Page 72 - (DK) The Business Book

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NONE OF US

IS AS SMART

AS ALL OF US

THE VALUE OF TEAMS

IN CONTEXT
Teams help to
FOCUS Human beings generate a sense
Teamwork like to belong. of place and
counter anomie.
KEY DATES
1924–1932 The Hawthorne
Studies, conducted by
Elton Mayo, highlight the
importance of groups in None of us
affecting the behavior is as smart
of individuals at work. as all of us.
1930s The Human Relations
Movement is sparked by Mayo’s
work. It proposes that worker
Organizations Successful teams
satisfaction and productivity
can be thought of provide an
depend on careful management
as a collection environment
and consideration of groups.
of teams. for new ideas.
1940s As a result of Abraham
Maslow’s findings, and
the earlier work of Mayo,
businesses begin to recognize
e might complain about and familiarity of belonging to a
the value of teamwork.
routine and familiarity, group helps people to avoid anomie,
21st century Workplace W but research shows and find security and purpose.
design moves from the solo that human beings have an innate The existence of groups serves
workspaces and closed offices need for some degree of stability. two purposes. Organizations, and
Without rules, norms, values, and the groups within them, can be
of the 20th century to open
expectations, people begin to feel seen as an expression of the human
layouts that encourage
anxious, rootless, and confused. desire to belong. As psychologist
collaborative working.
This is termed “anomie,” and it is Abraham Maslow identified in his
the reason that humans often self- 1943 paper “A Theory of Human
organize into groups. The routine Motivation”, groups give us a sense