Step 3 — Identify Deficient Team Characteristics

• High scores indicate that the climate being measured has more of each team characteristic present than would be the case if a low score had been obtained.
• Groups with profiles that fall to the right are likely to be more effective than groups whose profiles fall to the left.
• Managers should be primarily concerned with poor performing groups whose profile falls on the left of Figure 2.
• Profile B represents a group that appears to have achieved a positive team climate.
• Profile A represents a group with numerous team characteristic deficiencies.
• From a team perspective, this group is clearly dysfunctional.
• Until some type of team intervention is undertaken, and a more positive team climate is created, management should not expect significant improvements in the group’s performance.

Step 4 - Use Pre-Established Decision Criteria to Select the Appropriate Intervention Sequence to Change Deficient Climate Characteristics

• It is unlikely that individuals managing a group with profile A will have the time, energy, or resources to attack all deficiencies simultaneously.
• Managers should therefore develop and consider a number of decision criteria that would help them address the issues of setting priorities and sequencing.
• When selecting and sequencing intervention strategies, the criteria presented in Table 2 should prove helpful.
• Managers should already have a detailed understanding of their environments.
• The actual team-building strategy, or set of strategies, selected by managers will reflect the unique characteristics of each situation.
• Managers must have an intimate understanding of the unit and the organization.
• There are four data-collection techniques that are capable of providing the necessary “Ks” — real-time observation, review of historical data, interviews, and questionnaires.

1. Ongoing observation and interaction: with group members and relevant others: This technique involves continuously observing and interacting with group members and other relevant individuals to gather information about the team and its dynamics. This can help managers gain a better understanding of the team’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

2. Ongoing data collection about organizational culture, structure, systems, process, and politics: This technique involves continuously collecting data about the organization’s culture, structure, systems, processes, and politics. This information can help managers understand the broader context in which the team operates and identify any organizational factors that may be impacting the team’s performance.
3. Follow-up interviews with group members: This technique involves conducting follow-up interviews with group members to gather more detailed information about the team and its dynamics. These interviews can provide managers with valuable insights into the team’s functioning and help identify areas for improvement.
4. Analysis of questionnaire subdimensions for further clarification: This technique involves analyzing the subdimensions of questionnaires completed by team members to gain a deeper understanding of the team’s functioning. This can help managers identify specific areas for improvement and develop targeted interventions to address them.