Saturday, December 3, 2016

Project 3 Final

How To Work Effectively As A Team


By Jessica Swinscoe, Dakota Stolz and Ishaan Mehta





Executive Summary & Acknowledgements

Executive Summary


Within this document, we outline numerous aspects of group work and how to build an effective project team. In addition, we outline different components of a collaborative group and how to harbour qualities that are essential to the group’s progress. The inclusion of leadership, project management, effective communication and the encouragement of diversity can be preventive in conflict within a group. However, if there were to be a conflict within a project team, we have outlined how to manage conflict and how to troubleshoot common problems within a team. The table of contents outlines the pages in which you can find these topics containing the necessary information.

Acknowledgements


Throughout this research there are a few people that should be acknowledged for their outstanding work. First off, the researchers themselves Dakota Stolz, Jessica Swinscoe and Ishaan Mehta. Also, we would like to thank Universal Assistance for hiring us and the classroom at University of Arizona that allowed us to observe them.









Table of Contents
Topic Page Number







Introduction


Throughout this instructional manual we discuss the importance of group work, essential aspects that are required for success, common issues amongst group members,  strategies to resolve conflicts, and how to better the group overall. This manual specifically outlines methods of communication and collaboration and offers our suggestions on outside programs that can be used in order to maximize efficiency. Additionally, we explore how to manage conflict, encourage diverse thinking within a group, the importance of personal accountability and how to troubleshoot common issues that arise during group work. This manual offers suggestions for beneficial group activities, helpful programs and softwares we have found, and strategies that should be implemented within the workplace.



Background


Universal Assistance, the technical company recruited to design this manual, is a company where teamwork is an essential aspect in project completion. It has come to the attention of the CEO Ann Weaver Hart, that the recently taken over company has employees who lack communication skills and are aggressive towards each other. After a thorough investigation it has been determined that communication skills are lacking due to non-existent team skill building exercises. Our goal is to research and implement an effective team building exercise to get the company back on track and working together effectively and efficiently.

Problem statement and/or research questions


More companies are pulling their accounts from the technical firm lead by Ann Weaver Hart. Questionnaires filled out by clients to help track down the reason of unsatisfactory work revealed that project reports and proposals often contradict one another and appear to be unorganized. It has been noted that employees do not communicate and collaborate with each other, instead they work individually creating a lag in efficiency and well executed proposals. Universal Assistance has been called in to determine ways to help company employees build better teamwork and communication skills so the company can start completing more work and satisfying upset clients.

Methods used to produce the report


Our team used data from scholarly articles regarding team building skills. The most promising study to use for our scenario is Douglas Brock et al. Interprofessional Education in Team Communication: Working Together to Improve Patient Safety. This article states that the best course of action is to use their method of TeamSTEPPS, otherwise known as Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety. While this method is commonly used to help medical professionals get along, it has great tools and methods to help our team get along as well. The Probe Method is an additional method stated in the article that has been proven to be efficient as well. This method forces groups of people to work together in order to achieve a common goal.

Collaboration & Communication Methods


After analyzing the situation at hand our team concluded that teamSTEPPS and Probe Method are the seminars required for this company to address the issues of poor team working skills.

Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (teamSTEPPS)is a method of collaboration that is usually used to help healthcare workers better communicate. However, there are many elements to the method that will help our team greatly. TeamSTEPPS follows three main sequences of phases; needs assessment (1) Planning, training, and implementation (2)  and reinforcement and sustainment (3). To begin, individuals with our technical company would take a test to determine where their strengths and weaknesses lie in predetermined subjects. Once their weaknesses and strengths are determined they will be separated into teams where they are grouped with similar individuals. The workers will then be asked to help teach each other their specialized skills and help bring each other up on their weaknesses. Not only does this exercise give the co-workers new skills they will need, but it also helps them bond and requires them to work with each other. After they complete training each other, they will take a test to determine whether or not they benefited this exercise was beneficial. After completion of TeamSTEPPS, the studies conducted show an overall improvement in skills and state that co-workers are more likely to work with each other and ask each other questions..
Another method of communication that will be of particular use to our group is the probe method. This method focuses on team behavior and coordination. To begin, the team will be asked to complete an activity within a restricted amount of time. Every aspect of the activity will be split up and only a small piece of information will be given to each member of the team. The team members will then have to talk to one another to get the other pieces of information to complete the project in the allotted time frame. This exercise will help the members get to know each other better and also help them realize that they cannot complete every assignment on their own and that other people have valuable information they can apply to their projects.

Project Management


Florida Tech cites project management as an integral part of any project success. Project management directly ties into the idea of leadership for any project; the leader would be in charge of project management and increase productivity. Organization would be controlled by this leader who directs project management in a positive route. The topic of organization is equally important in the discussion of project management; the most effective way to harbour motivation amongst employees is to outline the exact tasks that the employees need to do.
A survey conducted by McKinsey and Co concluded that 60% of senior executives valued strong project management discipline as a top three discipline for new companies. In addition, senior executives found that strong adherence to project management was economically productive and reduced risks within the project. Ron Kasabian, a general manager at Intel in California, stated that effective and productive project management resulted in less unnecessary spending on projects.

Avoiding Conflict


The Project Management Book of Knowledge states that “Managing conflict is one of the biggest challenges a project manager faces.” Conflict is an issue that integrates a multitude of previously discussed topics. Namely, the use of organization and the constant exercise of power is a key component of the avoidance of conflict. If individuals within a project team were to treat their team as a “relationship,” a better view of the avoidance of conflict can emerge. There are a multitude of different methods by which a manager can help appease conflict (in no certain order).
  1. Exercise Power
  2. Withdraw/Avoid
  3. Compromise
  4. Call the project sponsor
  5. Appease
  6. Solve underlying problems
  7. Delegate tasks
  8. Call a meeting
  9. Use a mediator
An important annotation to note is the fact that conflict is expected within any project. It is not unusual for a project team to go through bumps within their journey together, however the minimization of these conflicts should be aimed for. Within a project, it is important to note that there is a common goal that is to be achieved rather than a competition against each other. Often conflicts arise when an individual assumes that they are to compete against their co workers rather than aid them in a common goal. The strategies listed can translate effectively in the avoidance of conflict within the workspace and can help achieve a more helpful and friendly project environment.

Encouraging Diversity In the Workplace

Diversity and diverse thinking is critical for any group project to be more successful. One important thing diversity in the workplace helps achieve is the notion that you are a more approachable company to various cultures from around the world. Diversity within the workplace also gives employees a better understanding of how to handle sensitivities clients from varied cultures may have. Workers can use the skills they acquired in dealing with their co-workers sensitivities and apply it to the situation at hand. There are currently five accepted tried and true methods to encouraging diversity in the workplace:

  • Empowering diverse teams to address strategic business challenges
  • Providing opportunities for people within the company to launch an international career
  • Make flexible working arrangements
  • Exposing high-potential employees to diverse business situations  
  • Mentor new and high-potential employees

Implementing these strategies within the company will lead to a stronger team to get work done in a more efficient competitive manner that makes the company more advantageous. Other advantages to encouraging diversity within the workplace is that employees will start to feel they have equal opportunities as their peers leading to higher morale and productivity.

Troubleshooting Common Problems in a Group


In any group setting it is natural for conflicts to arise and that is okay. With a variety of people comes a variety of opinions, which usually differ. Having a difference in opinions or an argument is not an issue, the way you handle the problem is what is important.
Some common problems that arise during group work are poor communication, lack of accountability, difficulty making decisions, lack of leadership, lack of effort or participation and inability to resolve problems (Nguyen).
No matter what the issue at hand is, the first step is to identify what the specific conflict is and where the root of the problem is coming from. Before searching for a solution, first identify everyone’s needs and interests. Each group member should listen to one another during this time with an unbiased, open mind, in order to understand one another's point of view. After everyone has had a chance to share their interests, the group should brainstorm a list of solutions to the problem at hand. These solutions should then be evaluated, discussing the pros and cons of each option. The group should then agree on one solucion. If one solution isn't able to be agreed upon, try compromising and combining aspects of multiple solutions into one final solution. Once a final resolution is chosen, document the solution so it is finalized and clear to all members. The chosen solution may require future compromises. Set forth a trial period with the solution to see how it works and agree what action will be taken in the future for “what if” situations occur. Monitor the success of the solution and follow up with group members ensuring things are going smoothly and the same problem will not rise again (Cerminaro).

Leadership


Leadership is perhaps the most important factor to increase the productivity and effectiveness of a team that is trying to accomplish something. In order to make a group more cohesive and to ensure that progress is constantly being made, leadership is quintessential to any team. It is imperative that one individual assume a leadership role in order to speed up this process; it has been scientifically proven that the provision of a leader increase productivity within a group.

One caveat would be the number of leaders within a group, if there are too many leaders available within a single group, it is difficult for the group to effectively assume responsibility and distribute the responsibility equally within the group. Thus, although this may be difficult, one single leader will be required for any group to be cohesive and successful.

The Management Study Guide cites that leadership is important for a plethora of reasons.

  1. Initiates Action:
  2. Provides Motivation:
  3. Provides Guidance:
  4. Creates Confidence:
  5. Builds Morale:
  6. Maintains a Positive Work Environment:
  7. Increases Coordination:

Accountability and Reliability


Personal accountability and reliability is essential for the productivity of any group project. In order to progress throughout the project, each group member must hold up their fair share of the work. In order for this to be done, the group must assign each member individual work for them to complete. The work should be assigned based off each member’s personal strengths and areas of individual knowledge. Each member needs to hold themselves accountable to complete their assigned duties by the determined due date. While personal accountability is essential, holding each other accountable and checking in on other group members is a useful strategy in order to assure all work will be completed. Providing a check off to do list and calendar with alerts are useful tools to incorporate into a group project.
Common problems seen in groups relating to accountability are groupthink and social loafing. Social loafing is when people put in less effort when working in a group that if they were to work alone and groupthink is when team members agree simply to agree, rather than to express their own and differing opinion.  These issues are able to be avoided by holding one another accountable, a strong leadership and challenging each other to bring up alternative options and points of view.

Conclusion


After an intensive research into what was going wrong within the company, Universal Assistance has determined team building exercises, including the teamSTEPPS method of having the team teach each other the skills they are strongest in, and the probe method that forces the the team to communicate, are the best strategies to implement company wide. The skills developed from these exercises will help the team bond as well as teach them valuable communication skills. In addition to the two exercises, we are going to make sure the team leaders have a refresher course on project management and preventing conflict within groups. Universal Assistance also recommends that Ann Weaver Hart should employ and encourage a diverse team. Now that the issues within the workplace have undergone troubleshooting it will be up to leadership to be established to hold workers accountable. These changes will create a more efficient workplace and satisfy clients as well as bring in new ones.

Work Cited


Workplace sensitivities:

Tip Sheet

This tip sheet on the next page is intended to be printed and distributed to employees of the company

How to Work Together!

Working together doesn't have to be a chore! When working together it is important to keep in mind a few things:

1. Break down the work and set team goals- setting goals and breaking down the work before starting your project is important to being productive later on, Having a clear idea of the work ahead gives each individual in the group to give feedback on what they will need other members to do.

2.  Allow open discussions- Allow members of your group to have an open say about how to tackle the project and find a way to merge creative differences by actively listening to others and not being judgemental. Give everyone a chance to speak

3. Trust your co-workers- One of the biggest issues within groups is not trusting your co-workers to either do their job properly or not get it on time. Before getting hasty and just doing it by yourself or changing their work, reach out to your co-worker if you are having issues. It is important to remember their end goal is the same as yours.

4. Appreciate team efforts- One of the most negative aspects of teamwork that breaks down company morale over time is not recognizing your team members for their participation. Studies have shown compliments increases both company morale and gives each individual of the team an active sense of accomplishment, increasing productivity.

5. Break down all responsibilities in writing- Putting down everyone's responsibility down in writing is a great way to ensure all members know what to do for the project and not forget any tasks. This also holds your team members accountable for their work.

Annotated Bibliography


Baker D, Day R, Salas E. Teamwork as an Essential Component of High-Reliability Organizations. Health Services Research Journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1955345/pdf/hesr0041-1576.pdf. Published August 2006. Accessed November 10, 2016.
-This article comes from a well respected journal in the medical world. In this article, the authors provide examples of when a lack of teamwork led to horrible implications. This article is used to motivate people, specifically healthcare workers to work as a team. Key aspects of group work like communication, assigning specific responsibilities and a positive and welcoming attitude are all highlighted and elaborated on throughout the article.  

Burke A. Group Work: How To Use Groups Effectively . The Journal of Effective Teaching. 2011;11(2). doi:10.4324/9780203427439.
-This source comes from a reputable journal source. Throughout her article, Burke states how group work is good for both students and teachers. It has been shown that students who collaborate in group projects learn more, have better grades and stay in school longer. She also states many more strengths and advantages to group work. She also mentions disadvantages to validate her argument.

Duggan T. How to Work Effectively in a Team Environment. Small Business.Chron. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/work-effectively-team-environment-57331.html. Accessed November 10, 2016.
-Duggan's article is a concise and very helpful article outlining key tips when working as a group on a project. She defines the most important aspects to consider when working as a team and elaborates on these elements. This article is very helpful and should be read by everyone before they begin organizing a team project.

Farrington J. The Importance of Working Together With Your Team. Project Smart. https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-importance-of-working-together-with-your-team.php. Published 2008. Accessed November 10, 2016.
-This article lists off many reasons why its beneficial to work as a team. Farrington give many tips on how to be successful when doing group work. He also provides examples on what not to do in a group project setting. Overall this article is very helpful, concise and well written.



A Method for Measuring the Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Team Training for Improving Communication Skills Blum, Richard H. MD, Raemer, Daniel B. PhD, Carroll, John S. PhD, Dufresne, Ronald L; Cooper, Jeffrey B. PhD Anesthesia & Analgesia: May 2005 - Volume 100 - Issue 5 - pp 1375-1380doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000148058.64834.80 Technology, Computing, and Simulation: Research Report

In Blum, Richard H. MD, Raemer, Daniel B. PhD, Carroll, John S. PhD, Dufresne, Ronald L; Cooper, Jeffrey B. PhD ’s A Method for Measuring the Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Team Training for Improving Communication Skills they state that team behavior and coordination, more specifically communication is critical for team development. The authors first talk about a study they did in a controlled simulator setting with trainees of an anesthesia crisis resource management course. They placed information probes with various members of the participants, forcing participants to have to work together to complete the full activity. After the activity was completed the trainees were then asked to complete a simple test to determine the effectiveness of the team work i.e. did they learn everybody’s part or just their own section of the probe exercise. They concluded that even a low level of information sharing raised the trainees awareness of the overall task, validating the probe method in team information sharing.

Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety. Douglas Brock, Erin Abu-Rish, Chia-Ru Chiu, Dana Hammer, Sharon Wilson, Linda Vorvic, Katherine Blondon, Douglas Schaad, Debra Liner, Brenda Zierler. Innovations in education 3 January 2013 BMJ Qual Saf doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2012-000952

In Douglas Brock, Erin Abu-Rish, Chia-Ru Chiu, Dana Hammer, Sharon Wilson, Linda Vorvic, Katherine Blondon, Douglas Schaad, Debra Liner, Brenda Zierler’s Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety, they talk about The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) communication training model. This model was researched to evaluate the effectiveness on team building. To start they took 300 medical students and had them do training seminar that used the TeamSTEPPS method. The students were asked to take a pre-assessment test to determine where their strengths were and then based on those results placed in groups. Each group had only one person with a specific strength for each focal area needed for the test and they were then asked to work together. Upon finishing the exercise, they were then asked to take a post assessment test. The study concluded each member was stronger in the other focal areas after completing the exercise. This proved the validity of the TeamSTEPPS method for training.

DD 12:
Cerminaro, Anthony. "Solving Workplace Problems." BingBangBuzz. Anthony Cerminaro, 27 Apr. 2007. Web. 23 Nov. 2016.
-This article came from a blog written by a business lawyer and university professor. While this article is not from a well known source, I still believe that it contains valuable information. The article is well laid out in a step by step formatting explaining how to handle conflicts in a group work setting. The author provides examples on ways to solve the problems at hand.
Nguyen, Ph.D. Steve. "Eight Common Problems Teams Encounter." Workplace Psychology. N.p., 30 June 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2016.
-This article comes from Workplace Psychology which is a website that studies the behavior at work and work settings to understand how behaviors can be influenced or changed in order to better the work environment. I would consider this site a reputable source since the articles on this source are written by psychologists with PhDs. This article listed out eight common problems that are seen in teamwork settings. This site is very well laid out and offers related articles.


Virtual teams: Technology and the workplace of the future
Anthony M. Townsend, Samuel M. DeMarie and Anthony R. Hendrickson doi: 10.5465/AME.1998.1109047 ACAD MANAGE PERSPECT August 1, 1998 vol. 12 no. 3 17-29

In Anthony M. Townsend, Samuel M. DeMarie and Anthony R. Hendrickson’s Virtual teams: Technology and the workplace of the future, they discuss how virtual technology has an effect on workplace collaborations. They go on to say being able to telecommute with people from all over the world has been great for expanding business opportunities that otherwise wouldn't exist. They conclude that working virtually may help strengthen people's communication skills as a whole because they are forced to think in ways they otherwise wouldn't have to. They also argue that technology gives teams access to all levels of expertise to address issues they have enhancing the quality of work produced by a team.

Rethinking Virtuality and Its Impact on Teams. Mary K. Foster1
Augustus Abbey Michael A. Callow Xingxing Zu Anthony D. Wilbon Perspectives
Business Information Review December 1, 2015 32: 239-244 doi: 10.1177/1046496415573795

In Augustus Abbey, Michael A. Callow, Xingxing Zu ,Anthony D. Wilbon, and Mary K. Fosters Rethinking Virtuality and Its Impact on Teams they discuss 29 unique approaches to conceptualizing virtuality for teamworking skill. They argue that projects done virtually let teams learn different sets of skills as well as temporal stability. They also state that virtual projects give people an experience of uniqueness, has a strong impact on team outcomes, and moderates individuals. They conclude effective team building skills can be strengthened by virtual projects when people are learning how to properly communicate.





Berghoff, Federkeil. "The Guidelines Project : Providing Instruments for Evaluating Development                   Research." Evaluating Research Teams. Guidelines Project, 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

This scholarly peer reviewed journal is an essential tool in any collaborative writer. In order for the writer to be effective with his or her team, this journal suggests that the writer be with his or her team every step of the way. In order for the team to be effective the individuals within the team must be collaborative with every tool in their possession and be willing to share it with their team.


Cohen, S. "What Makes Teams Work: Group Effectiveness Research from the Shop Floor to the Executive Suite." Journal of Management 23.3 (1997): 239-90. Web.

Cohen writes a journal effectively showing exactly how group effectiveness increases with slight changes in attitude and environment. In order for the group to be collaborative, there are certain actions that can be taken by the individuals to increase productivity. Cohen backs up his information with data and peer reviewed research. This makes Cohen's journal incredibly reliable and effective to any collaborator.

Woods, Peter, Bob Jeffrey, Geoff Troman, Mari Boyle, and Barry Cocklin. "Team and Technology in Writing up Research." British Educational Research Journal 24.5 (1998): 573-92. Web.


Peter Woods writes a journal with his peers that attacks an issue that is less talked about within articles pertaining to the subject at hand. In order for the group to be effective they must be willing to use the technology in their arsenal. Peter Woods outlines the necessary technology that any group needs and shows the reader how to implement this technology into their group work.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n0p8ndGjqBXSdkwwNyYWtS4_DLKI_GJpzvmfXzGQnvc/edit
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