Chapter 2

Concept and Brief Discussion:

Teamwork: The book describes teamwork as, "the assignment of work to groups of employees with various skills who interact to assemble a product or provide a service " (p. 35). Teams are used often in organizations as a way to give decision making power and authority to its employees. Work teams often do things that managers traditionally do such as, selecting new team members, scheduling work, and coordinating work with customers and other units of the organization. Teams can be very effective in the workplace and can motivate employees by making work more interesting and significant to them. With the advancements in technology, some teams can function with members spread out in different locations. These are called virtual teams, and they rely on communications technology to keep in touch and to coordinate activities. This type of teamwork can reduce costs for the employer. Teams often have a leader and other assigned roles to its members. Effective teamwork requires good communication, hard work, and members who are able to share a vision to accomplish great things.

The Hook:

You are assigned to work on a team whose goal is to reduce costs in your department at the hospital. What are the roles of the team members? How will you balance accountability for the team? How will your teamwork affect others in the organization?

Key Points to Elicit in Discussion:

Teamwork can be a valuable tool to empower employees and unite individuals to accomplish strategic goals. Effective teamwork can lead to positive change or production in an organization. As team members fulfill their roles with a shared vision and hard work, success will follow. Weak links in a team can bring down morale, burden other team members, and lead to mediocre results.

Facilitative Questions:

How do you approach team members at work or school that fail to perform to expectations?