013136 Developing People and Teams

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

UTS: Education: Communication Studies
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade, no marks

Handbook description

This subject explores concepts of team development and contemporary perspectives for developing a team culture in organisations. It examines the nature and types of teams and techniques for improving the communication abilities of team leaders and team members. This subject considers strategies for building and maintaining best performing teams. Topics also include coaching and mentoring in teams, autonomy and empowerment, diversity and teams in global and virtual contexts.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On completion of the subject students should be able to:

Examine critically applied theory and research on developing a team culture in contemporary organisations;
Identify appropriate roles and corresponding abilities of team leaders and team members;
Determine appropriate strategies for building and maintaining different kinds of best performing teams;
Examine the dynamics of best performing teams in Australian and international organisations through documented case studies;
Analyse significant problems, issues or aspects of team building or team maintenance using contemporary literature;
Establish a foundation for continued self-directed learning and development in organisational teams related to professional practice.

Teaching and learning strategies

Students will typically experience the learning in this subject through the following processes and/or content that will be covered depending on the mode of delivery as face to face class sessions and/or distance: a combination of learning guide, lecture input, experientially based activities, seminar papers; structured discussions, small group/team work, case studies, workshops/tutorials, collaborative peer learning, online discussion groups, individual research and engagement in assignments to enable students to contribute and reflect on their own experience and to examine critically and apply current thinking in developing people and teams.
Mode of Delivery: Distance

Content

The major topics in this subject include:

Concepts of team development, team training and team ideology.
The nature of team-based culture in contemporary organizations and Japanese influences on applied scholarship on teams.
The nature and types of teams in contemporary organizations.
Concepts of a best performing team and team learning.
Leadership in a team environment: the changing roles of managers and leaders in team-based cultures.
Building and motivating effective teams.
Coaching and mentoring in teams.
Autonomy and empowerment in teams.
Implications for team work of change in organizations.
Diversity and teams in global and virtual contexts.
Team management issues and how teams can work better.

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Commentary on focus questions from at least three Sections of the Learning Guide

Objective(s):	1-6
Weighting:	40%
Length:	2500 words
Criteria:	This is a graded subject. All assessment will contribute to the final assessment. Grades will be awarded on the basis of the weighted individual grades gained in the various components of the assessment. Students will be assessed on the extent to which they demonstrate achievement of the subject outcomes and related content they select from the subject content list above. Grades will be awarded according to criteria below: HD High Distinction: work of superior quality on all facets of the assignment. This grade will also be given to recognise particular originality or creativity in your assignment. D Distinction: work of very good quality on all facets of the assignment, demonstrating a sound grasp of content together with efficient organisation and selectivity. C Credit: work of good quality showing clear understanding and indications of additional effort in all facets of the assignment. P Pass: work showing basic requirements on most facets of the assignment. R Resubmit: this grade will only be awarded under extenuating circumstances. A resubmission will not be recommended for inadequate or unscholarly work. Z Fail Assessment Criteria 1 and 2 must be met at a satisfactory standard for a pass level in the Assessment Task. In each Assessment Task we will be looking for evidence that: There is understanding of the subject content and appropriate application of it to the assessment task at a standard commensurate with postgraduate higher degree level of study and the work is expressed succinctly and clearly, with relevance and insight, in correct English; The written work is submitted on time by electronic copy in Menu location Turnitin submission in UTS Online and hard copy by regular post stamped on the due date, is of appropriate length (approximately 2,500 words maximum), is properly formatted and proofread and there is demonstrable quality of presentation in line with Faculty Referencing Procedures for acknowledging sources including a Reference List of at least 10 sources presented accurately according to standard Referencing Procedures. There is demonstration of reading, consultation and appropriate citation of relevant resource material (at least 10 sources) to enhance and comment on the issues under consideration; The work is original. The work should reflect a balance between consulted literature and your own critical and analytical thinking/appraisal about this literature and the frameworks and assumptions that underpin the subject; Ways are identified of using this learning to enhance the quality of your own workplace or professional context in relation to developing people and teams; There is evidence of ability to extract the core learning from the subject and articulate this learning as part of your personal theory of developing people and teams; Answers to the chosen Focus Questions from the Learning Guide are original and represent your own interpretations and reflections on a number of identified Focus Questions selected from at least three Sections from the eleven Sections in the Learning Guide (e.g. Focus Question 1.1; Focus Question 3.2 etc). The selection of Sections is different for Assessment Tasks One and Two.

Assessment Item 2: Commentary on focus questions from at least three Sections of the Learning Guide different from the three (or more) Sections selected for Assessment Task One.

Objective(s):	1-6
Weighting:	40%
Length:	2500 words
Criteria:	This is a graded subject. All assessment will contribute to the final assessment. Grades will be awarded on the basis of the weighted individual grades gained in the various components of the assessment. Students will be assessed on the extent to which they demonstrate achievement of the subject outcomes and related content they select from the subject content list above. Grades will be awarded according to criteria below: HD High Distinction: work of superior quality on all facets of the assignment. This grade will also be given to recognise particular originality or creativity in your assignment. D Distinction: work of very good quality on all facets of the assignment, demonstrating a sound grasp of content together with efficient organisation and selectivity. C Credit: work of good quality showing clear understanding and indications of additional effort in all facets of the assignment. P Pass: work showing basic requirements on most facets of the assignment. R Resubmit: this grade will only be awarded under extenuating circumstances. A resubmission will not be recommended for inadequate or unscholarly work. Z Fail Assessment Criteria 1 and 2 must be met at a satisfactory standard for a pass level in the Assessment Task. In each Assessment Task we will be looking for evidence that: There is understanding of the subject content and appropriate application of it to the assessment task at a standard commensurate with postgraduate higher degree level of study and the work is expressed succinctly and clearly, with relevance and insight, in correct English; The written work is submitted on time by electronic copy in Menu location Turnitin submission in UTS Online and hard copy by regular post stamped on the due date, is of appropriate length (approximately 2,500 words maximum), is properly formatted and proofread and there is demonstrable quality of presentation in line with Faculty Referencing Procedures for acknowledging sources including a Reference List of at least 10 sources presented accurately according to standard Referencing Procedures. There is demonstration of reading, consultation and appropriate citation of relevant resource material (at least 10 sources) to enhance and comment on the issues under consideration; The work is original. The work should reflect a balance between consulted literature and your own critical and analytical thinking/appraisal about this literature and the frameworks and assumptions that underpin the subject; Ways are identified of using this learning to enhance the quality of your own workplace or professional context in relation to developing people and teams; There is evidence of ability to extract the core learning from the subject and articulate this learning as part of your personal theory of developing people and teams; Answers to the chosen Focus Questions from the Learning Guide are original and represent your own interpretations and reflections on a number of identified Focus Questions selected from at least three Sections from the eleven Sections in the Learning Guide (e.g. Focus Question 1.1; Focus Question 3.2 etc). The selection of Sections is different for Assessment Tasks One and Two.

Assessment Item 3: Commentary on Focus Questions in up to four Online Discussion Forums Numbers 1,2,3,4

Objective(s):	1-6
Weighting:	20% (5% each) Not compulsory
Length:	500 words each, total approx 2,000 words
Criteria:	Contributions are assessed as Pass/Fail only according to the Assessment Criteria. The written contributions demonstrate the author's original thought in a respectful, collaborative spirit of discussion in an Online Discussion Group. The written contributions are of a standard commensurate with postgraduate higher degree level of study. Each contributor makes at least one original contribution of his/her own and replies to at least two other contributors – minimum expectation approximately 500 words. Contributions are made within the time frame of the Online Discussion Forum.

Required texts

There is no set textbook.

UTS Coursework Assessment Policy and Procedures Manual that may be downloaded at: http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/coursewkassess.html
Learning Guide for 013136 Developing People and Teams 2012 – download from UTS Online.
Reading Guide for 013136 Developing People and Teams 2012 – download from UTS Online or purchase in person or order to be posted from UTS Union Bookshop Broadway, Building 1 – CN number, price and Order Form in UTS Online.
Subject Outline for 013136 Developing People and Teams Spring Semester 2012 - download from UTS Online

References

Learning Guide for 013136 Developing People and Teams 2012 – download from UTS Online.
Reading Guide for 013136 Developing People and Teams 2012 – download from UTS Online or purchase in person or order to be posted from UTS Union Bookshop Broadway, Building 1 – CN number, price and Order Form in UTS Online.

Other resources

References

Biech, E. (Ed.) 2001, The Pfeiffer Book of Successful Team-building Tools, Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer, San Francisco.
Brooke, J. & Ham, A. 2003, ‘Coaching managers to become better team leaders’, Strategic Communication Management, vol. 7, issue 2, February/March, pp. 24 – 27.
Castka, P., Bamber, C. F., Sharp, J. M. & Belohoubek, P. 2001, ‘Factors affecting successful implementation of high performance teams’, Team Performance Management, vol. 7, no. 7/8, pp. 123 – 134.
Clutterbuck, D. 2004, ‘The challenge of virtual teams’, Training Journal, August, pp. 24 – 28.
Dionne, S. D. & Yammarino, F. J. 2004, ‘Transformational leadership and team performance’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 177 – 193.
Duarte, D. L. & Snyder, N. T. 2001. Mastering Virtual Teams: strategies, tools and techniques that succeed, 2nd edn, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, Part One Understanding virtual teams, Chapter 1 ‘Critical success factors’, pp. 3-24.
Earley, P. C. & Gibson, C. B. 2002, Multinational Work Teams: a new perspective, L. Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, N.J..
Erdem, F. 2003, ‘Optimal trust and teamwork: from groupthink to teamthink’, Work Study, vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 229 – 233.Dainty, P. & Kakabadse, A. 1992, ‘Brittle, Geber, B. 1992, ‘From manager into coach’, Training, February, pp. 25-31.
Gignac, F. 2005, Building Successful Virtual Teams, Artech House, Boston.
Godar, S. & Ferris, S. P. (eds). 2004, Virtual and Collaborative Teams: process, technologies, and practice, Idea Group Pub., Hershey, PA.
Goodbody, J. 2005, ‘Critical success factors for global virtual teams’, Strategic Communication Management, vol. 9, issue 2, February/March, pp. 18 – 21.
Green, G. 2003, Developing Teams, Capstone Publishing, Oxford.
Hoover, J. D. 2002, Effective Small Group and Team Communication, Harcourt College Publishers, Fort Worth, TX.
Jackson, E.E., Joshi, A. & Erhardt, N. L. 2003, ‘Recent research on team and organisational diversity: SWOT analysis and implications’, Journal of Management, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 801-830.
Johnson, D.W. & Johnson, F.P. 2006, Joining Together: group theory and group skills, 9th edn, Pearson Education Inc., Boston.
Jones, R., Oyung, R. & Pace, L. 2005, Working Virtually: challenges of virtual teams, IRM Press, Hershey, PA.
Jordan, P. J. & Troth, A. C. 2004, ‘Managing emotions during team problem solving: Emotional intelligence and conflict resolution’, Human Performance, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 195 – 218.
Lencioni, P. 2005, Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: a field guide for leaders, managers, and facilitators, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Lumsden, G. & Lumsden, D. 2004, Communicating in Groups and Teams: sharing leadership, 4th edn, Wadsworth, Belmont, California.
McGreevy, M. 2006, ‘Team working: part 1 – an evaluation of current thinking’, Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 259 – 264.
McGreevy, M. 2006, ‘Team working: part 2 – how are teams chosen and developed?’, Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 38, no. 7, pp. 365- 370.
Mealiea, L. & Baltazar, R. 2005, ‘A strategic guide for building effective teams’, Public Personnel Management, vol. 34, no. 2, Summer, pp. 141 – 160.
Senior, B. & Swailes, S. 2007, ‘Inside management teams: Developing a teamwork survey instrument’, British Journal of Management, vol. 18, December, pp. 138 –153.
Thyer, G. 2003, ‘Dare to be different: transformational leadership may hold the key to reducing the nursing shortage’, Journal of Nursing Management, vol. 11, pp. 73-79.
Wageman, R. 2001, ‘How leaders foster self-managing team effectiveness: Design choices versus hands-on coaching’, Organization Science, September-October, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 559-577.
Webber, S. S. 2002, ‘Leadership and trust facilitating cross-functional team success’, Journal of Management Development, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 201 - 214.
Welch, J. 2003, ‘The best teams are emotionally literate’, Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 168 – 170.
Wing, L. S. 2005, ‘Leadership in high-performance teams: a model for superior team performance’, Team Performance Management, vol. 11, no. 1/2, pp. 4 – 11.
Yeh, E., Smith, C., Jennings, C. & Castro, N. 2006, ‘Team building: a 3-dimensional teamwork model’, Team Performance Management, vol. 12, no 5/6, pp. 192 – 197.

Journals

Journal of Organizational Change Management
Leadership and Organization Development Journal
Management Education and Development
Management Learning
Organisations & People: successful development
Strategic Communication Management
Team Performance Management: An International Journal

Please also note that:
Specific Additional References will be provided in each of the eleven Sections in the Learning Guide for the subject 103136 Developing People and Teams.

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