Diversified groups - Coursework Example

Diversified Groups Different groups working on a plant floor exhibit different levels of performance, with some performing better than others. The extent to which a group performs well depends upon a range of factors that include but are not limited to synergy and harmony among the group members, clarity of goals, strategic planning directed at achievement of goals, leadership and management of the group. The performance of a group depends upon the performance of the members it is composed of; “The energy and talent on teams comes from individuals” (March, 1991).

When the members in a group are talented and skilled, are clear about the goals they want to achieve and their individualistic and collective responsibilities in that, and deem the work more important than their personal ego, the group succeeds in achieving its goal. On the other hand, a group is likely to fail in achieving its goal when its members are not talented and skilled enough to play their individualistic roles in the achievement of goal, fight with each other over petty matters, and deem their personal ego more important than work.

Chances of success of a group, irrespective of the differences in the views, opinions, and approach of the members it is composed of, can be maximized with good management and leadership. Tom Ruddy, who has served at Xerox Worldwide Customer Services as a manager, comments on the strategy managers should adopt to make teams successful; “What we encourage [managers] to do is start off very slowly and keep the boundaries pretty tight…As the team starts to grow and expand, and take on responsibility, start moving those boundaries out” (Ruddy cited in HBR, 2008).

References:Harvard Business Review. (2008). Why Some Teams Succeed (and So Many Don’t). Retrieved from http://hbr.org/web/2008/12/why-teams-succeed. March, A. (1991). SOME TEAMS Work Better THAN OTHERS. Design Management Journal. 2(2), 49-53.