Lesson 1.5: Teamwork
Learning Goals: By the end of this lesson you will be able to
1. Identify the stages of team development. 
2. Identify different types of teams.
3. Explain factors that affect team success.
Do this quiz to check you know the vocabulary for this lesson.
- Glossary terms
- Team
- Synergy
- Formal Informal
- Forming
- Norming
- Performing
- Adjourning
- Cohesiveness
- Norms
Steve Jobs talks about managing people Good Teamwork and Bad Teamwork
Boost Beverages Case Study
Boost Beverages is a regional soft drink manufacturer that sells energy drinks to convenience stores and other small outlets across northern Ontario. The company would like to introduce a new flavor and has set this as a company goal for the current year. Fortunately, Boost Beverages has a management culture that makes it feasible to organize a team to work on this goal.
Consider what would happen if Boost’s new flavor team modeled itself on each of the following team types:
Formal Team If Boost Beverages had a formal design structure, the task of developing a new flavor would be assigned to either the existing product development department or the marketing department. After examining market research data, the department head would direct one or two employees to come up with the new flavor and then ask the rest of the department to provide suggestions or constructive criticism.
Informal Team At Boost Beverages, several employees from different departments have lunch together every day. During their lunch break, the group enjoys speculating on new flavors just for fun. Some members suggest intentionally strange flavors to get a laugh, but occasionally, some ideas are worth exploring. A member of the marketing team often sits at the table and uses these informal discussions to gather insights on potential products, as well as other information such as market trends.
Virtual Team Boost Beverages has distribution arrangements with several foreign companies as well as Canadian firms. The marketing manager has organized a network of distributors who meet online twice a week to share discoveries and concerns. One of the major topics of discussion is new flavors. The representative from Germany strongly supports a grapefruit flavor, reporting that many new grapefruit beverages are entering the market in Germany.
Committee If Boost Beverages cannot afford a full product development team, it could establish a new product committee instead. This committee would meet once a week to share and develop new product ideas. The advantages of such a committee include its interdepartmental nature (allowing for diverse perspectives), its singular focus on one task, its dedication to that task during meetings, and its cost effectiveness for the company.
Task Force Team If Boost Beverages does not find an ongoing product committee useful, it might prefer a task force dedicated to developing a new flavor. The task force would have all the benefits of a committee but would exist only until a new flavor is selected. Additional task forces could be established as needed to address other issues.
Cross-Functional Team At Boost Beverages, employees from production, finance, sales, marketing, and research have formed a new flavor team. Their goal is to create, develop, promote, and sell the new flavor profitably. Each team member brings a unique perspective, contributing insights that others might not have considered. For example, the research department representative has extensive statistics on flavor preferences across Canada and believes grapefruit is an emerging trend for energy drinks. Meanwhile, the production team warns that grapefruit flavoring is difficult to balance—it can easily be too sweet or too sour. These discussions illustrate why cross-functional teams are highly effective.
Self-Managed Team Boost Beverages has 10 employees and operates as a self-managed team. Each member helps create, produce, and sell Boost Beverages products. The team is constantly brainstorming ways to improve existing drinks and develop new flavors. A large whiteboard in the common work area serves as a brainstorming hub where team members contribute ideas, offer feedback, and engage in discussions. Although there is no formal leadership, team members are so passionate about their company that they likely work harder than they would under a manager.
Do this short survey to reflect on the lesson and ask a question.