There is a vast amount of issues within the team of MBA’s which inhibit them from working proficiently. They exhibit all of the five dysfunctions of a team, with the biggest issues stemming from trust, commitment and accountability. The first problem exhibited is when Onyealisi arrives and Delery is surprised to see him there.
Onyealisi is usually not there because he undervalues their meetings. Delery’s reaction exhibits an absence of trust and a major lack of commitment from Onyealisi. Delery does not trust Onyealisi to even show up to help the group, negatively affecting his view of the team since everyone does not put in equal effort. Furthermore, Onyealisi has not read the required readings for the group project and is completely unprepared. He shows a total lack of accountability; all the group members are angry because he cannot participate.
The whole group has problems in general as well: Martin is ignored by her group members when she suggests ideas and Cooper asks for help from the group is shot down by Delery. This is a problem that leads to fear of conflict as Cooper will no longer ask for help and Martin will not share any of her ideas.
The biggest problem existing within the group is the absence of trust because that is the root problem that affects lack of accountability, low commitment, and even fear of conflict. The absence of trust is a fault of many group members, however the biggest troublemaker of the group causing problems is Onyealisi.
Good options for the team would include making and agreeing to a team contract and setting SMART goals with a schedule for each meeting. In the contract they could express their expectations for each other and decide collectively what is best from them. It could include punishment for missing deadlines, quality standards, and ensure everyone is prepared for each meeting.
Another choice is the SMART goals and agenda for meetings. This would cause focused and efficient meetings with order and everyone will know what they need to get done. The goal setting also provides something all the group members can collectively strive to do and why it is important. Both plans would improve cognitive and affective trust over time and would help resolve the lack of commitment and accountability.
I believe the best alternative plan is the team contract. It would to ensure that all members commit to important regulations that would lead to success. This would solve many issues, for example, group members do not properly prepare for meetings. There could be a clause in the contract stating people must be prepared for meetings or there will be punishment.
Additionally, it could force people to have their portion of projects done by the set deadline or there will be negative consequences. Goals should also be set in stone within the contract to let people know what they are working towards. A contract will bind all members to common goals and set standards to make sure they are accomplished.
To make this contract a reality, all group members must agree to sign and believe it will be a positive factor in their operation. Members then need to devote their attention in making sure the rules and regulations they create will lead to a productive team with clear goals. The new rules must solve all current issues in the team. The team members will sign this contract, understand the standards they are upheld to, and will perform more productively in trying to accomplish their smart goals. The team will be more committed, more accountable, and most importantly they will learn to trust each other if everyone follows the rules.
