Team Effectiveness and Collaboration

Front

Mr. Bond and his team are working on a group project. Which of the following is a problem they might face if they are less effective collaborators?
- Jumping in with no plan or strategy
- Assigning clear roles
- Valuing dissent
- Involving the whole team

Back

Jumping in with no plan or strategy

Answer explanation

If Mr. Bond and his team are less effective collaborators, they might face the problem of jumping in with no plan or strategy, leading to confusion and inefficiency in their project but if they take a few moments at the start of their work together to make sure they understand their goals and needs and ideas they will become more effective.

Front

What is a characteristic of effective collaboration?

Back

Establishing roles and responsibilities

Answer explanation

Effective collaboration involves establishing roles and responsibilities, which helps clarify expectations and enhances teamwork. Teams that have a clear facilitator or defined Devil's Advicate are teams that will probably be less prone to ignoring ideas that avoid diverse viewpoints.

Front

Less effective teams tend to be led by how many people?

Back

One or two people

Answer explanation

Less effective teams are often led by one or two people, which can limit diverse input and collaboration. In contrast, leadership by the whole team or a committee tends to foster better engagement and effectiveness.

Front

What do effective groups do early in the decision-making process?

Back

Establish goals and roles

Answer explanation

Effective groups establish goals and roles early in the decision-making process to ensure clarity and direction. This helps in organizing efforts and aligning team members towards a common objective.

Front

Which of the following is NOT a goal of effective collaboration? Listening to all ideas each group member has, Assigning a facilitator and devil's advocate, Working separately in order to divide up tasks, Encouraging alternative points of view or even disagreement

Back

Working separately in order to divide up tasks

Answer explanation

Effective collaboration involves communication and teamwork. 'Working separately without communication' contradicts this by isolating team members, hindering idea sharing and collaboration. Teams that collaborate in this way often divide tasks up, thinking that it makes their work more efficient. This is always a problem and generally leads a team toward less effective collaborative thinking, questioning and problem solving.

Front

How do effective groups handle decision-making that avoids "Group Think" or rigid solutions to challenging problems or questions?

Back

By using a devil's advocate.

Answer explanation

Effective groups handle decision-making by using a devil's advocate, who encourages critical thinking about the work the team does together and helps identify potential flaws in ideas, leading to better outcome.

Front

What weakens a team's ability to meet goals according to the document? Options: Understanding all information, Ignoring alternative points of view, Assigning clear roles, Encouraging personal aspirations

Back

Ignoring alternative points of view

Answer explanation

Ignoring alternative points of view weakens a team's ability to meet goals because it limits creativity and problem-solving. Diverse perspectives can lead to better decision-making and more effective strategies.

Front

What strategy does an effective team use to clarify group goals and norms to avoid the standard norm of getting an A and doing impressive work?

Back

Group Norming and Goals Setting

Answer explanation

Group Norming and Goals Setting is essential for teams to establish clear objectives and expectations, moving beyond just aiming for an A. This strategy fosters collaboration and alignment on goals, enhancing overall team effectiveness.