Quality Teams on ASQTV™ Show
Quality Glossary Definition: Team A team is defined as a group of people who perform interdependent tasks to work toward accomplishing a common mission or specific objective. Some teams have a limited life: for example, a design team developing a new product, or a continuous process improvement team organized to solve a particular problem. Others are ongoing, such as a department team that meets regularly to review goals, activities, and performance. An organization with many teams requires careful alignment. As teams and individuals link with other teams, the principles of developing understanding and trust will apply, but the structure will get more complex (Figure 1). Understanding the many interrelationships that exist between organizational units and processes, and the impact of these relationships on quality, productivity, and cost, makes the value of teams apparent. Figure 1: Organizational Team Network The Three Types of TeamsMany of today’s team concepts gained popularity in the United States during the 1970s through the use of quality circles or employee involvement initiatives. However, these initiatives were often seen as separate from normal work activities, not as integrated with them. Team designs have since evolved into a broader concept that includes many types of teams formed for different purposes. Three primary types of teams are typically used within the business environment: Process Improvement TeamsProcess improvement teams are project teams that focus on improving or developing specific business processes. These teams come together to achieve a specific goal, are guided by a well-defined project plan, and have a negotiated beginning and end. Work Groups or Natural TeamsWork groups, sometimes called "natural teams," have responsibility for a particular process (e.g., a department, a product line, or a stage of a business process) and work together in a participative environment. The degree of authority and autonomy of the team can range from relatively limited to full self-management. The participative approach is based on the belief that employees will be more productive if they have a higher level of responsibility for their work. Self-Managed TeamsSelf-managed teams directly manage the day-to-day operation of their particular process or department. They are authorized to make decisions on a wide range of issues, such as safety, quality, maintenance, scheduling, and personnel. Their responsibilities also include processes traditionally held by managers, such as goal-setting, allocation of assignments, and conflict resolution. The Value & Benefits of TeamsTeam processes offer the following benefits to the organization:
Individuals can gain the following benefits from teams:
Reasons Why Teams FailDifficulty with teams is often blamed on a cultural emphasis in the United States on individual accomplishments versus shared responsibility and success. But problems are also caused by inadequate organizational support structures, reward systems, for example, often reinforce individual performance. Numerous reasons have been noted for why teams often fail to reach their full potential. Among them are:
Team REsourcesEffective White-Collar Teams: The New Quality Imperative The work of white-collar teams must be aligned with strategic and operational goals, individual and team responsibilities, protocols, and personal relationships. Moving to a Team-Based Structure in Health Care Voluntary Enterprises, Inc., a subsidiary of Community Hospitals Foundation in Indianapolis, changed from a traditional reporting structure to a team-based approach, creating an environment of ownership among the people responsible for doing the work. Beyond Design: Implementing Effective Production Work Teams Achieving sustainable performance gains following the introduction of production work teams depends upon the design and management of the implementation process. Adapted from The Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Handbook, ASQ Press. Which term is the process of working well with others to achieve mutual goals?Collaboration means working with one or more individuals to complete a project or task or develop ideas or processes. In the workplace, collaboration occurs when two or more individuals work together toward a common goal benefiting the team or company.
What is the practice of working together to achieve a common goal?Teamwork and collaboration
Individuals with similar skills look to leaders to direct them toward a common goal. These teams win or lose as a collective, regardless of the efforts of any one individual. Collaboration, on the other hand, blends the unique strengths of each individual to produce results.
What is it called when a team operates effectively towards a common goal?Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a team to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way. This concept is seen within the greater framework of a team, which is a group of interdependent individuals who work together towards a common goal.
When two or more people work together to achieve the same goal it is called?Collaboration means two or more people working together to achieve a goal.
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