Page 305 - The Handbook for Quality Management a Complete Guide to Operational Excellence

292 C o n t i n u o u s I m p r o v e m e n t

Role Description
Aggressor Expresses disapproval by attacking the values, ideas, or
feelings of others; shows jealousy or envy
Blocker Prevents progress by persisting on issues that have
been resolved; resists attempts at consensus; opposes
without reason
Recognition-seeker Calls attention to himself/herself by boasting, relating
personal achievements, etc.
Confessor Uses group setting as a forum to air personal ideologies
that have little to do with group values or goals
Playboy Displays lack of commitment to group’s work by
cynicism, horseplay, etc.
Dominator Asserts authority by interrupting others, using flattery to
manipulate, claiming superior status
Help-seeker Attempts to evoke sympathy and/or assistance from
other members through “poor me” attitude
Special-interest Asserts the interests of a particular group; this group’s
pleader interest matches his/her self-interest

Table 13.11 Counterproductive Group Roles

The leader’s role includes that of process observer. In this capacity, the
leader monitors the atmosphere during group meetings and the behavior of
individuals. The purpose is to identify counterproductive behavior. Of
course, once counterproductive behavior has been identified, the leader
must tactfully and diplomatically provide feedback to the group and its
members.

Management’s Role
As discussed in Chap. 12 and earlier in this chapter, management plays a
key role in successful change efforts. Within improvement projects, they
provide a critical role as project sponsor, ensuring teams have the neces­
sary authority to investigate and implement changes, and resources are
allocated on a timely basis.
In addition to these critical responsibilities, perhaps the most important
thing management can do for a group is to give it time to become effective.
This requires, among other things, that manage ment work to maintain con­
sistent group membership. Group members must not be moved out of the
group without very good reason. Nor should there be a constant stream of
new people temporarily assigned to the group. If a group is to progress
through the four stages described earlier in this chapter, to the crucial per­
forming stage, it will require a great deal of discipline from both the group
and management.

13_Pyzdek_Ch13_p265-292.indd 292 11/9/12 5:14 PM