The topic I chose to address this week is from unit 6: synergy. This unit really stuck out with me as I have the benefit to work in manufacturing. Teams are encouraged and are vital to the delivery of the completed product. The hierarchy of the organization goes as follows: individual operators (mechanics, machinists, etc.), then shift teams, to production cells, then to business units, and from there enterprise groups, to the organization as a whole. Each division allows for team members to play an integral role in the process, while working as a tight knit team to ensure that the final product is made with first pass quality and timely delivery.
The text goes into more specific detail on the role of teams and team work when they state that a “team [is] number of persons associated in some joint action, while teamwork is described as a cooperative or coordinated effort by persons working together.” (Moran et. al., 2014) This is illustrated in the graphic below; fish within the school is considered the team swimming in a common direction towards a shared destination; it’s not until the team works towards a common goal (in this case, the shark) that teamwork is seen when the fish find strength in their numbers to face challenges.
The lesson goes into further detail on synergy when they discuss that often times the largest hurdle to overcome when trying to establish synergy is new members. Stating that “when we work with someone new we get frustrated, not because that person doesn’t know the job, but because that person isn’t a true member of the team yet, and as such misses out on implied cues.” (OLEAD 410, 2019) In my organization this is referred to as “tribal knowledge”, it’s the knowledge on techniques or processes that aren’t written in books but that everyone knows, or is expected to know. This process can be made difficult for many of the workers in manufacturing when language barriers present themselves. In this situation patience, repetition, and remaining calm are paramount to ensuring that expectations are made clear, and that sensitivity to one’s culture and communication level are respected; this is important to remember because “membership in a group partly deprives the individual of the freedom he or she craves but has to sacrifice in order to be predictable in the group.”(This Solution, 2017)
Lastly the lesson expands on this by noting that hurdles can also be overcome by acknowledging what type of culture an individual is coming from. It’d be unrealistic to expect someone culturally diverse from you to hop into a team atmosphere if they are coming from an individualistic culture where “they allow members of society to pursue individual goals somewhat at the expense of the group by allowing aggressive and competitive behaviors (Moran et al., 2014)”. The reverse can be said when the expectation is for someone to function autonomously when coming from a collectivist culture where the workload is shared and completed together.
Teams are the framework for any successful organization because it allows major projects to be handled in more manageable pieces. This is provided the team functions beyond that of a group level, and teamwork is distributed evenly and to the strengths of the team members. Adversity can also be handled easier when team mates are patient with new members and give a reasonable amount of accommodation as the new member learns existing “tribal knowledge”. Doing these things allow everyone in the organization to feel like a contributor and respected.
Sources:
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., Moran, S. V., & Harris, P. R. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Admin, Blog. “How to Make Teamwork WORK in Your Business.” This Solution, This Solution, 18 Apr. 2017, https://thissolution.com/how-to-make-teamwork-work/.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2019). OLEAD 410 Lesson 6: Cultural Synergy. Retrieved October 13, 2019 from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2008449/modules/items/27026976
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