When Teams Fail in Organizations: What Creates Teamwork Breakdowns?

Sims, Dana E.; Salas, Eduardo

doi:10.4337/9781847207081.00026

Cited by 21 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…Various problems with pre-intervention working conditions have been shown to limit participation in intervention activities and the extent to which employees were exposed to the changes in existing procedures associated with the intervention (Nielsen & Randall, 2009; Randall, Cox, & Griffiths, 2007). Evidence for this effect has also been found in studies of teamwork where poor implementation has been observed in settings characterized by poor pre-intervention levels of interpersonal relations (including team conflict), low coordination of work tasks and a lack of individual autonomy (Sims & Salas, 2007). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

The importance of employee participation and perceptions of changes in procedures in a teamworking intervention

2012

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The powerful positive results of implementing teamwork are not always achieved. It has been suggested that attempts to implement theories regarding teamwork do not always lead to those theories being put into practice, and as a result positive outcomes are not always found. The participation of employees in the development and implementation of an intervention may help to ensure that changes take place. In this longitudinal study (N = 583) of teamwork implementation in Denmark we examined the links between pre-intervention working conditions and well-being, levels of participation in planning and implementation, employees’ reports of changes in procedures, and intervention outcomes. Pre-intervention levels of autonomy and job satisfaction predicted the degree of employee participation in the planning and implementation of the intervention. Pre-intervention well-being and social support were linked directly to the degree to which employees reported changes in existing work practices concerning teamwork. In addition, participation and changes in work procedures were significantly associated with post-intervention autonomy, social support and well-being. The results indicate that employee participation in intervention processes is crucial in what appears to be an important association with perceived changes in procedures and, therefore, in intervention outcomes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

The importance of employee participation and perceptions of changes in procedures in a teamworking intervention

2012

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“…For this reason, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) emphasises the importance of teamwork skills, especially cooperation (NASA, ). Where motivation to cooperate as a team is lacking, the team invariably falls apart (Knight, Durham, & Locke, ; Sims & Salas, ). Nijstad and De Dreu’s () motivated information processing in groups model (MIP‐G) supports this conclusion.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of a Context‐Specific Primed Goal on Goal Commitment and Team Performance

Latham

Brcic

2019

Applied Psychology

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The effect of a context‐specific prime for cooperation on goal commitment and team performance were examined. In the first experiment, the participants (n = 139) performed the Lost on the Moon simulation (Hall & Watson, 1970) individually and as a team (n = 50). The teams were randomly assigned to a condition where they were assigned the same goal. They were then primed (n = 23) through a photograph of cooperation or to the control condition (n = 27). Consistent with NASA’s directions for performing the simulation, performance was measured by how well a team performed relative to the answers of experts, namely, staff at NASA. The results showed that a primed behavioural goal to cooperate has a positive effect on team performance. These results were replicated in a second and third experiment involving a social dilemma where both a pro‐social, group‐centric goal and a pro‐self, egocentric goal could be self‐set for the amount of points to make. Thus the positive effect of a goal primed for cooperation on a team’s performance was shown to be robust even when there was an explicit mixture of cooperative and competitive incentives. This finding was replicated in a third experiment with actual money. Consistent with goal setting theory, commitment to the team’s goal moderated the primed goal‐performance relationship.

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“…Effective coordination is a primary driver behind positive team outcomes. Coordination can be defined as the enactment of behavioral mechanisms necessary to perform a task and transform team resources into outcomes (Sims & Salas, ). Behavioral mechanisms are undoubtedly vital for effective team processes and outcomes.…”

Section: Core Processes and Emergent Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on the existing literature, organizational leaders and others involved in the management of teams should critically scrutinize team coordination when developing and assessing teams, as effective coordination helps to ensure positive outcomes, while breakdowns in coordination can lead to increases in errors, misunderstandings, and ultimately derail performance (Sims & Salas, ). In terms of specific recommendations, it is first critical that team member roles are defined prior to performance in such a way that they are clear yet not overly rigid (Salas, Rosen, Burke, Goodwin, & Fiore, ).…”

Section: Core Processes and Emergent Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding and Improving Teamwork in Organizations: A Scientifically Based Practical Guide

Salas

Shuffler

Thayer

et al. 2014

Human Resource Management

Self Cite

366

315

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Teams are pervasive in today's world, and rightfully so as we need them. Drawing upon the existing extensive body of research surrounding the topic of teamwork, we delineate nine “critical considerations” that serve as a practical heuristic by which HR leaders can determine what is needed when they face situations involving teamwork. Our heuristic is not intended to be the definitive set of all considerations for teamwork, but instead consolidates key findings from a vast literature to provide an integrated understanding of the underpinnings of teamwork—specifically, what should be considered when selecting, developing, and maintaining teams. This heuristic is designed to help those in practice diagnose team‐based problems by providing a clear focus on relevant aspects of teamwork. To this end, we first define teamwork and its related elements. Second, we offer a high‐level conceptualization of and justification for the nine selected considerations underlying the heuristic, which is followed by a more in‐depth synthesis of related literature as well as empirically‐driven practical guidance. Third, we conclude with a discussion regarding how this heuristic may best be used from a practical standpoint, as well as offer areas for future research regarding both teamwork and its critical considerations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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When Teams Fail in Organizations: What Creates Teamwork Breakdowns?

Cited by 21 publications

References 0 publications

The importance of employee participation and perceptions of changes in procedures in a teamworking intervention

The importance of employee participation and perceptions of changes in procedures in a teamworking intervention

The Effect of a Context‐Specific Primed Goal on Goal Commitment and Team Performance

Understanding and Improving Teamwork in Organizations: A Scientifically Based Practical Guide

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