Module description
What is the module about?
The central purpose of this course is to give students insights into the dynamics and effective leadership and management of teams within organizations. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and analytical capabilities needed to practice teamwork in modern organizations and to lead teams to achieve successful outcomes. It explores the nature of teamwork in terms of how individuals effectively build agreement to shared goals and courses of action and facilitate organizational movement toward the achievement of these goals. In particular, we highlight theory and research that accounts for the characteristics, issues, and contexts of teams. We make note of individual differences that contribute to team behavior and examine the situations that determine the salience of these differences. The emphasis of the course will be on application of theory, comparing and contrasting ideas, self-reflection, and self-discovery of one’s own team potential and strengths, alongside a consideration of the leadership skills and capabilities required to lead teams effectively.
By the end of this course, students will refine their understanding of teams by evaluating theories and models and by critically applying them to real team situations. This course also provides students with the opportunity to analyze and challenge their own preferences within teams and to evaluate personal teamwork effectiveness and to consider their own leadership style.
Who should do this module?
Students should select this module if they want to:
- Gain knowledge of the characteristics and effectiveness of teams, the issues teams face, and the context through which teams operate.
- Appreciate how to lead teams effectively, taking into account individual differences and team contextual factors
- Be able to identify criteria for developing effective teams and develop the skills necessary in order to function effectively in a team–based environment.
- Develop skills which allow them to diagnose behaviors that help (and hinder) teamwork through familiarity with the sources that lead to team conflict or cooperation.
- Be able to critically evaluate team-related theories.
- Learn how to analyze one’s own team preferences and style and to critically assess one’s own team effectiveness.
A fundamental aspect of this course is learning by doing. Experiential exercises and group activities and assignments will provide skill development opportunities. Consequently, students who like to lead their own learning and who enjoy learning through activities are well suited to this course.
Indicative Lecture Outline
Week 1 - Welcome to the Module, Understanding Teams and Defining Team Success
Week 2 - Stages of Teamwork
Week 3 - Leading Effective Teams
Week 4 – Leading Virtual Teams
Week 5 - Team Cooperation and Competition
Reading Week
Week 6 - Team Communication
Week 7 - Team Conflict and Resolution
Week 8 - Power and Social Influence in Teams
Week 9 - Inspiring Creativity in Teams
Week 10 - Team Presentations
Assessment details
Individual coursework 100%
Teaching pattern
Weekly Lecture
Weekly Tutorial
Suggested reading list
We will be drawing on journal articles and book chapters for the course readings. Indicative examples include:
Aritzeta, A., Swailes, S., & Senior, B. (2007). Belbin's team role model: Development, validity and applications for team building. Journal of Management Studies, 44(1), 96-118.
De Wit, F. R., Greer, L. L., & Jehn, K. A. (2012). The paradox of intragroup conflict: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(2), 360.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and Performance beyond Expectations. New York: Free Press.
Hambley, L. A., O’Neill, T. A., & Kline, T. J. (2007). Virtual team leadership: The effects of leadership style and communication medium on team interaction styles and outcomes. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 103(1), 1-20.
Levi, D.and Askay, D.A. (2021). Group Dynamics for Teams. 6th Ed. International Student Edition. Sage.
Li, N., Zhao, H. H., Walter, S. L., Zhang, X. A., & Yu, J. (2015). Achieving more with less: Extra milers’ behavioral influences in teams. Journal of Applied Psychology, 100(4), 1025.
Litcanu, M., Prostean, O., Oros, C., & Mnerie, A. V. (2015). Brain-writing vs. Brainstorming case study for power engineering education. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 387-390.
Yip, J. A., Schweitzer, M. E., & Nurmohamed, S. (2018). Trash-talking: Competitive incivility motivates rivalry, performance, and unethical behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 144, 125-144.
Mathieu, J. E., Hollenbeck, J. R., van Knippenberg, D., & Ilgen, D. R. (2017). A century of work teams in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 452–467.
Tuckman, B., & Jensen, M. (1977). Stages of small group development revisited. Group and Organizational Studies, 2, 419–427.