The following slides represent a one-hour lecture designed to provide masters-level students undertaking team-based design projects (both MBA's and engineers) with an appreciation for the influence team dynamics will have on their own performance, satisfaction, and learning. I originally developed this lecture to avoid much of the pain and frustration I observed in student design teams, and have since presented it in a number of different courses in engineering and business schools.
This lecture is intended for students involved in team-based projects who have some experience in teamwork but little or no knowledge of organizational behavior and social psychology. The lecture introduces the concept of teams, make students aware that there has been considerable research on the subject, and offer students a vocabulary for recognizing and discussing issues surrounding team dynamics.
The underlying point I try to make with this talk is that teams carry
with them unavoidable difficulties, but that awareness of the nature and
potential influence of team dynamics and a willingness to talk about them
can mean the difference between good and bad experiences.