal groups are created to achieve specific organizational objectives. Usually, they are
concerned with the coordination of work activities.
People are brought together based on different roles within the organization’s structure. The
nature of the task to be undertaken is a predominant feature of the formal groups.
Goals are identified by management and short and rules relationships and norms of behavior
established. Formal groups chain to be related to permanent, although there may be changes
in actual membership.
However, temporary formal groups may also be created by management, such as project
teams in a matrix organization.

2.Informal Groups
There will always be an informal structure within the organization’s formal structure.
The formal structure of the organization and system of role relationships, rules, and
procedures, will be augmented by interpretation and development at the informal level.
Informal groups are based more on personal relationships and the agreement of group
members than on defined role relationships. They serve to satisfy psychological and social
needs not necessarily related to the tasks to be undertaken.

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Groups may devise ways of attempting to satisfy members’ affiliations and other social
motivations that are lacing in the work situation, especially in industrial organizations.

3.Managed Group
Groups may be formed under a named manager, even though they may not work together
much. They have the main thing in common: the manager and perhaps a similar type of work.

4.Process Group
The process group acts together to enact a process, going through a relatively fixed set of
instructions. The classic environment is a manufacturing production line, where every
movement is prescribed.
There may be little interaction within process groups, or it is largely prescribed, for example,
where one person hands something over to another.

5.Semi-Formal Groups
Many groups act with less formality, in particular where power is distributed across the
group, forcing a more collaborative approach that includes- negotiation rather than command
and control.Families, communities, and tribal groups often act in semi-formal ways as they
both have nominal leaders, yet members can have a high degree of autonomy.

6.Goal Group
The goal group acts together to achieve a shared objective or desired outcome. Unlike the
process groups, there is no clear instruction on how they should achieve this, although they
may use some processes and methods along the way.
As there is no detailed instruction, the members of the goal group need to bring more
intelligence, knowledge, and experience to the task.

7.Learning Group
The learning group comes together to increase their net knowledge. They may act
collaboratively with discussion and exploration or be taught with a teacher and a syllabus.

8.Problem-Solving Group
Problem-solving groups come together to address issues that have arisen. They have a
common purpose in understanding and resolving their issue, although their different
perspectives can lead to particular disagreements.
Problem-solving may range along a spectrum from highly logical and deterministic, to
uncertain and dynamic situations where creativity and instinct may be better ways of
resolving the situation.

9.Friendship Group
Groups often develop because individual members have one or more common characteristics.
We call these formations of friendship groups.
Social alliances, which frequently extend outside the work situation, can be based on similar
age or ethnic heritage, support for Kolkata Knight Riders cricket, or the holding of similar
political views, to name just a few such characteristics.
10.Interest Group

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People who may or may not be aligned into a common command or task group may affiliate
to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned. This is an interest group.
Employees who band together to alter their vacation schedules, support a peer who has been
fired, or seeks improved working conditions represent the formation of a united body to
further their common interest.

1.4 Characteristics of Groups

1. Size: To form a group, it must be having at least two members. Practically, the
number of group members ranges from 15 to 20. The more the members in the group,
the more complex it is to manage.
2. Goals: Every group has certain goals, that are the reasons for its existence.
3. Norms: A group has certain rules, for interacting with the group members.
4. Structure: It has a structure, based on the roles and positions held by the members.
5. Roles: Every member of a group has certain roles and responsibilities, which are
assigned, by the group leader.
6. Interaction: The interaction between the group members can occur in several ways,
i.e. face to face, telephonic, in writing or in any other manner.
7. Collective Identity: A group is an aggregation of individuals, which are separately
called as members, and collectively called as a group.
Furthermore, a group climate is an emotional setting of the group, that relies on
participative spirit, coordination, trust and bonding among the members, open
communication and other similar factors.

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1.5 Reasons for Group Formation

1. Personal Characteristics: Individuals with similar beliefs, attitudes and values are
more likely to form groups.
2. Opportunity for interaction: If the employees of an organization, are given an
opportunity to interact with one another, they find that they have many things similar,
which also creates a group.
3. Interest and goals: When individuals share common interests and goals, it requires
cooperation and coordination for its achievement, which also results in the formation
of groups.
4. Influence and power: Last but not the least, a group has more influence and power,
as compared to an individual, which also promotes its formation.
5. In general, groups are created out of individual need satisfaction, which can be
personal, social or economic. Meaning that the members need to associate with the
group in order to fulfil their basic needs.

1.6 S Stages of group development

The stages of group development were first described by psychologist Bruce Tuckman in his
1965 essay titled, "Developmental sequence in small groups." The paper discusses how team
members start as strangers and flow through five different stages before they become a high-
functioning team.
Tuckman’s 5 stages of group development

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The five stages of group development, according to Bruce Tuckman's model, are forming,
storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.

Stage 1: Forming stage

The first stage of group development is the forming stage. In this stage of group
development, individual members are just getting to know each other and don’t have a group
process yet. As a result, they're unsure of how they'll interact together. At this stage, the
group isn’t very productive, as they're still getting acclimated and figuring out the role that
each person will play on the team.
Stage 2: Storming stage
The next stage of group development is the storming stage. In this stage, team members are in
the process of learning how to work together. As team members begin collaborating, conflicts
may arise, whether that’s from clashing personalities or opinions on how a project should
progress. Without a clear understanding of what role each individual plays on the team,
relationships can get tumultuous as team members struggle to find a role that’s right for them.
Establishing group collaboration early on can help reduce the impact of—or even prevent—
this stage of group development. This doesn’t necessarily mean that conflicts won’t happen.
In fact, disagreement is critical to effective team collaboration. So when conflicts do arise,
it’s important to resolve them with effective problem-solving as they come instead of
avoiding them. Having a team with already existing collaborative skills can help resolve
conflicts more easily and faster.
Stage 3: Norming stage
This is the stage when things begin to settle down as your team finds their groove. As they
grow more comfortable working together, team members are more comfortable asking for
help completing a task or getting constructive feedback. Your team starts to increase their
productivity at this stage as they become more familiar with their teammates and their
working styles.
Stage 4: Performing stage
At this stage, your team has reached cohesion with team processes and team members are
working together at their highest potential.Your team follows established workflows to

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achieve the team’s goals and group members feel as if they have a common goal to reach
together. This is the ideal stage of group development. As a team lead, it’s your goal to get
your team to this stage as quickly as possible. We discuss more about how to get your team to
this point below.
Stage 5: Adjourning stage
The fifth stage of group development, also known as the mourning stage, is the final stage a
team will go through. After a project is over or if a team is disbanded, team members who
worked together will go into a small mourning period. Group members may have a hard time
working with other groups as they had strong group dynamics with their previous team.

This is also the time in which teams can celebrate everything they have achieved together.
Take the time to reflect on your achievements and remind your team why they’re doing what
they do. This is also a great opportunity to recognize and praise the talents of specific team
members.

1.7 Group Decision Making

Definition: Group Decision-making is a form of participative decision-making, where a

group of individuals work together to solve a problem complex in nature. The group
members try to discover and test creative alternatives to solve complicated problems.
Advantages of Group Decision-making
Advantages-of-Group-Decision-Making
 A pool of Knowledge
Decision-making in a group involves many people during the process. This brings
more knowledge and expertise at the time of decision-making.
 Acceptance
As the decision is taken collectively, the members easily accept the decisions.
 Variety of Alternatives
A group can generate more alternatives than individuals.
 Overall Development
Group decision-making is an interactive process in which all members share their
skills and knowledge. Thus, it results in the overall development of the group
members.
 Diversity of Views
Different individuals possess different views towards a situation. Thus, there is a
collection of different ideas for specific problems during decision-making.
 Balanced Decisions
Group members ascertain multiple consequences and risks associated with the idea.
Hence, results in balanced decision-making.

Disadvantages of Group Decision-making

 Dominance
The group members have to agree with one or more dominating members to make a decision.
 Conflict
Disagreement among the group members may lead to conflict in the group.

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  Time-Taking Process
It may take plenty of time if the group members cannot reach any suitable decision.
 Pressure
The group members may feel pressure to accept the decisions taken by others.

1.8 Techniques of Group Decision-making

Group decision-making techniques are the processes that help group leaders in idea
generation regarding a business problem. The creativity and expertise of the group members
facilitate hedging risks associated with the decision.
The techniques which one can use for group decision-making are discussed in detail below:

1.Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a group decision-making technique developed by Alex Osborn. This
technique aims to generate a pool of ideas in a judgement-free environment.
In this technique, the group manager clearly states the problem. The group members are
asked to generate as many ideas as possible spontaneously.
No criticism, comments, or judgements are allowed during the process. All the ideas are
recorded and evaluated by the manager later on.
Pros:
A list of a large number of creative ideas is created.
The process is carried out in a bias-free environment.
It results in a low cost per idea.
The size of the group is small, which leads to increased participation of group members.
As there is no restriction or judgement, quality ideas are received.
The idea is acceptable to all.
Cons:
In the end, no plan or solution is generated. Only a list of ideas is left with the manager.
Due to lack of closure, group members are left dissatisfied.

2.Delphi Technique
Delphi Technique is a group decision-making and planning process. Norman C.Dalkey and
his associates at the Rand Corporation developed this technique.
In this, we obtain judgements and solutions through group members without physical
interaction. Communication takes place through e-mails or other methods via questionnaires.

The steps taken to perform Delphi Technique are as follows:

Delphi Question and the first enquiry
The group coordinator sends the Delphi Question and Questionnaires to the group members.
Post this, they ask group members to share their ideas or solutions for the given problem.
The first response
The members write their views, ideas and possible solutions. Thereafter, they send their
answers to the group coordinator.
Analysis of first response, feedback and second enquiry

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The group coordinator collects and summarises their responses. He prepares another
questionnaire asking for more refined solutions, clarification, agreements & disagreements of
previous ones.
The second response
The group members again record their responses and send them to the coordinator.
Continuation of the process
This process continues until they reach a suitable solution.

3.Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

This decision-making technique doesn’t involve interaction among the group members. The
group members are present but don’t interact with each other that is why it is called nominal.
The group members need to write their ideas without any discussion. Their opinions are
noted on a chart one by one and clarified without any criticism.
The steps involved in NGT are as follows:
The group members list their ideas silently.
Group members write their ideas on a chart until all the ideas are listed.
After that, the members collectively discuss the ideas without criticism.
In the end, collect a written vote from all the members.

4.Fish Bowling
Here the group members sit in a circle and one of the group members sits at the centre.
Generally, the member seated in the centre is the decision-maker. Besides, he suggests
solutions for the problem given by the group members.
All the members will ask questions and critically evaluate the solution suggested by the
person in the centre. But, the group members cannot interact with each other. After all the
views are expressed, select the ones with conses.

5.Electronic Meeting

It is a blend of the NGT technique and technology. In this method, the group hosts the
meetings through an electronic medium.
The problem is shared with the group online, and the members submit their responses
through votes. However, the vote signifies agreement or disagreement with the idea or
suggestions.
Pros:
The group members can be honest without any pressure.
It is a less time taking process.
Cons:
The members with good typing speed can excel compared to those with low or average
typing speed.
Excellent ideas are not recognized.

6.Devils Advocacy
This technique identifies the flaws during the group decision-making process. The benefit of
this technique is that it highlights every possible loophole in the solution.

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It is a technique where two group members are appointed as ‘devils‘. These devils have to
identify flaws in the ideas suggested by the group members. The other members have to
satisfy these devils with solutions.

7.Didactic Interaction
This technique is useful when the answer is to be drawn in Yes or No. Here we divide the
entire group into two parts. One part suggests points favouring the decision and the other part
presents points against the decision.

The steps involved in Didactic Interaction are as follows:

The process begins with defining the problem/issue for which we need to take a Yes or No
decision.
Then divide the group into two parts, one favouring Yes and the other favouring No.
The groups support their side of the decision while discussing.
Then they inter-change their sides and continue the discussion. That is to say, the members in
favour of No will support the Yes ones and vice versa.
Mutual acceptance of both parties obtains the result of the discussion.
Also, read the difference between Group and Team.

Example of Group Decision Making

The marketing department has to decide the marketing medium for the product. The
marketing manager opted for the Brainstorming technique.

He organized a group meeting and shared the objective with the members. He then asked the
members to brainstorm and suggest ideas for marketing the product.

The group generated enough creative alternatives by the end of the process. The managers
evaluated the ideas and selected the most suitable ones for the product.

2.TEAMS
A team is defined as a group of people who perform interdependent tasks to work toward
accomplishing a common mission or specific objective.

Some teams have a limited life: for example, a design team developing a new product, or a
continuous process improvement team organized to solve a particular problem. Others are
ongoing, such as a department team that meets regularly to review goals, activities, and
performance.

An organization with many teams requires careful alignment. As teams and individuals link
with other teams, the principles of developing understanding and trust will apply, but the
structure will get more complex Understanding the many interrelationships that exist between
organizational units and processes, and the impact of these relationships on quality,
productivity, and cost, makes the value of teams apparent.

2.1 The value & benefits of teams

Team processes offer the following benefits to the organization:

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  Synergistic process design or problem solving
 Objective analysis of problems or opportunities
 Promotion of cross-functional understanding
 Improved quality and productivity
 Greater innovation
 Reduced operating costs
 Increased commitment to organizational mission
 More flexible response to change
 Increased ownership and stewardship
 Reduced turnover and absenteeism
Individuals can gain the following benefits from teams:
Enhanced problem-solving skills
Increased knowledge of interpersonal dynamics
Broader knowledge of business processes
New skills for future leadership roles
Increased quality of work life
Feelings of satisfaction and commitment
A sense of being part of something greater than what one could accomplish also

2.2 Types of teams

Here are six teamwork examples to consider which style is most effective for your unique
team dynamic:

1. Functional teams
Functional teams include members of the same department. When working within these
teams, you share different responsibilities than other members. Functional teams have leaders
or supervisors to whom members report and who designate responsibilities. Organizations
commonly use functional teams, which require communication and trust. This type of team
may be beneficial to contribute to and prioritize workplace culture.

Example: An organization establishes a team within the marketing department to determine

which campaigns are most effective. The members of this functional team have a strong
understanding of their campaigns and already have the information to make decisions. Team
members then use analytics to determine the most effective campaigns and discuss how to
write their reports.

2. Cross-functional teams
Cross-functional teams share similarities with functional teams, with the primary difference
being that team members come from various departments. These teams are useful for jobs
and projects that require different expertise and viewpoints. These teams function best when

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supervisors and team leaders prioritize communication. Leaders typically delegate
responsibilities to members depending on their individual skill sets.

Example: A company wants to reallocate funding to develop a new sales department. This
company creates a cross-functional team with members from every department. The members
of this team analyze their departments to determine how to reallocate funding.

3. Self-managed teams
In self-managed teams, employees working within the same organization collaborate to
accomplish a common goal. These teams are autonomous and don't need the same
supervision as other types of teams. Self-managed teams share both leadership and
responsibilities. Startup companies and small businesses often use self-managed teams. When
engaging in a self-managed team, you may find it helpful to provide constructive feedback to
team members.

Example: A sales team wants to redesign their sales pitch. A self-managed team helps
members succeed because all members can collaborate to determine a solution.

4. Troubleshooting teams
When issues arise within an organization, troubleshooting teams find solutions for those
issues. Their goal is to improve processes for organizations. These teams require strong
communication skills to discover solutions for complex obstacles. These teams make
recommendations to affected departments, who then implement their recommendations.

Example: A company wants to know how to increase the efficiency of its computer systems.
It establishes a troubleshooting team from people in the IT department, so experienced staff
members apply their specialized skills to the situation. The employer can then decide which
changes to make based on what the team finds during their troubleshooting.

5. Project team
Project teams work on specific projects for their employers. Members of project teams
typically come from several departments and perform tasks depending on their abilities.
These teams have project leaders who assign responsibilities and monitor work.

Example: A team needs to create a new company website. Members from the marketing and
web development departments collaborate to create the website. Everyone on the team
continues to work together on this project until its completion.

6. Task-force teams
Organizations need task force teams when emergencies arise. These teams comprise the most
efficient employees within an organization. In task-force teams, employees work exclusively
on their tasks within the team. This differs from other teams, which frequently combine an
employee's regular caseload with that of the team. The goal of the task force is to complete
projects quickly and efficiently.

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Example: A recent update to an organization's network corrupts its sensitive computer files.
The employer establishes a task-force team to determine whether they can save these files.

2.3 Team Dynamics

Team dynamics are the relationships and interactions between a group of people who work
together to accomplish a shared goal. Good team dynamics rely on effective communication
skills, interdependence on each other’s abilities, strong problem-solving skills, and mutual
respect for one another.

2.4 Definition Of Team Dynamics

Team dynamics are the unconscious, psychological forces that influence the direction of a
team’s behaviour and performance. They are like undercurrents in the sea, which can carry
boats in a different direction to the one they intend to sail.

Team dynamics are created by the nature of the team’s work, the personalities within the
team, their working relationships with other people, and the environment in which the team
works.

Team dynamics can be good - for example, when they improve overall team performance
and/or get the best out of individual team members. They can also be bad - for example,
when they cause unproductive conflict, demotivation, and prevent the team from achieving its
goals.

2.5 What Are Group Dynamics?

Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist and change management expert, is credited with
coining the term "group dynamics" in the early 1940s. He noted that people often take
on distinct roles and behaviors when they work in a group. "Group dynamics"
describes the effects of these roles and behaviors on other group members, and on the
group as a whole.

More recent researchers have built on Lewin's ideas, and this work has become central
to good management practice.

A group with a positive dynamic is easy to spot. Team members trust one another,
they work towards a collective decision, and they hold one another accountable for
making things happen. As well as this, researchers have found that when a team has a
positive dynamic, its members are nearly twice as creative as an average group [1].

In a group with poor group dynamics, people's behavior disrupts work. As a result, the
group may not come to any decision, or it may make the wrong choice, because group
members could not explore options effectively.

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2.6 What Causes Poor Group Dynamics?

Group leaders and team members can contribute to a negative group dynamic. Let's
look at some of the most common problems that can occur:

 Weak leadership: when a team lacks a strong leader, a more dominant member
of the group can often take charge. This can lead to a lack of direction,
infighting, or a focus on the wrong priorities.
 Excessive deference to authority: this can happen when people want to be
seen to agree with a leader, and therefore hold back from expressing their own
opinions.
 Blocking: this happens when team members behave in a way that disrupts the
flow of information in the group. People can adopt blocking roles such as:
o The aggressor: this person often disagrees with others, or is
inappropriately outspoken.
o The negator: this group member is often critical of others' ideas.
o The withdrawer: this person doesn't participate in the discussion.
o The recognition seeker: this group member is boastful, or dominates
the session.
o The joker: this person introduces humor at inappropriate times.
 Groupthink: this happens when people place a desire for consensus above their
desire to reach the right decision. This prevents people from fully exploring
alternative solutions.
 Free riding: here, some group members take it easy, and leave their colleagues
to do all the work. Free riders may work hard on their own, but limit their
contributions in group situations; this is known as "social loafing."
 Evaluation apprehension: team members' perceptions can also create a
negative group dynamic. Evaluation apprehension happens when people feel
that they are being judged excessively harshly by other group members, and
they hold back their opinions as a result.

2.7 Strategies for Improving Team Dynamics

Use these approaches to improve group dynamics:

Know Your Team

As a leader, you need to guide the development of your group. So, start by learning
about the phases that a group goes through as it develops. When you understand these,
you'll be able to preempt problems that could arise, including issues with poor group
dynamics.

Next, use Benne and Sheats' Group Roles to identify positive and negative group
roles, and to understand how they could affect the group as a whole. This will also
help you plan how to deal with potential problems.

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Tackle Problems Quickly

If you notice that one member of your team has adopted a behavior that's affecting the
group unhelpfully, act quickly to challenge it.

Provide feedback that shows your team member the impact of her actions, and
encourage her to reflect on how she can change her behavior.

Define Roles and Responsibilities

Teams that lack focus or direction can quickly develop poor dynamics, as people
struggle to understand their role in the group.

Create a team charter – defining the group's mission and objective, and everyone's
responsibilities – as soon as you form the team. Make sure that everyone has a copy of
the document, and remind people of it regularly.

Break Down Barriers

Use team-building exercises to help everyone get to know one another, particularly
when new members join the group. These exercises ease new colleagues into the group
gently, and also help to combat the "black sheep effect," which happens when group
members turn against people they consider different.

Also, explain the idea of the Johari Window to help people open up. Lead by example:
share what you hope the group will achieve, along with "safe" personal information
about yourself, such as valuable lessons that you've learned.

Focus on Communication

Open communication is central to good team dynamics, so make sure that everyone is
communicating clearly. Include all of the forms of communication that your group
uses – emails, meetings, and shared documents, for example – to avoid any ambiguity.

If the status of a project changes, or if you have an announcement to make, let people
know as soon as possible. That way, you can ensure that everyone has the same
information.

Opinionated team members can overwhelm their quieter colleagues in meetings.

Where this happens, use techniques such as Crawford's Slip Writing Method, and
make sure that you develop strong facilitation skills.

Pay Attention

Watch out for the warning signs of poor group dynamics.

Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research, Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur – Notes by- Dr.
Dhanashree Katekhaye (For internal circulation only)

RTM Nagpur University MBA - 2023-234/ Semester – I /

Pay particular attention to frequent unanimous decisions, as these can be a sign
of groupthink, bullying, or free riding. If there are frequent unanimous decisions in
your group, consider exploring new ways to encourage people to discuss their views,
or to share them anonymously.

2.8 How to Improve Team Dynamics

Follow these tips to encourage good group dynamics and create a successful team:

1. Establish clear roles: Designate roles for individual team members as early as possible so
each person understands their responsibilities on a project. Establish a team leader who is
good at conflict resolution and has strong decision-making abilities.
2. Encourage open communication: Members of the team will work better together if they
feel they can ask questions and make critiques without judgment or retaliation. Encourage all
group members to share information and discuss projects freely—and respectfully.
3. Promote a positive team culture: High-performing teams have strong social relationships
built on mutual understanding and respect. You can support positive team dynamics and
encourage trust and collaboration among a group of people with team-building activities.
4. Set common goals: A shared goal aligns team members on the outcome of the project and
workflow priorities. Set measurable team goals so you can track progress as a group.

2.9 Characteristics of Team Dynamics that Make for a Winning Team

1. Shared Purpose

The difference between a team and a group is that a team has a shared goal. When a group of
people work together, it is crucial that everyone is clear on what that goal is. If your team has
trouble making decisions and seems to battle itself at every critical point, it’s time to do some
digging to find out whether or not everyone is on the same page.

A popular method for goal-setting uses the acronym SMART. Effective goals should be
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Our course on setting “SMART
goals” will help you to focus efforts, keep you accountable, and help you attain your goals.
2. Trust and Openness

Team members need to feel safe to share information and ideas without fear of punishment or
embarrassment. Trust opens the door to dialogue that can lead to better ideas and more
creativity. Team members must also be able to trust that everyone will meet their deadlines,
carry their weight, and do their part of the work. As the leader, it is your responsibility to
build accountability.

If you are in a leadership position, ask yourself “Do my team members trust me?” Our course
on “Building Accountability: Trust and Performance at Work” addresses the trust in leaders.

Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research, Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur – Notes by- Dr.
Dhanashree Katekhaye (For internal circulation only)

RTM Nagpur University MBA - 2023-234/ Semester – I /

It also explains how to build accountability among the team through honesty, transparency,
and openness.

3. Willingness to Correct Mistakes

An important aspect of accountability is the willingness to acknowledge and correct mistakes.

When success is dependent on results, a productive team must establish the appropriate
processes for measurement and evaluation. Track your work and be willing to change course
if results are not where they should be.

Our course on "Surviving Poor Decisions” will walk you through the three steps of
acknowledging the issue, identifying corrective action and moving forward. A successful
team will look for opportunities to learn from the situation. They will not let past mistakes
limit their future success.

4. Diversity and Inclusion

Winning teams leverage the different thoughts and ideas held by each member to come up
with more innovative and creative solutions. If you find that your team comes up with ideas
unanimously quickly and often, your team might be experiencing groupthink, which is death
to creativity. Be sure to encourage diversity within your team so it can settle on the best idea,
not the easiest one.

In a cross-functional team, you may achieve diversity simply by mixing members from
different departments with different skills and perspectives. If you are building a
departmental team, you can achieve diversity in your hiring practices by expanding your
recruiting sources to attract diversity in age, sex, ethnicity, and sexual identity. We offer a
series on "Unconscious Bias." It will help you better understand how you formed prejudices
and how you can become more aware so you can change moving forward.
5. Interdependence and a Sense of Belonging

Each team member should know why they are part of the team. They should understand their
value and responsibility. If your onboarding is rushed or disorganized, you may miss this. If a
new team is created for a special project, the team leader must establish this up front.Think
about how much more productive your team would be if each member had the sense of
ownership for the work of others as they did for their own work. Members of such a team
could lean on each other for ideas and assistance-- after all. two heads are better than one.
When a team is focused on fulfilling its purpose, members can work together to make it
happen without keeping tabs on how much they give or take.

In our series on "Team Building,” we offer a course that explains the Tuckman Model. As the
team leader, it is your responsibility to support the members in their interdependence, and
reinforce their sense of belonging through all of the stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, and
Performing.

Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research, Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur – Notes by- Dr.
Dhanashree Katekhaye (For internal circulation only)

RTM Nagpur University MBA - 2023-234/ Semester – I /

6. Consensus Decision Making
Harnessing the power of the team can result in innovative and out-of-the-box solutions.
Having more people involved in decision making can channel the creative power of multiple
minds. The key is consensus decision making which requires the right processes to be in
place. A few strong personalities might dominate the discussion. You want to avoid decisions
by peer pressure. Of course, there will be times when members will have to compromise and
come up with the best blend of an idea, as long as they don’t feel coerced.

Our course on “Making Group Decisions” explains how to take an organized approach to
group decision making to gain consensus. Decision-making meetings must begin with a
clearly defined desired outcome to focus the group. Designate a facilitator and timekeeper.
The process continues with information gathering, analysis, brainstorming, and evaluation.

7. Participative Leadership

There is nothing worse than a micro-manager. Not only do they stifle creativity, but they
often undermine an employee’s sense of ownership, confidence and sense of trust by
encouraging a climate of fear. Participative leaders step back and give members the space to
work autonomously. Instead of controlling their group, they provide resources, guidance, and
information.

How do leaders get their followers? You have to understand the difference between
leadership and power. The challenge is for leaders to understand what power works best in
each situation.

Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research, Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur – Notes by- Dr.
Dhanashree Katekhaye (For internal circulation only)

RTM Nagpur University MBA - 2023-234/ Semester – I /