Evolving from a Group to a Team - Business Decision Making - ثاني ثانوي

Lesson 2 Chapter 4 www.ien.edu.sa Evolving from a Group to a Team People often form themselves into groups, but they may or may not work well together. If they do, the group is said to be functioning as a team-a group of people who organize themselves to work cooperatively on a common objective. Effective teams are not created automatically. Most groups of people pass through stages of cohesion and understanding before they can do useful work. Understanding how groups develop will help you when working with other peo- ple. Table 4-1 lists the do's and don'ts for evolving from a group to a team. case You meet with the new company group so each member can get acquainted before discussing how to improve sales to business travelers. DEFINITION Team: Unit of two or more people who interact and coordinate their work to accomplish a goal to which they are committed and hold themselves mutually accountable. TABLE 4-1: Evolving to a team do's and don'ts Guidelines Phase 1: Socialize Phase 2: Organize Phase 3: Share Phase 4: Solve problems Do • Allow time for a new group to get acquainted Develop the personal connections that make teams successful • Agree on a shared mission and purpose • Reach an understanding about how to run and participate in group meetings • Set a schedule Share information with other group members • Respond openly to others in the group • Provide feedback • Schedule work sessions and meetings • Collaborate on tasks • Work on solving complex problems • Make shared decisions • Encourage respect and cooperation Don't • Don't skip this phase because you think it wastes time • Don't let a power struggle over the group's leadership get in the way of the group's mission Don't rush this preliminary phase • Don't make important decisions during this phase • Don't disregard the pecking order the group has established • Don't be discouraged if your group does not reach this level of teamwork 96 Chapter 4 Ministry of Education 2024-1446 95198_book_PP1.indb 96 07/05/2024 10:57

QUICK TIP Avoid making important decisions before the group works out a pecking order. Priorities can change as informal leaders emerge. Essential Elements 1. Expect socializing During the first meetings, groups of people typically take time to get to know one another. This phase involves introductions, social interaction, and personal sharing through polite conversations. Some group members think that the socialization phase wastes time, but a group needs personal connec- tions to develop into an effective team. 2. Encourage organizing and forming During the second phase, the group develops a shared understanding of its mission and purpose. People also begin to assume group roles, including asserting their dominance and competing for influence over the group's direction. This power struggle often occurs even if the group has a formal leader or chair. In time, the group comes to an understanding about how it operates and makes decisions, what the expectations for participation are, and how often it meets. Members begin to identify with the group during this phase and develop a sense of belonging. 3. Facilitate information sharing and processing After group members get acquainted and work out their pecking order, as shown in Figure 4-3, they feel comfortable sharing information with each other. This includes disclosing sensitive material, responding openly to one another, and providing feedback. At this point, the group can begin to schedule meetings, work sessions, and other collaborative time. The group also starts to work on its assigned tasks and looks more like a team to an out- side observer. وزارة التعليم Ministry of Education 2024-1446 Business Decision Making S1 S2 S3.indb 97 FIGURE 4-3: Pecking order and assumed roles Omar (Group leader) Asma (Decision maker) Hasan (Creative thinker) Najla (Questioner) Abdullah (Detail manager) Rasheed (Documenter) Group Decision Making and Problem Solving 97 30/06/2023 14:28

DEFINITION Pecking order: A hierarchy; the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body. 4. Collaborate to solve problems Assuming a group successfully completes earlier phases, it eventually devel- ops teamwork and synergy, which is achieved when two or more people work together to produce something greater than the sum of their individual efforts. During the collaboration phase, group members can complete tasks efficiently, work together on complex problems, and make shared decisions. They respect each other, develop a desire to cooperate, and take pride in the group's accomplishments instead of only their own. Not all groups evolve to the collaboration phase, but those that do are usually very productive and effective. DEFINITION Synergy: When two or more people work together to produce something greater than the sum of their individual efforts. Critical thinking and feeling If your group is discussing a change that directly affects most people in the organization or a solution that requires cooperation and unity, consensus decision making can be invaluable. Collaboration and consensus are two key themes of Saudi Vision 2030, which encourages citizens to play an active role in ensuring collective success, while simultaneously promoting and empowering individuals to nurture "resilient and independent characters". According to Saudi Vision 2030: "The nation we aspire to build will not be realized without a grand collective national effort where everyone contributes..." One specific example of a new collaborative approach is the 'Irtiqaa' program in children's education. This initiative encourages parents to become more actively involved in their children's education, through developments including parent-led school boards and open discussion forums. Equally, innovative educational programs (drawing upon collaboration with both nonprofit and private sectors) and teacher training will help to foster this relationship between families and educators. Collaborative initiatives can prove to be very effective when everyone involved stands to benefit from their success. 98 Chapter 4 Ministry of Education 2024-1446 Business Decision Making S1 S2 S3.indb 98 30/06/2023 14:28

YOU TRY IT Practice evolving from a group to a team by analyzing descriptions of group meetings. Complete the following steps. 1. Get ready For each description of a meeting listed in Step 2, consider which team-build- ing phase each meeting represents. Phase 1: Socialize Phase 2: Organize Phase 3: Share Phase 4: Solve problems 2. Now you try it 1. Omar meets with other company employees to discuss the mission and purpose of exploring business travel services. Phase: 2. Employees meet to collaborate on materials that promote the compa- ny's business travel services. Phase: 3. Ebtesam meets with other employees to get acquainted before dealing with the new business travel project. Phase: 4. Omar organizes a lunch meeting so that members of the new business travel team can develop personal connections. Phase: 5. During a meeting of the business travel team, Ebtesam schedules a work session for identifying tours that appeal to business travelers. Phase: 6. At the beginning of a meeting of the business travel team, Omar sets a schedule so that everyone on the team can meet once a week. وزارة التعليم Ministry of Education 2024-1446 Business Decision Making S1 S2 S3.indb 99 Group Decision Making and Problem Solving 99 30/06/2023 14:28

REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. In business, a team is: a. two or more people attending a meeting b. a group of people who work together cooperatively c. a group of people that meet regularly d. two or more people who share expectations 2. What do successful teams allow time for when the group first starts to meet? a. Online scheduling b. Convergent thinking c. Creating action plans d. Socializing 100 4 Chapter رة ا Ministry of Education 2024-1446 Business Decision Making S1 S2 S3.indb 100 30/06/2023 14:28