Group types and group characteristics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Group types and group characteristics - Essay Example However, not all groups are formally authorized by the management. Nevertheless, well-managed groups can mean the difference between successful and unsuccessful organizations. According to Robbins and Coulter (2002), most teams are either, temporary or permanent, functional or cross-functional, and self-managed or supervised. Primarily, groups are mainly classified into formal and informal groups. Formal groups and teams are those that are created by managers (Jones and George 2009, 599). These include top-management teams, cross-functional teams, self-managed work teams, command groups, cross-cultural teams, task forces, virtual teams, and project teams. Informal groups are those that may be created organizational members. Informal groups like friendship groups and special interest groups, however, serve more of a social and recreational purpose (DuBrin 2012, 471). The top management team is a sort of cross-functional team that consists of members from each of the functional units or departments from across the organization, including finance, human resource, marketing, and so on. Cross-functional teams contain specialized members from each functional unit, who work together on a variety of tasks. Cross-functional teams may be assigned for a particular process that requires members from different areas of expertise. Self-managed work teams are formally recognized and consist of team members, generally employees, who are responsible for an entire project such as product or service development. Self-managed work teams are based around the concept of job enrichment which is why self-managed work teams are characterized by greater control and autonomy over their tasks and duties. Self-managed work teams also include self-directed teams and work teams (DuBrin 2012, 471). Members of a self-managed work team work together on an ongoing basis as opposed to members on a task force. Members are usually led by a team leader who is

Praise vs. Encouragement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Praise vs. Encouragement - Research Paper Example Parents, for instance, should look forward to praise and encourage their children for the hard work they put into their studies even if their final grades do not reflect it. There are many ways, both obvious, and subtle, that can be used for praising and encouraging. The most prominent method for praising children is through communication. Apart from communication, little gestures, such as a gentle pat on the back, or expressions can also boost up a child’s self esteem and morale. (Loh) There is a great deal of debate between professionals as to the best way to build self-esteem and cause positive reinforcement. Some experts say that praise is the best way, while others vouch towards encouragement. It is true that praise does uplift self esteem of a child but many experts believe that too much praising might actually result in a decreased level of self-worth. This is because by nature, praise injects competitiveness into a person and indirectly discourages cooperation. (Encouragement Is More Effective Than Praise in Guiding Childrens Behavior) For instance, consider a class in which two children, Andy and Bob, study. Both the children have been asked to draw a picture of bird. Both, Andy and Bob, have been working really hard throughout the weekend to finish their drawings. When they finally reveal it to their teacher, he says, â€Å"Bob! I love your drawing! It’s the best!† Even though this praise would boost up Bob’s morale, it will shatter that of Andy’s as he now thinks that Bob is a better artist than him. This would be a great source of discouragement for Andy and will affect his interest and performance in class in future. Therefore, what the teacher should have done is come up with a way by which Bob’s work could have been appreciated without hurting Andy’s feelings. This is where the importance of encouragement can be felt. Praise revolves around the judgments of elders, such as parents or