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Assignment Overview

On the home page of this module, six different management and team competencies/conditions were described. In this case, you will reflect on how these competencies/conditions act either alone or with others, to create task and interpersonal connection.

Case Assignment

Read the following article:
Lii, A. T., Alsever, J., Hempel, J., & Roberts, D. (2014). The new teamwork. Fortune, 169(6). Available in the Trident Online Library.
Then address the following:
Do competencies/conditions act either alone or with others, to create task and interpersonal connection.
Discuss how each competency and condition leads to either task and/or personal connection by contributing to goal clarity, loyalty, trust, or information sharing.Explain your reasons with reference to the background materials and examples from the case reading or other research if needed.

Assignment Expectations

Your paper, which should be 4 to 5 pages (excluding title and reference pages) and include at least 3 scholarly sources, will be evaluated using the following five criteria:
Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully address all assignment expectations? Are the concepts behind the assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and analysis?
Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear, developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): Does the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood, and can apply the background materials for the module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality sources? Do additional sources used in paper provide strong support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?
Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate an understanding of APA Style of referencing, by the inclusion of proper end references and in-text citations (for paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all end references been included within the body of the paper as in-text citations?This Case Assignment should be turned in by the end of the module.
(HOME PAGE ITEMS)

Modular Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, the student will be able to satisfy the following outcomes:

Module Overview

This module is concerned with the social context of effective teams. The task here is to encourage people to work together. The underlying question is “What does it take to build a strong sense of connection between and among team members?”
To do this, we will be considering three different team-building processes:
Establishing Interdependence
Management and Team Competencies/Conditions
Selecting the Appropriate Collaboration ToolsInterdependence
Fostering a sense of interdependence is critical to team functioning. Each member must feel that he or she is accountable to all other team members and that the other team members can rely on him or her. There are three factors that must be managed during this process.
Connection
Team members must feel a sense of connection on two levels. The first is task connection. This involves a commitment on the part of each member to the goals of the team. The second is interpersonal connection, which leads to information sharing, loyalty, and trust.
Barriers to Connection
Perhaps the greatest challenge in building connection is establishing clear and open communication. This can be especially difficult in virtual teams because the lack of face-to-face contact limits many avenues of communication. Typically, interactions in virtual teams lack nonverbal communication and involve less rich channels. In addition, the isolation and anonymity of members can lead to less inhibited and more assertive interactions than might be expected in a co-located team. Finally, cultural differences/diversity can further inhibit clear information exchange.
Purpose and Goal Clarity
Purpose and goal clarity are the essential ingredients in building both task and interpersonal connection. Shared vision is more important than detailed implementation plans, and trust must be built early. Trust is the “social glue” that holds teams together and may develop more slowly in virtual teams than in co-located ones. Management and Team Competencies/Conditions
A supportive team climate does not emerge naturally. It requires that management and team members commit to certain conditions and develop specific competencies that will encourage and support connection and interdependence. These include:
Creative Tension
In order for teams to take advantage of differing perspectives, opinions, and approaches, the team climate should be characterized by what is called “creative tension.” This involves an environment where differing points of view are accepted and members feel comfortable and safe in contributing their ideas. Input from all members is encouraged and honesty is a norm that is supported—even when that honesty means that others’ views are questioned. On the other hand, unwarranted criticism is not a characteristic of creative tension.
Challenge
Supportive climates for teamwork are those that present the task in a challenging manner. This may involve an urgent deadline, a perplexing problem to solve, or just a change from the routine way of approaching the task.
Collaboration
This involves the ability to pull together and work collaboratively on a difficult task. It involves a certain “surrendering” of the ego in order to set aside one’s own personal interests in favor of those of the group. It is a competency that is essential to interdependence and effective team functioning.
Freedom
Management must be willing to grant the team freedom from micromanagement, excessive surveillance, or other forms of intrusive evaluation. Freedom also involves the autonomy to determine how work is scheduled and accomplished.
Supportiveness
Management and team members can greatly increase team effectiveness by encouraging and empowering the group to take initiative. It should resist the temptation to rely on the status quo, but instead urge the team to discover new methods and solutions.
Resources
The willingness of individual team members and the organization to commit sufficient resources is essential. Resources can include time, effort, information, technology, funds, and manpower.Selecting the Appropriate Collaboration Tools
One of the fastest growing fields in information technology is the development of collaboration tools. This is a good thing for teams of all sorts but is especially critical to virtual teams whose very existence depends on these tools.
Virtual teams may use a number of collaboration tools such as:
Conference Calls
Video Conferences
E-mail
Application Sharing Tools
Faxes
Other tools In considering how to build supportive team climates, the choice of the correct collaboration tools can make or break a team’s effectiveness.  We will be reviewing the types of resources that are available and examining the factors that managers and teams must consider in order to choose and implement the most appropriate tools for the task.