High Performing Work Team Analysis

Organizations often use surveys or questionnaires to obtain information regarding employee satisfaction, the organizational issues impacting staff performance, perceptions of pay and benefits, organizational culture, etc.  Sometimes, questionnaires are used in classes for staff development and focus on behavioral styles, conflict styles, or team behaviors.  Additionally, they may be used to help intact teams or departments focus on and resolve team differences or performance issues. Many times, the questions themselves provide people with insight into what the organization expects from its employees.

In this assignment, you will imagine that you are part of a team that is not performing at a very high level. As a result all members of your team are completing this survey before you attend team training. You are to read the questions in the High Performing Work Teams Survey. You will analyze the questions, identify the trends you see in the questions, and discuss what you and your team members would learn by taking this survey.

Write 4 pages (not counting the cover or reference pages), summarizing the trends you identified, what you and your team members would learn from taking the survey, and conclusions about what is required of team members in order to create a high performing work team.  Outside academic sources must be included in this assignment, and you should integrate readings and concepts from our course materials.

Support your opinions and statements with a minimum of five references from sources published within the last ten years.  You can cite scholarly and practitioner-oriented journals, newspaper articles, YouTube videos

(but not Wikipedia, vendor websites, or other non-academic sources.)  The UMUC online library is a great source.  JSTOR, ABI INform, etc., are good databases that can be found in the UMUC library and UMUC librarians can help you identify appropriate sources.

Use APA format for citations, references, and quotations.  This means your list of references should start on a separate page, and should be double spaced, with a hanging indent and no spaces between entries.  Your report should be 4 pages (not counting the cover or reference pages), double spaced with one inch margins and a font size of at least 11 points.

High Performing Work Team Survey

The High Performing Work Team Survey appears below.  The criteria for grading this assignment follow the survey.

Mission:                                                                                                                                             5Items

1.   I understand what contributions I am expected to make to theorganization

2.   I understand how this team's performance will affect the business results of thecompany.

3.   I can describe the mission or why this teamexists.

4.   I understand the team's primarypurpose.

5.   Team members agree on the major work functions that our team is toperform.

Goals:                                                                                                                                                 5Items

6.   I understand the team'sgoals.

7.   I am highly motivated to achieve thegoals.

8.   I understand the team's long termgoals.

9.   I understand the standards for team quality andeffectiveness.

10.   This team has goals that are closely linked to the company'sgoals.

Roles:                                                                                                                                                 5Items

11.   I understand the role I am expected to perform for teamsuccess.

12.   Team members are handling all job functions that the team is required toperform.

13.   I understand what is expected of other teammembers.

14.   Team members maintain a clear focus on the high priority tasks that are to becompleted.

15.   At least one member of this team attempts to maintain positive/harmoniousrelationships.

Procedures:                                                                                                                                        5Items

16.   We have procedures that encourage members to participateequally.

17.   We have procedures for providing feedback directly to teammembers.

18.   We have procedures for handling the common problems or unexpectedevents.

19.   Agendas are distributed before each teammeeting.

20.   Follow-up dates are set when actions are agreedupon.

Relationships:                                                                                                                                    5Items

21.   I am encouraged to express my ideas even when my ideas disagree with themajority.

22.   Team members live up to theirpromises.

23.   Team members listen to me even when they disagree withme.

24.   Team members have given me positive feedback andrecognition.

25.   Team members solicit ideas and help fromme.

Effectiveness:                                                                                                                                     5Items

26.   This team usually completes tasks and meets itsdeadlines.

27.   The team is fulfilling its purpose ormission.

28.   Team meetings areefficient.

29.   Team meeting end up with all topics and workcompleted.

30.   This team is effective compared to otherteams.

Satisfaction:                                                                                                                                       5Items

31.   I am satisfied with my job and responsibilities on thisteam.

32.   I get a sense of personal enjoyment being a member of thisteam.

33.   Morale is high on thisteam.

34.   The team pulls together as aunit.

35.   My skills and knowledge are fully used on thisteam.

ConflictResolution:                                                                                                                            5Items

36.   Differences in style and opinion areencouraged.

37.   Team members are allowed to bedifferent.

38.   Problems and conflicts are resolved with solutions that meet the needs of everyoneinvolved.

39.   Problems and conflicts are confronted until they areresolved.

40.   When team members disagree, they listen openly to eachother.