Organizational Behavior – West Coast Transit Case Study

Organizational Behavior – West Coast Transit Case Study

Criteria For Evaluating Effective Team/Group Work

An effective team achieves significantly high performance of various tasks while the members remain satisfied, and the team’s viability is sustained (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014). Performance of tasks is one of the criteria that is used to examine team effectiveness. A team that is deemed effective achieves its goals that are related to performance. They achieve the various standards of goals regarding quality, timeliness, and quantity.

Member satisfaction is the second criterion. Members must express confidence and belief that their participation is positive (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014). Their experiences must also be positive and fulfill their personal needs. The aspects that fulfill the criterion include interpersonal relationships, team tasks, and accomplishments. Team viability is the third criterion. It entails the members’ satisfaction and willingness to work together continuously. They tend to express a desire to collaborate with each other once a particular task is completed. Such teams have the potential to perform exceptionally in the long term.

The West Coast Transit marketing project team falls short on all three criteria. Their viability is threatened by Tanney’s response to Denson’s condescending comments. Tanney expresses her lack of willingness to work with Denson on the same team. Their member satisfaction is highly conflicted as everyone expresses their lack of confidence regarding the completion of the project within the tight deadline; few individuals seem convinced about the project’s benefit to the company and their lives (Grand Canyon University, 2021). The team is already lagging in terms of performance because only one member showed up ready with the printed documents and suggestions. For a start, the team is troubled and incapable of being effective.

Stages Of Group Formation

The group formation stages include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014). The forming stage entails bringing together individuals to form the team. At this stage, members get familiar with each other. The group’s rules and acceptable behaviors are highlighted at this stage. The storming stage is characterized by high emotions and tension within the team. Infights and hostility may occur at this stage. The team goes through numerous changes, while coalitions form within the group to advocate for their preferences. The external pressures create immense pressure as members are expected to meet clarified performance expectations. The team members focus their attention on goals and ignore the obstacles.

The norming stage allows integration to take place. Members join hands and begin to work together as one unit. Members tend to feel close to each other, which prepares them for the performing stage. The performing stage is the beginning of a mature, functional, and organized team. Team members take part in completing tasks to which motivating goals are attached. The adjourning stage is more common for temporary teams. Once the task or project is completed, the team disbands. The ability to disband and reconvene is also a measure of the team’s success (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014).

The marketing team at West Coast Transit is in the forming stage as it progresses to the norming stage. The members have just come together and are beginning to get familiar with each other. Tension is beginning to grow as the members review the performance expectations. For most, these expectations clash with their work schedules and personal life. For instance, Tanney states that she cannot work overtime due to her family issues, which have her seeing a therapist. Both Mahonney and Tanney highlight the impossibility of achieving the set goals within that period while not getting remunerated for the same (Grand Canyon University, 2021). The two stages seem to occur concurrently.

Schein’s Three Behavioral Profiles

Edgar Schein highlights three main behavioral profiles: the friendly helper, the tough battler, and the objective thinker (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014). The tough battler tends to get frustrated when identity is lacking within a new group. In the airline’s team, this profile is exhibited by Katarina Tanney, who feels that the assignment will complicate her life further. The friendly helper in the group is John Mahonney, who seems to avoid conflict. He praises the team members while trying to encourage them to have a sit down so that they can all get started on the project. The objective thinker in the group is Lea Jing, who is perceived as the voice of reason. She shows up to the meeting with the printed document and suggestions, which demonstrates her readiness to get started.

The Group’s Communication

The West Coast Transit marketing team members were ineffective in their communication. The decentralized network is used for communication; the different members highlight their issues blindly. For instance, Denson refers to Tanney’s concerns about her family as complaints and problems. This blanket categorization offends Tanney, who eventually asserts that she is not ready to work with Denson until an apology is made. The members are also inflexible because they barely change their minds to reach a decision. Tanney clearly states her unavailability and even leaves without considering the possibility of rescheduling her therapy sessions to accommodate the project. Despite these aspects, the team members air their frustrations and do not seek to avoid conflict, which is vital for effective communication and decision-making. The group’s communication did not yield any decision that would push it to the next stage or kickstart the project, making it ineffective. The main barrier exhibited is interpersonal, as members tend to be consumed by their issues and barely listen to each other.

Types Of Conflicts

There are two types of conflicts: substantive and emotional conflicts. Substantive conflicts revolve around goals and the strategies of accomplishment (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014): this conflict occurs due to the different perspectives of the team members. The West Coast Transit team experiences substantive conflict as each member highlights the impossibility of completing the project within the given time. Issues related to lack of motivation also surfaced due to non-remuneration. Tanney and Mahonney led the group in acknowledging the project’s massive nature and its inability to deliver. Time constraint is a significant issue in the conflict.

The emotional conflicts occur due to feelings such as anger, fear, resentment, dislike, lack of trust, and other personalized emotions. Emotional conflicts can be draining and affect work and performance negatively (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014). The team members expressed fear for the project’s significant nature and limited time. They are also disappointed because of the need to work on the project without extra remuneration. The project’s potential to negatively affect the members’ lives instills dislike and insecurity. The members’ emotions clash because others, such as Denson, invalidate their colleagues’ feelings and concerns by calling them complaints.

Conflict Resolution

Denson should use collaboration and problem-solving to resolve the current conflict, which creates a win-win situation for all members (Uhl-Bien, Schermerhorn, & Osborn, 2014). First, all the team members must acknowledge that emotional and substantive conflicts are present. They should all divert their attention to these conflicts. Everyone’s concerns are valid and deserve to be heard. The team members should find solutions to their current tight work schedules, the lack of incentive/motivation to work on the project, personal family issues, other obligations outside work, and the tight deadline for the project. Since these are the most controversial issues, having all team members share ideas on potential solutions is likely to create a shared vision and increase commitment to the project’s completion. However, Denson needs to approach management and devise ways to motivate the team to commit to the project amidst all other demands. Using this approach to resolve the conflict will ensure each member feels valued and that their opinions are important to the team’s assignment.

Leadership And Maintenance Activities

One of the leadership activities that should occur is motivating the team to achieve specific goals. As observed, the team members are highly demotivated to take part in this project. The lack of incentive drains their energy significantly. Motivation can change the team members’ attitudes towards the project. The maintenance activity that should occur is having employees log in to an entry system that tracks their work hours. This system should help the company account for the employees’ worked hours and accomplished tasks. One of the disruptive behaviors that should be discouraged is disrespecting others. This disrespect could extend to people’s concerns and personal problems. All individuals, including leaders, should be encouraged to respect each other. Such respect ensures that all team members feel valued and important to the organization’s activities.

Motivational Problems

Mahonney and Tanney’s main concerns include the high volume of work that each already has, lack of sufficient time, and lack of incentive. The two immediately highlight the project’s ‘massive and unattainable’ agendas (Grand Canyon University, 2021). This means that they are not convinced that the project can be completed within the allocated time and the current human resources. Tanney highlights that her current workload is already too much and is causing problems for her family. She has insufficient time for her family and still must attend therapy (Grand Canyon University, 2021). Introducing a form of incentive is necessary for ensuring the two members commit to the project. For instance, Tanney would be relieved to work from home ad only report to the office for updates and brainstorming meetings with the team members.

Furthermore, relieving a few duties from the group’s members is necessary for creating a work-life balance. Jing does not seem bothered by the project. In fact, she is ready to start working on it and retains significant levels of objectivity. However, it would be important to ensure that she is motivated to work on the project before moving to the other department. This consideration is essential due to the possibility of losing morale while collaborating with other demotivated team members.

Denson should motivate the team members by first seeking their ideal perceptions of motivation. It is critical to identify aspects or elements that can keep them committed to the project. This approach is important because each member is motivated by various aspects that consider their varying needs. Using the Maslow hierarchy of needs theory, Denson should be able to identify where everyone lies with their help. This ensures that the lower needs are satisfied before moving on to the higher needs (Haque, Haque, & Islam, 2014). While seeking to identify motivational strategies, Denson must ensure all members receive equal rewards for goal achievement (Latham, 2004).

References

Grand Canyon University. (2021). West Coast Transit Case Study.

Haque, M. F., Haque, M. A., & Islam, S. (2014). Motivational Theories – A Critical Analysis. ASA University Review, 8(1), 61-68.

Latham, G. P. (2004). The motivational benefits of goal-setting. The Academy of Management Executive, 18(4), 126.

Uhl-Bien, M., Schermerhorn, J. R., & Osborn, R. N. (2014). Organizational Behaviour. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Organizational Behavior – West Coast Transit Case Study

The purpose of this assignment is to analyze methods of poor communication and its effect on motivation, teamwork, and effective conflict management and resolution.
Write a paper (1,600-1,800 words) in which you address the following based on the information provided in the “West Coast Transit Case Study” resource.
1. Describe the three criteria for evaluating effective team/group work (as stated in the textbook) and use the criteria to analyze the effectiveness of the team.
2. Review each of the five stages of group formation. Determine what stage(s) are evident in the case and provide a justification for your response.
3. Apply Schein’s three behavioral profiles to specific members of the team. Identify how the profiles are demonstrated in the case.
4. Evaluate whether the communication among the participants in the case was effective or not. Justify your answer by considering any existing barriers to communication.
5. Review the two main types of conflicts described in the textbook. Explain how each type of conflict is evident in the case.
6. Propose how Denson should resolve the conflict in this case using one direct conflict management approach. Justify your response as to why this is the most realistic direct conflict management approach, given the existing dynamics between and among team members.
7. Identify one specific leadership activity and one specific maintenance activity that should be encouraged. Identify the most significant disruptive behavior that should be discouraged.
8. Identify a significant motivational problem experienced by each individual: Jing, Mahonney, and Tanney. Describe how Denson should motivate each person. Be sure to provide a specific motivational suggestion for each person based on their motivational needs. Ensure that you have at least one suggestion from each of the motivational theories/techniques: content theories, process theories, and reinforcement strategies.
You are required to use at least two external scholarly sources in addition to the textbook and the case study resource.