Exam 13: Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict

The Nordstrom department store chain emphasizes the great lengths to which it goes in customer service. In fact, when it moves into a mall, all the other stores have to improve their own models of customer service. How is Nordstrom using norms?

Because hard feelings about group leadership and assignments have passed, the members of Maya's group now seem to be relating much better. At the meeting tomorrow, she should take advantage of this moment by

A ________ is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

Which type of team is expected to foster increased productivity and employee quality of life?

Which teams are usually permanent?

Finn likes it when her days are unpredictable and filled with problems to solve. She thrives on solving puzzles and then testing out the different solutions in search of the "right fit." How would you describe Finn's personality?

The group development stage in which individuals test the leader's policies and assumptions as they try to determine how they fit into the power structure is the ________ stage.

________ is the conflict-handling style in which a person neglects his or her own concerns and allows the concerns of another to prevail.

The principal by-product of the norming stage of team development is

During the performing stage of team development, the group answers the question

It was the third meeting, but the group had finally agreed on the roles for each member. Cathy felt good about how things were progressing. It seemed that the conflicts had been resolved; Bella and Lewis had actually arrived on time with their tasks completed. Cathy felt they were now a team. They were now in the ________ stage.

Which of the following is true of informal groups?

________ conflict is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike, disagreement, or differing styles. For example, Bailey and Tai, who both work as salespeople at a local boutique, may simply not like each other.

Which of the following is a manifestation of excessive conflict in the workplace?

How do groups make it through storming?

Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another.

This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both. First, explain the five stages of group development. Second, imagine you are assembling a work group whose goal is to create a business model for a transportation service that will compete with taxis, limousines, Uber, and Lyft. Discuss what you would do to facilitate group development at each stage.

When issues causing conflict are trivial and cooling off would be helpful, what is the best way for handling the situation?

________ is a "we feeling" that binds group members together.

This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both. First, list and describe five basic behaviors that enable a manager to work on disagreements and keep them from flaring into out-of-control personality conflicts. Second, suppose that you are dealing with a very unhappy assistant. He has worked for you for three years, and he has done excellent work, going above and beyond the call of duty. However, the company has placed a freeze on hiring and promotions, and for the last three years no employee has received more than a 2 percent raise. Your assistant is frustrated at his ever-increasing workload, and he wants to be promoted to a position with more responsibility and creativity. You suspect that he may be looking for another job. Which of the behaviors that you listed would you use to manage the conflict with your assistant? Be specific, and explain your answer.