Effective Teamwork

Michael West is Professor of Organizational Psychology at Lancaster University Management School, UK. Previously Executive Dean of Aston Business School, he has authored, edited or co-edited seventeen books. He has also published over 200 articles for scientific and practitioner publications, and numerous chapters in scholarly books. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP), the British Academy of Management (BAM) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

• Acknowledgements xiPart 1 Team Effectiveness 11 Creating Effective Teams 3Task and Social Elements of Team Functioning 6Team Effectiveness 7Key Revision Points 12Further Reading 12Web Resources 122 Real Teams Work 13Why Work in Teams? 17Barriers to Effective Teamwork 21What is a Team? 27What do Teams do? 29How can we build Effective Teams? 31Conclusions 35Key Revision Points 37Further Reading 37Web Resources 38Part 2 Developing Teams 393 Creating Teams 41Personality and Ability 43Teamwork Skills 49Diversity of Team Members 52Benefiting from Team Diversity 57Implications of Diversity 58Key Revision Points 59Further Reading 59Web Resources 594 Leading Teams 60The Three Team Leadership Tasks 61The Three Elements of Leading Teams 63Tripwires for Team Leaders 77Developing Team Leadership Skills 79Self-managing or Shared Leadership Work Teams 84Key Revision Points 85Further Reading 85Web Resources 865 Team Training 87The Stages of Team Development 89Types of Team Training Interventions 91Conclusions 101Key Revision Points 102Further Reading 102Web Resources 102Part 3 Team Working 1056 Setting Team Direction 107Team Objectives 107The Elements of Team Vision 113Strategy for Teams 115Key Revision Points 117Further Reading 117Web Resources 1187 Team Playing 119Interaction 120Information Sharing 124Influencing and Decision Making 125Creating Safety in Teams 131Key Revision Points 133Further Reading 134Web Resources 1348 Team Quality Management 135Groupthink 136Team Pressures to Conform 138Obedience to Authority 139Team Defence Mechanisms 139Commitment to Quality 141Task Focus/Constructive Controversy 142Encouraging Constructive Controversy in Teams 143Conclusion 151Key Revision Points 152Further Reading 153Web Resources 1539 Creative Team Problem Solving 155Team Innovation 156Creative Problem Solving in Teams 160Techniques for Promoting Creativity within a Team 162Using Creativity Techniques in Team Meetings 166Other Influences on Team Innovation 167Key Revision Points 170Further Reading 170Web Resources 17110 Team Support 172The Emotional Life of Teams 174Social Support 176Support for Team Member Growth and Development 182Balance between Home and Work Life 184Social Climate 184Conclusions 186Key Revision Points 187Further Reading 187Web Resources 18711 Conflict in Teams 188Team Conflicts 188Types of Team Conflict 189Resolving Team Conflicts 189Organizational Causes of Conflict 191Interpersonal Conflicts 193Difficult Team Members 195Key Revision Points 198Further Reading 198Web Resources 198Part 4 Teams in Organizations 19912 Teams in Organizations 201Introducing Team-based Working (TBW) 202The Relationship between Teams and their Organizations 205What do Teams need from their Organizations? 207The Role of Human Resource Management (HRM) 209What do Organizations require from Teams? 213Bridging across Teams 216Conclusions 219Key Revision Points 219Further Reading 220Web Resources 22013 Virtual Team Working 221What is Virtual Team Working? 225Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Teams 227How to Develop Effective Virtual Team Working 228Lifecycle of Virtual Teams 235Conclusion 238Key Revision Points 239Further Reading 239Web Resources 24014 Top Management Teams 241Task Design 243Team Effort and Skills 245Organizational Supports 248Top Management Team Processes 251Top Team Participation 254Corporate Social Responsibility 255Top Team Meetings 257Conflict 262CEO Leadership 263Conclusions 266Key Revision Points 268Further Reading 268Web Resources 268References 269Author Index 286Subject Index 292

"The book provides an in-depth examination of the range of positive and negative factors which can affect team functioning.  The ethics and values in team performance are considered and form a fundamental part within each section."  (The British Psychological Society, 1 September 2012)