Simulation For Team And Individual Performance

This past week's course assignment was to participate in a simulation that allowed one to become actively involved with decision-making. The simulation assignment was to choose a team that could accomplish a task by a deadline. As a team leader, the object was to select individuals that could work effectively and efficiently throughout the assignment to complete a common goal.

The first assignment was to select four members out of six to establish a team. The selection began by reading each team member's biography. I believe it is important to select individuals with the appropriate expertise and personality that will positively influence the team. "Once the right people are on the bus, each person must be placed in the right seat" (Gellar, 2006, p.35). Therefore, team selection needs to be based on criteria that will allow the team to grow and reach a common goal. For example, a team leader should review similarities and differences to match the person with the correct task. I chose Daniel to assist in the self-help groups because he was a motivator, enjoyed working with individuals, and had a personable nature. I also believe one can use test such as the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) to select individuals based on personality-fit (Bringhurst, 2001, p. 104).

Because team selection is imperative, I reviewed the selected member's MBTI results using the descriptions stated in an article by Leonard and Straus (2001). Team selection included Lisa, John, Nicola, and Daniel. Each member was chosen because "bringing the right type of people to the table is critical to team effectiveness" (Snow and Mulrooney, 2002). Lisa was chosen because she had demonstrated a hard work ethic, she was a quick thinker, and she contributed to social causes. John was chosen because he was older and enjoyed training employees and was dedicated to work ethics as well. Nicola was chosen because she was supportive of teams, but could also work independently. Daniel was chosen because he was energetic and could bring non-conservative strategies to implement motivation; he was also chosen because he had a personable nature. The formed team was chosen because member's shared similar qualities such as work ethic and social awareness. However, team members' were also selected because of individual personality differences such as the need for challenge, ability to stay motivated and on task, and ability to work independently and in a team.

There are many factors to consider when managing teams effectively. For example, a team leader should "help people apply their talents effectively and realize self-accountability and self-motivation" (Geller, 2006, p 38). According to Geller, Jim Collins developed criteria to institute in groups to allow them to excel from good-to-great. Gellar (2006) reported qualities such as 1) selecting the right people for the job, 2) get the wrong people off the job, 3) Match talent and interest, 4) maintain a climate of honesty through communication and collaboration, 5) confronting members rather than avoiding conflicts, and 6) maintain a common goal and the existence of purpose. Creigton-Zollar and Hickman (1998) also reported strategic initiatives management can incorporate to develop successful teams. Managers can effectively guide teams by "providing resources such as time, training, funds, people and equipment; "talking and walking" teamwork, through verbal and visual actions; recognizing and rewarding teams and team players; communicating a vision, charter or broad goals; breaking down old paradigm and procedure barriers; and modeling teamwork so that management works as a team" (1998, p 194).

In order for managers to effectively manage teams, they need to understand team members' personality types because it can enhance the success of the organization (Bringhurst, 2001, p 104). The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality test that "is primarily concerned with the valuable differences in people that result from where they like to focus their attention, the way they like to take in information, they way they like to decide and the kind of lifestyle they adopt" (2001, p 104). The MBTI identifies 16 personality types that are expressed by 4 letters (2001). For example, the first letter stands for extrovert or introvert; second letter stands for sensing or intuition; third letter stands for thinking or feeling; and the fourth letter stands for judging or perceiving. Employees may complete task according to his/her personality type. For example, a person who is an extrovert may carry out assigned task more quickly than an introvert person. Extroverts may work effectively in larger teams as oppose to an introvert who works closely with small groups. A person who's personality is to sense, has the ability to take in information using sight, hearing, touch, smell or taste (Bringhurst, 2001, p 105). A person who is an intuitive thinker can not always explain reasoning and uses hunches, imagination, and/or inspiration to complete task (2001, p 105). The employee who has the thinking personality type "deals with information in a logical, rational manner" (2001, p 106). So, this person may need factual, researched material to complete task. The feeling type personality processes information according to their value system (2001, p 106). The person who has a judging personality type may seem to be controlling, but may want to "act as soon as relevant facts are at hand" (2001, p 108). "Perceivers prefer to keep their options open, being able to live with a high level of uncertainty in their lives, waiting until the last moment to decide" (2001, 9 108). In a team, someone who is a judger may need to take time for a person who is a perceiver because they often think through different avenues (2001, p 108).

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory that ranks human needs on an ascending scale according to how essential the needs are for survival (Hayhoe, 2004). The five levels in ascending order are physiologic needs, safety and security needs, love and belonging needs, self-esteem needs, and the need for self-actualization (Halepota, 2005). Hayhoe (2004) discussed how the needs of individuals must be motivated to higher productivity. Maslow's theory introduces individual behaviors are motivated by "unsatisfied needs and the lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs can be addressed" (2004). At the time of the simulation, it did not affect my choice because I did not incorporate the theory in decision-making. However, I would want to select members who felt they belonged to the team and could offer self-esteem to the addiction group.

After reviewing the simulation for the third time, I began to understand team