30+mba-第28章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


quickly　on　decisions；　a　good　balance　of　team　members；　the　ability　to　work　
collectively；　and　a　size　appropriate　to　the　task。　
Team　types　
Teams　can　be　made　up　of　anything　from　5　to　20　people。　Anything　above　20　is　
usually　too　unwieldy　and　will　take　up　more　resources　than　an　organization　
can　afford　to　devote　to　one　aspect　of　the　business。　
Business　teams　
These　are　a　group　of　people　tasked　with　managing　functions　and　achieving　
specific　results　over　the　longer　term。　In　this　example　there　are　three　of　these；　
Figure　4。7　Groups　are　not　the　same　as　teams
128　The　Thirty…Day　MBA　
covering　sales；　administration　and　warehouse/dispatch。　So；　for　example；　
the　sales　team　is　expected　to　meet　sales　targets　and　the　dispatch　team　to　
get　goods　to　customers　on　time。　In　practice；　every　firm　will　have　its　own　
definition　of　business　functions。　
Project　teams　
These　are　o。。en　cross…functional；　made　up　of　people　from　different　areas。　
These　can　be　assembled　for　any　period　of　time　to　look　at　a　particular　project。　
In　this　example　we　have　assumed　that　each　of　these　teams　has　been　asked　
to　look　at　how　each　function　could　be　made　more　efficient。　The　value　of　
having　someone　from　other　functions　in　these　teams　is　to　ensure　that　too　
parochial　a　view　is　not　taken。　
Taskforce　teams　
This　is　a　short…term　body　put　together　quickly　to　look　at　one　narrow　issue　
or　specific　problem。　For　example；　if　you　proposed　changing　your　working　
hours　a　taskforce　could　look　at　the　implications　for　everyone　inside　
and　outside　the　firm　and　report　back。　Then　a　decision　based　on　the　best　information；　
provided　by　people　most　affected　by　the　change；　can　be　made。　
Team　roles　
However　talented　the　soloists　are　in　an　organization；　in　the　end　it　is　orchestras　
that　make　enough　‘noise’　to　make　things　happen。　But　teams　don’t　just　
occur　naturally。　The　presumption　that　people　are　going　to　work　together　is　
usually　a　mistake。　Chaos　is　more　likely　than　teamwork。　
Cultures　in　businesses　have　very　different　pedigrees　and　can　pull　the　
organization　in　very　different　directions。　Take　one　successful　new　internet　
business　for　example；　where　people　came　from　financial　services；　retail　and　
more　recently　technology。　The　pany’s　roots　were　in　financial　services。　
Their　petitors　were　banks　and　brokerage　firms　and　their　employees　
had　moved　around　the　sector　in　search　of　the　ultimate　accolade；　to　bee　
a　vice…president。　The　focus　was　inwards　towards　‘hierarchy　and　title’。　Their　
second　cohort　of　employees　came　from　retailing；　the　staff　of　their　one…time　
expanding　branch　network。　For　retailers　the　focus　is　outwards　towards　
the　customer。　Their　success　was　measured　in　the　market　and　the　best　salespeople　
had　the　greatest　respect　and　power。　The　third　group；　and　the　most　
recent；　was　the　technologists。　For　these　people　success　was　measured　by　
technical　expertise。　Titles　were　irrelevant　and　their　main　concern　was　for　
the　pletion　of　the　project。　Their　loyalty　was　not　to　the　hierarchy　but　to　
the　principles　of　the　project　itself；　and　to　their　team。　
Pu。。ing　people　with　disparate　cultures　into　teams　because　of　their　particular　
professional　or　job　skills　may　not　be　effective。　If　the　team　is　to　function　
effectively；　the　balance　of　behavioural　styles　has　to　mesh　too。　These　are　the　
Organizational　Behaviour　129　
key　roles　identified　by　Meredith　Belbin　while　a　Research　Fellow　at　Cranfield　
（belbin）；　which　need　to　be　taken　if　a　team　is　to　work　effectively　
（there　are　other　methods　of　categorizing　team　roles）：　
。　Chairman/team　leader。　Stable；　dominant；　extrovert。　Concentrates　on　
objectives。　Does　not　originate　ideas。　Focuses　people　on　what　they　do　
best。　
。　Plant。　Dominant；　high　IQ；　introvert。　A　‘　sca。。erer　of　seeds’　who　originates　
ideas。　Misses　out　on　detail。　Thrustful　but　easily　offended。　
。　Resource　investigator。　Stable；　dominant；　extrovert　and　sociable。　Lots　
of　contacts　with　the　outside　word。　Strong　on　networks。　Salesperson/　
diplomat/liaison　officer。　Not　an　original　thinker。　
。　Shaper。　Anxious；　dominant；　extrovert。　Emotional　and　impulsive。　Quick　
to　challenge　and　to　respond　to　a　challenge。　Unites　ideas；　objectives　and　
possibilities。　petitive。　Intolerant　of　woolliness　and　vagueness。　
。　pany　worker。　Stable；　controlled。　A　practical　organizer。　Can　be　
inflexible　but　likely　to　adapt　to　established　systems。　Not　an　innovator。　
。　Monitor　evaluator。　High　IQ；　stable；　introvert。　Goes　in　for　measured　
analysis；　not　innovation。　Unambiguous　and　o。。en　lacking　enthusiasm。　
But　solid　and　dependable。　
。　Team　worker。　Stable；　extrovert；　but　not　really　dominant。　Much　concerned　
with　individuals’　needs。　Builds　on　others’　ideas。　Cools　things　
down　when　tempers　fray。　
。　Finisher。　Anxious　introvert。　Worries　over　what　could　go　wrong。　Permanent　
sense　of　urgency。　Preoccupied　with　order。　Concerned　with　
‘following　through’。　
BUILDING　AND　RUNNING　A　TEAM　
These　are　the　five　essential　elements　to　establishing　and　running　effective　
teams。　
Balanced　team　roles　
You　have　to　start　building　a　team　by　recognizing　that　people　are　different。　
Every　team　member　must　not　only　have　their　‘technical’　skills　such　as　being　
an　accountant　or　salesperson。　They　must　also　have　a　valuable　team　role。　
Experts　in　team　behaviour　have　identified　the　key　team　profiles　that　are　
essential　if　a　team　is　to　function　well。　Any　one　person　may　perform　more　
than　one　of　these　roles。　But　if　too　many　people　are　peting　to　perform　
one　of　the　roles；　or　one　or　more　of　these　roles　are　neglected；　the　team　will　be　
unbalanced。　They　will　perform　in　much　the　same　way　as　a　car　does　when　
a　cylinder　misfires。
130　The　Thirty…Day　MBA　
Shared　vision　and　goal　
It　is　essential　that　the　team　has　ownership　of　its　own　measurable　and　clearly　
defined　goals。　This　means　involving　the　team　in　business　planning。　It　also　
means　keeping　the　munications　channels　open　as　the　business　grows。　
The　founding　team　knew　clearly　what　they　were　trying　to　achieve　and　as　
they　probably　shared　an　office　they　shared　information　as　they　worked。　
But　as　the　group　gets　larger　and　new　people　join；　it　will　bee　necessary　
to　help　the　informal　munication　systems　to　work　be。。er。　Briefing　meetings；　
social　events　and　bulletin　boards　are　all　ways　to　get　teams　together　
and　keep　them　facing　the　right　way。　
Have　a　shared　language　
To　be　a　member　of　a　business　team；　people　have　to　have　a　reasonable　grasp　
of　the　language　of　business。　It’s　not　much　use　extolling　people　to　improve　
return　on　capital　employed　or　reduce　debtor　days　if　they　have　only　the　
haziest　notion　of　what　those　terms　mean；　why　they　ma。。er　or　how　they　can　
influence　the　results。　So　you　need　to　develop　rounded　business　skills　across　
all　the　core　team　members　through　continuous　training；　development　and　
coaching。　
patible　personalities　
While　having　different　Belbin　team　profiles　is　important；　it　is　equally　vital　
to　have　a　team　who　can　get　on　with　one　another。　They　have　to　be　able　to　
listen　to　and　respect　other　people’s　ideas　and　views。　They　need　to　support　
and　trust　one　another。　They　need　to　be　able　to　accept　conflict　as　a　healthy　
reality　and　work　through　it　to　a　successful　oute。　
Good　leadership　
First…class　leadership　is　perhaps　the　most　important　characteristic　that　distinguishes　
winning　teams　from　the　also…rans。　However　good　the　constituent　
parts；　without　leadership　a　team　rapidly　disintegrates　into　a　rabble　bound　
by　li。。le　but　a　pay　cheque。　（See　later　in　this　chapter　for　more　on　leadership。）　
THE　BOARD　OF　DIRECTORS　
One　team　stands　apart　from　all　the　others　within　an　organization　–　the　
board　of　directors；　usually　reduced　to　the　title　‘the　board’。　Directors　in　
major　or　public　panies　have　a　role　outside　of　that　of　simply　heading　
up　a　function　such　as　production；　sales　or　marketing；　though　they　may　
Organizational　Behaviour　131　
perform　one　of　those　functions　too。　There　is　o。。en　confusion　as　to　where　the　
ultimate　power　rests　in　a　pany；　with　the　directors　or　the　shareholders。　
In　private　panies　they　are　o。。en　one　and　the　same　body　but　in　public　
panies；　even　where　family　ties　remain；　they　are　distinct　and　separate。　
In　law　a　pany　is　an　entity　separate　from　both　its　shareholders　and　
directors。　According　to　a　pany’s　articles　of　association；　some　powers　
are　exercised　by　directors；　while　certain　other　powers　may　be　reserved　
for　the　shareholders　and　exercised　at　a　general　meeting。　If　the　powers　
of　management　are　vested　in　the　directors；　then　they　and　they　alone　can　
exercise　these　powers。　The　only　way　in　which　shareholders　can　control　the　
exercise　of　powers　by　directors　is　by　altering　the　articles；　or　by　refusing　to　
re…elect　the　directors　of　whose　actions　they　disapprove。　Some　of　a　director’s　
duties；　responsibilities；　and　potential　liabilities　are：　
。　To　act　in　good　faith　in　the　interests　of　the　pany；　this　includes　
carrying　out　duties　diligently　and　honestly。　
。　Not　to　carry　on　the　business　of　the　pany　with　intent　to　defraud　
creditors　or　for　any　fraudulent　purpose。　
。　Not　knowingly　to　allow　the　pany　to　trade　while　insolvent；　directors　
who　do　so　may　have　to　pay　for　the　debts　incurred　by　the　pany　
while　insolvent。　
。　Not　to　deceive　shareholders　and　to　appoint　auditors　to　oversee　the　
accounting　records。　
。　To　have　regard　for　the　interests　of　employees　in　general。　
。　To　ply　with　the　requirements　of　the　panies　Acts；　such　as　providing　
what　is　needed　in　accounting　records　or　filing　accounts。　
position　of　the　board　
The　board　is　made　up　of　two　types　of　directors；　internal　and　external；　and　
typically　the　board　would　exercise　major　decisions　through　a　number　of　
mi。。ees：　
。　Internal　directors：　Usually　headed　up　by　a　chairman　who　runs　board　
meetings；　a　CEO　（chief　executive　officer）　or　managing　director　who　
runs　the　operating　business　and　a　number　of　other　directors。　
。　External　directors：　Known　as　non…executive　directors；　they　are　usually　
people　of　stature　and　experience　who　can　act　as　both　a　source　of　wise　
independent　advice　and　a　check　on　any　wilder　elements　on　a　board。　
Venture　Investment　Partners　Ltd　（ventureip。uk）　and　The　
Independent　Director　Initiative　（independentdirector。uk）；　
a　joint　venture　between　Ernst　&　Young　and　the　Institute　of　Directors；　
have　information　on　the　role　of　non…executive　director；　as　well　as　being　
132　The　Thirty…Day　MBA　
potential　sources　of　appointments　in　smaller　panies　that　might　
appeal　to　an　ambitious；　risk…happy　MBA。　
。　mi。。ees：　The　main　board　mi。。ees　are　those　that　oversee　remuneration　
（particularly　for　directors）；　auditing；　social　responsibility　（and　
‘green’　ma。。ers）；　mergers　and　acquisitions；　and　regulatory　affairs。　
PEOPLE　
If　structures　are　the　skeleton　of　an　organization；　people　are　its　blood　and　
guts。　Douglas　McGregor；　a　founding　faculty　member　of　MIT’s　Sloan　School　
of　Management；　began　his　management　classic　The　Human　Side　of　Enterprise；　
published　in　1960；　with　the　question：　‘What　are　your　assumptions　（implicit　
as　well　as　explicit）　about　the　most　effective　way　to　manage　people？’　This　
seemingly　simple　question　led　to　a　fundamental　revolution　in　management　
thinking。　McGregor　went　on　to　claim：　‘The　effectiveness　of　organizations　
could　be　at　least　doubled　if　managers　could　discover　how　to　ta