Teams

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Teams

• CS2335
• Spring 2007

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Why Teams????
Predominately group projects from now on
Companys want to hire team players
Large Projects require multiple people
Large variation in team performance (10-1)
Inefficient use of time
Difficulty handling problem members
High-Performance Work Teams
There are no problems we cannot solve together,
and very few we can solve by ourselves. --
Lyndon Johnson
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What is a Team ?
Share a common vision
Have a unique identity
Good Teams Jell
Mutual Accomplishments
Shared Standards of Conduct
Share common commitment
Shared roles
Shared Approach (standards)
Sense of Autonomy and Empowerment
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Definition
TEAM A group of interdependent individuals,
usually with different roles and functions, whose
combined efforts towards a mutually shared goal
are required for the successful completion of a
task.
HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM A group of individuals
whose coordinated competence and personal
commitment to overall goals and to each others
success brings about outstanding performance of
team tasks.
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Team Roles (Generic)
Originator (Idea Person)
Monitor (Gatekeeper)
Supporter (Joker, Morale Officer)
Investigator (Researcher)
Implementer (Doer)
Finisher (Detail Person)
The sign of a great team leader is the proper
placement of people.
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Team Roles (Specific)

• Project Manager
• Architect
• Designer/Analyst
• Developer
• Tool Smith
• Quality Assurance
• System Integrator
• Build and Release

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Why Teams Jell..
Unknown Capt Kirk. Why Teams Dont Jell
Defensive Management
Bureaucracy
Physical Separation
Fragmentation of Time
Low project quality
Phony deadlines
Clique Control
Failure
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Bobs 3d Law of Teams
For every good idea there is an equal and
opposite Dilbert implementation
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Team Life Cycle
Life Cycle from The TEAM Handbook, by Peter R.
Scholtes
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General Team Rules

• Be on time Come prepared
• Leave stripes at the door
• Respect each person
• Criticize ideas, not people
• Keep an open mind
• Listen constructively
• Question and participate
• Speak from facts
• Strive for consensus
• End on time

The team will reach its potential only if you
reach your potential
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What makes teamwork hard?
People
Understand Personality Types MBTI
Handle Problem Members
The strength of a team is impacted by its weakest
link
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Understanding People Myers-Briggs

• Based on Carl Jung theories.
• He believed there were
• 2 different ways of getting data
• 2 different ways of responding to data
• 2 different sources of energy for people
• Controverisial Not Fact
• Not a pigeon hole for people
• Gives tendency, not way people actually may react.

Myers-Briggs, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator are
registered trademarks or trademarks of the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United
States and other countries
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Understanding People
The quiet man (E/I) attitudes
toward world
Just the Facts Maam (S/N) ways
of getting data
Feelings, nothin more than feelings (T/F) ways
of acting on data
See you at 33407 EST (J/P) life style
preferences
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Z Problem Model
S
N
(List Alternatives)
(List Facts)
T
F
(Evaluate Practicality)
(Evaluate Impact)
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MBTI Problems
All Is Analysis Paralysis All Es Seize on
early idea All Ss Data Overload, Too many
Details All Ns Intuitive Leaps, Skip
Details All Ts Impersonal Solutions All Fs
Harmony above all All Js Schedule First, Seize
on early idea All Ps No Schedule at all, If we
just wait a better solution will come
http//www.squarewheels.com/jokes/mbtiprayers.html

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Problem Team Members
Sniper, Sharpshooter
Assistant Trainer
Denier
Quiet Member
Anxious Member
Dominator
Side Tracker, Rambler
Hand-Clasper
Polarizer, Hair Splitter
Attention Seeker
Clown
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Two Special Academic Members

• Hitch Hikers
• Symptoms
• No/Poor Work
• Missing Meetings
• Complains about work load (outside class)
• Never answers phone/email
• Speaks Loudly with confidence when confronted
  its someone else's problem.
• Bad Response Absorbing, Self-Sacrifice
• Good Response Mirroring
• Handle immediately
• Fire/Remove from team

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Two Special Academic Members

• Couch Potatoes
• Similar symptoms
• However, they respond to advice
• Own up to their problems
• Bad Response Absorbing
• Good Response
• Set clear expectations
• Hold feet to fire

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Things to remember

• Dont tolerate broken windows
• The TEAM takes responsibility
• Quality is TEAMs responsibilty
• Boiling Frogs
• Dont assume
• Chief water tester
• Communicate!
• Organize around Functionality, not job functions
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