Description:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should possess the necessary skills to work in teams. Students should also be able assess and adjust their perceptions of how they should communicate within a team environment and to assess their own workplace expectations, values and methods of communicating as a basis for understanding how to improve communication with others to achieve a common goal. 1 hr. lecture/wk.

Supplies: Refer to the instructor’s course syllabus for details about any supplies that may be required.

Prerequisites: NONE

Textbook(s): For information see - http://bookstore.jccc.net

Course Fees: NONE

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Describe why organizations are adopting the use of teams.
2. Discuss how individual employees fit into this new environment and how a person’s values, workplace expectations, and personal history affect how he or she interacts with others.
3. Identify and discuss the benefits of teams to the organization and to the individual.
4. Demonstrate change in behavior needed to work effectively in teams as opposed to working to promote oneself.
5. Demonstrate the role of the team leader in relation to team members.
6. Analyze and explain how teams function.
7. Demonstrate process that can be used within teams to manage potential conflict and to assist the team in completing its tasks.
8. Identify how one can determine individual readiness to work in teams.
9. Describe and relate how teams decide if they are ready to move ahead and address problem situations.
10. Discuss and explain how one can assess a person’s team member style.
11. Discuss and explain why style diversity is important to a team’s functioning.

Content Outline & Competencies:

I. Teams: An Important Component
   A. Describe a team.
   B. Define a team player.
   C. List the benefits that result from using teams in business and
industry.
   D. Explain why teams are essential to high-performance organizations.
   E. Describe impediments to the creation of a team and its
effectiveness.

II. Characteristics of Effective Teams and Team Members
   A. Describe the characteristics of an effective team.
   B. Describe the basic dimensions of effective team behavior.
   C. Describe the characteristics of an effective team member.

III. Team Development: An Overview
   A. Describe how a team evolves.
   B. List and explain the specific stages of team development.

IV. Establishing the Team
   A. Summarize the essential components of an effective team.
   B. Define a performance goal.
   C. Demonstrate how team members are selected.
   D. Explore how a team should be oriented.
   E. Describe how team member styles affect team development.
   F. Assess readiness for team membership.

V. Responsibilities of Team Leaders and Members
   A. Recognize and describe what leadership is.
   B. Analyze and describe the characteristics of a leader.
   C. Differentiate between leadership and management.
   D. Distinguish the responsibilities ascribed to a team leader.
   E. Describe the responsibilities ascribed to a team member.
   F. Explain and demonstrate effective and ineffective behavior of team
leaders and members.

VI. Storming: Clarifying Diverse Individual Views and Their Origins
   A. Describe the storming stage of team development.
   B. Discuss the need for storming.
   C. Identify team tasks that must be mastered during storming.

VII. Storming for Norming: Clarifying and Agreeing on Team Process and
Task
   A. Define the norming stage of team development.
   B. Review how a team clarifies role expectations, values, and its
task.
   C. Establish what communication skills need to be practiced during
storming for norming.

VIII. Performing: Getting Started
   A. Explain the performing stage of team development.
   B. List team-building skills that must be mastered during the
performing stage.

IX. Team Processes: Ways to Communicate Clearly and Solve Problems
   A. Examine the team-building process.
   B. Identify what types of processes are used by teams to communicate
and to solve problems.
   C. Explain how communication and problem solving processes are
selected.

X. Monitoring Processes and Accomplishments and Reporting Results
   A. Define a team monitor process.
   B. List common process problems.
   C. Describe how a team resolves process problems.
   D. Show how a team reports monitor accomplishments.
   E. Show how a team reports performance results.

Methods of Evaluation of Competencies:

Evaluation of student mastery of course competencies will be accomplished using the following methods:

   Tests            60% of grade   
   Five Projects    40% of grade   
                   100%   

   Grading Criteria:
   90 - 100% = A
   80 -  89% = B
   70 -  79% = C
   60 -  69% = D
    0 -  59% = F

Caveats: NONE

Disabilities:

If you are a student with a disability, and if you will be requesting accommodations, it is your responsibility to contact Access Services. Access Services will recommend any appropriate accommodations to your professor and his/her director. The professor and director will identify for you which accommodations will be arranged.

JCCC provides a range of services to allow persons with disabilities to participate in educational programs and activities. If you desire support services, contact the office of Access Services for Students With Disabilities (913) 469-8500, ext. 3521 or TDD (913) 469-3885. The Access Services office is located in the Success Center on the second floor of the Student Center.