Team Effectiveness and Collaboration

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

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.

What is a characteristic of effective collaboration?

• Ignoring team members' ideas

• Establishing roles and responsibilities

• Working without goals

• Avoiding alternative points of view

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.

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

• One or two people

• The whole team

• A committee

• A rotating leader

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.

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

• Ignore brainstorming

• Establish goals and roles

• Avoid setting timeframes

• Focus on individual success

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.

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 dissagreement

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.

Which beliefs do less effective teams work under? (Note: There may be more than one right answer listed)

• A) "Just doing stuff" is what school is all about

• B) Clear goals are essential

• C) Teamwork is unnecessary - just splitting up work is ok.

• D) Planning is overrated - just get the work done well.

Answer explanation

Less effective teams often operate under the belief that "just doing stuff" is sufficient, and time spent planning, setting goals, creating roles is a waste of time. But neglecting the importance of clear goals and structured teamwork, which are essential for success can really put a team at a disadvantage. Being an effective team often requires patience on the part of team members because it can seem early on like teams are wasting time - but the opposite is most often the truth - teams that move deliberately and think deeply about what they are doing and why their doing it are teams that will create better products or ideas.

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

• By ignoring timeframes

• By using a devil's advocate

• By avoiding roles

• By focusing on individual goals

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.

What weakens a team's ability to meet goals according to the document?

• Understanding all information

• Ignoring alternative points of view

• Assigning clear roles

• Encouraging personal aspirations

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.

A less than effective team that uses time poorly may have neglected which important step in their decision making process? (There may be more than one right answer listed)

• Assigning a Devil' Advocate

• brainstorming or goal setting in order to finish work faster.

• Assigning a "Time-Keeper"

• Assigning a "Scribe"

Answer explanation

A less effective team may have skipped brainstorming or goal setting, which are crucial for clarity and direction. Additionally, not assigning a 'Time-Keeper' can lead to poor time management, further hindering decision-making.

An effective team that works well together uses the following strategy to help clarify group goals and norms in order to avoid the standard norm and goal of getting an A and doing as much impressive work as possible.

• Group Norming and Goals Setting

• Assigning a "Time-Keeper"

• Assigning a "Devil's Advocate"

• Having a leader assign work to each member of the team .

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.