Work Team Analysis

Organizations often use surveys or questionnaires to obtain information regarding employee satisfaction, the organizational issues impacting staff performance, perceptions of pay and benefits, organizational culture, etc. Sometimes, questionnaires are used in classes for staff development and focus on behavioral styles, conflict styles, or team behaviors. Additionally, they may be used to help intact teams or departments focus on and resolve team differences or performance issues. Many times, the questions themselves provide people with insight into what the organization expects from its employees.

In this assignment, you will imagine that you are part of a team that is not performing at a very high level. As a result all members of your team are completing this survey before you attend team training. You are to read the questions in the High Performing Work Teams Survey. You will analyze the questions, identify the trends you see in the questions, and discuss what you and your team members would learn by taking this survey.

Write 4-7 pages (not counting the cover or reference pages), summarizing the trends you identified, what you and your team members would learn from taking the survey, and conclusions about what is required of team members in order to create a high performing work team. Outside academic sources must be included in this assignment, and you should integrate readings and concepts from our course materials.

Support your opinions and statements with a minimum of five references from sources published within the last ten years. You can cite scholarly and practitioner-oriented journals, newspaper articles, YouTube videos, (but not Wikipedia, vendor websites, or other non-academic sources.) The UMUC online library is a great source. JSTOR, ABI INform, etc., are good databases that can be found in the UMUC library and UMUC librarians can help you identify appropriate sources. See the Library link in the Resources section (on the blue ribbon at the top of our classroom) for more information and to begin searching for sources. You may also want to consider having your paper “proofed” by another class member. Please read the attached for Grading Criteria for High Performing Work Team Analysis for details on how your paper will be graded.

Use APA format for citations, references, and quotations. This means your list of references should start on a separate page, and should be double spaced, with a hanging indent and no spaces between entries. Your report should be 4 – 7 pages (not counting the cover or reference pages), double spaced with one inch margins and a font size of at least 11 points.

Submit your assignment electronically via the Assignment folder.

Name your file this way: LastNameFirstInitial_WorkTeamAnalysis

(Example: StudentJ_WorkTeamAnalysis)

Due date: February 19, 11:59 p.m. Eastern time

High Performing Work Team Survey

The High Performing Work Team Survey appears below. The criteria for grading this assignment follow the survey.

Mission: 5 Items

  • I understand what contributions I am expected to make to the organization
  • I understand how this team’s performance will affect the business results of the company.
  • I can describe the mission or why this team exists.
  • I understand the team’s primary purpose.
  • Team members agree on the major work functions that our team is to perform.

Goals: 5 Items

  • I understand the team’s goals.
  • I am highly motivated to achieve the goals.
  • I understand the team’s long term goals.
  • I understand the standards for team quality and effectiveness.
  • This team has goals that are closely linked to the company’s goals.

Roles: 5 Items

  • I understand the role I am expected to perform for team success.
  • Team members are handling all job functions that the team is required to perform.
  • I understand what is expected of other team members.
  • Team members maintain a clear focus on the high priority tasks that are to be completed.
  • At least one member of this team attempts to maintain positive/harmonious relationships.

Procedures: 5 Items

  • We have procedures that encourage members to participate equally.
  • We have procedures for providing feedback directly to team members.
  • We have procedures for handling the common problems or unexpected events.
  • Agendas are distributed before each team meeting.
  • Follow-up dates are set when actions are agreed upon.

Relationships: 5 Items

  • I am encouraged to express my ideas even when my ideas disagree with the majority.
  • Team members live up to their promises.
  • Team members listen to me even when they disagree with me.
  • Team members have given me positive feedback and recognition.
  • Team members solicit ideas and help from me.

Effectiveness: 5 Items

  • This team usually completes tasks and meets its deadlines.
  • The team is fulfilling its purpose or mission.
  • Team meetings are efficient.
  • Team meeting end up with all topics and work completed.
  • This team is effective compared to other teams.

Satisfaction: 5 Items

  • I am satisfied with my job and responsibilities on this team.
  • I get a sense of personal enjoyment being a member of this team.
  • Morale is high on this team.
  • The team pulls together as a unit.
  • My skills and knowledge are fully used on this team.

Conflict Resolution: 5 Items

  • Differences in style and opinion are encouraged.
  • Team members are allowed to be different.
  • Problems and conflicts are resolved with solutions that meet the needs of everyone involved.
  • Problems and conflicts are confronted until they are resolved.
  • When team members disagree, they listen openly to each other.

Criteria for Grading High Performing Work Team Analysis

Note: Your analysis should be 4-7 pages long, excluding the reference and cover pages. I do not like to reward rambling because most organizations value efficient communication. Busy managers and executives do not have time (and most do not have the inclination) to read long reports. However, you will not be penalized if you exceed the page limit slightly.

Criteria

A

B

C

F

Points Earned

Knowledge of Relevant Theories and Concepts

(45 pts)

Student demonstrated exceptional knowledge of relevant theories and concepts from the course; all statements and opinions were supported by appropriate citations from the literature.

45 – 41 points

Student demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of relevant theories and concepts from the course; most statements and opinions were supported by appropriate citations from the literature.

40 – 36 points

Student demonstrated less than satisfactory knowledge of relevant theories and concepts from the course; some statements and opinions were not supported by appropriate citations from the literature.

35 – 32 points

Student demonstrated unsatisfactory knowledge of relevant theories and concepts from the course; many statements and opinions were not supported by appropriate citations from the literature.

31 – 0 points

Comments

Quality of Analysis

(25 pts)

Student did an exceptional job of analyzing the survey and integrating course readings. Student cited more than the minimum number of references; sources listed were all scholarly or practitioner journals, newspapers, annual reports, or academic books from the last ten years.

25 – 23 points

Student did a satisfactory job of analyzing the survey and integrating course readings. Student cited the minimum number of references; sources listed were primarily scholarly or practitioner journals, newspapers, annual reports, or academic books from the last ten years.

22 – 20 points

Student did a less than satisfactory job of analyzing the survey and integrating course readings. Student may not have cited the minimum number of references; some sources listed were not scholarly or practitioner journals, newspapers, annual reports, or academic books from the last ten years.

19 – 18 points

Student did an inadequate job of analyzing the survey and integrating course readings. Student did not cite the minimum number of references; many of the sources listed were not scholarly or practitioner journals, newspapers, annual reports, or academic books from the last ten years.

17 – 0 points

Comments

Presentation of Ideas and Mechanics

(20 pts)

Student presented ideas in a compelling manner with no distracting grammar or spelling problems; the page length requirement was met.

20 – 18 points

Student presented ideas presented in a clear, coherent manner with few distracting grammar or spelling problems; the page length requirement was met.

17 – 16 points

Student presented ideas in a somewhat organized manner with several distracting grammar or spelling problems; the page length requirement may not have been met.

15 – 14 points

Student presented ideas in a poorly organized or incoherent manner with many distracting grammar or spelling problems; the page length requirement may not have been met.

13 – 0 points

Comments

APA formatting

(10 pts)

All citations, quotations, and references were properly formatted or contained one or two minor errors.

10 – 9 points

Most citations, quotations, and references were properly formatted or contained a few minor errors.

8 points

Some citations, quotations, and references were not properly formatted or contained major errors.

7 points

Most citations, quotations, and references were not properly formatted or contained many errors.

6 – 0 points

Comments

Total Points Earned

(100 points max)

Overall Comments