Team Planning Worksheet

Name

PART 1: Review the business problem and team member profiles within the Team Planning Activity.  Then fill in the charts below to select the team members for the problem-solving team, create a team communication plan, and answer the questions about delegating responsibilities and resolving conflict.

PART 2: Select three members to be part of the team and give the rationale for each of your decisions. Don’t forget to include the 4^th team member assigned by your manager. 

Name	Current department	Explain the reasons for including this specific functional area in an organizational team in terms of the advantages offered.	What role would this individual fill on the team?
Example: Owen Davidson	Example: Distribution, Truck Driver	Example: It is essential to get the perspective of the Operations functional area and ensure the supply chain team is involved in the problem-solving since they will be the ones that will have to implement the solution.	Example: Owen is known as a team player, and because of all his connections, he will be the team’s information gatherer.
Sam Law	Logistics	His knowledge of logistics can be essential in identifying the weaknesses in the current structure, systems, and misalignment in the individual operating components of the logistics network of the business.	Sam’s ability to spot problems easily can help the team identify which particular area of the downstream supply chain is inefficient which results in high fulfillment times.
Benny Jackson	Operations management	Benny’s insights about the components of operations management that are directly related to the logistics activities and the other activities supporting the logistics function of the business can help the team to delve deeper into the problem that can also be related to human errors.	Being analytical is vital in confronting logistics issues, especially since Amazon takes pride in its timely fulfillment. Logistics is also the core of the company’s eCommerce business, therefore, insights from the operations management viewpoint are integral in resolving this issue.
Valerie Smalls	Communications	Valerie’s knowledge in communications as it is applied in operations management and logistics is essential in evaluating the issues that affect efficient coordination across the logistics chain, especially in the downstream area of the supply chain. Valerie’s recommendation can help Sam to look at the situation from a different viewpoint outside of the technicalities of logistics activities.	Communication is vital in logistics coordination. Valerie’s knowledge of communications can help the team in identifying coordination dilemmas in each function of the logistics that contribute to the reported delays.
Jay Colby	Logistics	Jay’s long-term experience in the logistics field is vital in an expanded view of the situation. His tenure in the company makes him an expert in logistics, therefore, his insights are critical in diagnosing the problem that leads to reported delays in order fulfillment.	Jay’s tenure in the company is vital in providing insights into the changes that have occurred in the business. He can support or challenge the ideas presented by Sam and Benny about the operational component of logistics and specific activities that are causing the delays in the fulfillment of orders.

PART 3: Create a communication plan that includes recommendations for how the team will connect daily, weekly, and over the course of the project. Include innovative, reliable technology strategies where possible. Use proper spelling and grammar. Your plan should be 1–2 paragraphs.

The team will employ electronic emails for data sharing and updates concerning the progress of individual tasks. The team will also hold scheduled weekly face-to-face meetings where major progress will be shared. Members of the team are encouraged to use emails as often as possible, sending timely discoveries or findings about the dilemma. Urgent emails must be labeled as such, and every member of the team is recommended to provide a proper subject heading for each mail sent to everyone. It is recommended that everyone use the company-assigned email to streamline digital communication.  Collaboration software will also be employed to synchronize scheduling for updates, inter-team correspondence, and reporting. The software will be approved by the management and will be used for the duration of the planning period. Updates within the team can also be sent via chat rooms (Facebook, Viber, or Whatsapp chat groups) to let everyone know about new information shared via emails. A chat group will be used as a backup for individuals who have limited capacity to access a stable internet connection and are unable to access the assigned team planning software. It is also recommended that all information are shared only through emails and not via chat group platforms.

PART 4: Solving the Business Problem and Delegating Tasks

Business Problem

The logistics function (warehousing, trucking, inventory, etc.) is having a problem with channels of distribution. Some customers have recently complained that their orders are delayed 2-3 weeks, while others have praised the company for delivering the orders in advance. It will require a cross-functional team to study and problem-solve the situation.

List the steps to solve the distribution problem and then select team members who could be responsible for the task based on their business skills and soft skills.

Step	Action	Team member(s)	List business skills from their function	Describe effective team characteristics and explain how those characteristics would support a team effort
example	Identify and define the problem, gather information	Owen	Example: List members and their work-related strengths that will help define the problem.Example: Owen—knowledge of inventory from the trucking perspective, understands the delivery schedule problems.	List soft skills that will help accomplish this task.Example: Owen—understands the problem from the customer’s perspective from delivery problems. He is a team player and can see all sides of a problem.
1	Problem diagnosis	Sam LawBenny Jackson	Sam is a logistics expert and delays in fulfillment time are a core logistics issue. Therefore, his awareness of the reported inefficiencies can be used to effectively diagnose the problem. Benny, on the other hand, has operations management knowledge that he can share about the problem mentioned. For instance, he can identify problems that affect the efficiency of warehouse activities.	Sam is a creative thinker and he can use this skill to examine the situation from a different viewpoint. Benny’s analytical skills are vital in problem diagnosis because he can examine pieces of information available to the team related to the reported issue.
2	Data collection (Customer feedback)	Valerie SmallsJay Colby	Valerie’s expertise in communication can help identify indicators from customer reviews and feedback. Valerie can also use coordination reports from delivery personnel to determine problems that affect timely logistics coordination. Jay’s expertise in logistics is critical in identifying coordination problems across the individual logistics functions and components.	Valerie can adapt well, therefore, she can work well with her teammates even under pressure.  Jay’s ability to see “the bigger picture” is essential in helping the team to understand the interrelatedness of the different logistics areas and operations management components.
3	Data Analysis	Sam LawBenny JacksonValerie SmallsJay Colby	Sam can lead the evaluation of pertinent information collected by Valerie and Jay.  Jay can use his capacity to identify issues that have not been recognized by his teammates.	Sam’s creative thinking capability can be used by the team to examine the situation from various viewpoints. As such, the team can also adopt the same thinking approach. Jay can help his teammates to adopt different ways of recognizing hidden problems.
4	Recommendation and Solution	Sam LawBenny JacksonValerie SmallsJay Colby	Sam’s recommendation will reflect the findings from the logistics side of the business, mainly to address the specific area(s) where inefficiency is identified.  Benny can examine the data using the “what if” scenario that he is good at.Benny’s recommendation will incorporate insights from operations management areas that are directly related to the logistics function.  Valerie can use her communications expertise to provide recommendations to resolve the problems affecting logistics coordination. Jay can provide an innovative solution to further the recommendation provided by Sam.	Sam’s deep knowledge of logistics is essential in the creation of a solution that will be most applicable to the current situation and needs of the business.  Benny’s analytical capabilities can be leveraged in data analysis. This can also be used to facilitate teamwork in analyzing data.  Valerie’s capability to adapt to situations makes her a good team player. Jay’s creative approaches and thinking can inspire the members of the team to tap on non-conventional solutions.

PART 5: Conflict Resolution

Describe strategies that will be used to avoid and resolve conflicts between members of the team.Also consider the consequences of not addressing the conflict.Use proper spelling and grammar. Your response should be 1–2 paragraphs.

It is natural for the members of the team to have disagreements, misunderstandings, and conflicts, given the differences in the personalities and behavior of the members of the planning team. Conflict management within the team is essential and must not be overlooked because it can significantly affect the outcomes of the planning program (Black et al., 2019). First, conflicts within the team cannot be avoided, but they can be managed. One way to do this is by establishing a set of norms that will guide the communication, coordination, information sharing, and discussions. Having these guidelines will ensure that the team will behave, perform, and do their respective tasks. Norms can also ensure that the members of the planning team will avoid personal needs and wants, even if it is difficult to secure that personal interests will not affect people’s feedback. Second, meetings must be well-planned. Agendas must be clearly stated, meeting procedures must be observed, and assigned roles must be respected (Bens, 2018).When conflicts have become inevitable, proper action must be taken. Different conflict management styles determine the appropriate level of cooperative and competing behaviors that can affect the performance of the team and the results of the planning. Conflicts can also be resolved with the use of rules and policies, similar to team norms, but this will not address poor attitudes that contribute to the emergence of the conflict (Black et al., 2019). It is recommended to provide the members of the team the opportunity to “vent” where their voices can be heard (Bens, 2018). This is followed by the opportunity to resolve the issue or conflict, by ensuring that the members of the team acknowledge the presence of the conflict (de la Pena et al., 2017). When the problem is acknowledged, then, this will set the tone for how the conflict will be addressed.

PART 6: Conclusion

Summarize how your plan will result in an effective team that will contribute to organizational success. Use proper spelling and grammar. Your summary should be 1–2 paragraphs.

The plan discussed in this report can contribute to the creation of an effective team to ensure successful planning outcomes. The plan leverages the strengths and capabilities of the selected individuals whose knowledge, skills, and expertise are critical in the diagnosis, analysis, and resolution of the dilemma related to the delays in Amazon’s fulfillment time. Since the logistics function of an organization is supported by different capabilities, the participation of the selected individuals to form the planning team is vital in looking at the different areas that may have potentially contributed to the occurrence of the reported dilemma. The information presented in this plan attempts to incorporate insights into the benefits of merging individual strengths and capabilities to harness a team environment that is guided by cooperative interaction among its members. Conflicts are also likely to occur in the team organized for the planning program, and it is essential that the right management and intervention approach must be selected by evaluating key considerations that will make the conflict strategy appropriate for the situation. Exploring a variety of conflict management strategies and approaches is vital in ensuring that the team can fulfill the objectives of the planning program. Unresolved conflicts, after all, can hinder the success of teamwork, cooperation, and positive inter-team dynamics that will generate a myriad of insights to address the logistics problems with Amazon’s fulfillment performance.

References

Bens, I. (2018). Meetings that Work. Facilitating with ease: Core skills for facilitators, team leaders and members, managers, consultants, and trainers (4th ed.). Wiley. https://capella.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?assetid=RW$160591:_ss_book:142564#summary/BOOKS/RW$160591:_ss_book:142564 

Black, J., Bright, D., Gardner, D., Hartmann, E., Lambert, J., Leduc, L. … Weiss, J. (2019). Chapter 14: Conflict and Negotiations. Organizational Behavior. Openstax. https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/14-3-resolving-conflict-in-organizations 

de la Pena, D., Jone, A., Hester, R. T., Hou, J., Lawson, L. J., & McNally, M. J. (2017). Chapter 4: Calming and Evoking. Design as democracy: Techniques for collective creativity (1st 2017. ed.). Island Press. ProQuest eBook Central