Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior - Soltanieh ...

312 GERARDO A. OKHUYSEN AND BETH A. BECHKY
system that allows group members to spot problems and opportunities sooner. Groups
that are mindful and attentive to such cues can respond more quickly (Levinthal and
Rerup, 2006 ; Weick and Sutcliffe, 2001 ). This is especially true when group members
have developed a routine for working together, either because they know each other well
(Eisenhardt, 1989 ) or because they act on well - rehearsed roles (Bechky and Okhuysen, 2008 ;
Edmondson, Bohmer, and Pisano, 2001 ). Therefore, when situations arise, members can go
right to the problem, rather than groping about for relevant information. In addition, the
development of distinct roles helps the information gathering process by ensuring that multiple
perspectives are always represented (Eisenhardt, 1989 ), which in turn increases the
potential range of action in the group (Schweiger, Sandberg, and Rechner, 1989 ).
For many teams concerned with fast performance, real - time information gathered by
group members and shared together creates a collective intuition, a store of knowledge
based on the experiences of the group that is related to the challenges they face over time.
Through their experience, members develop an ability to build linkages among seemingly
disparate pieces of information and to recognize and process information in blocks or patterns
(Isenberg, 1986 , 1988 ). Through repeated exposure to data, these patterns become
recognizable, often subconsciously, even when there is only a small amount of current
information available. This pattern processing is faster and more accurate than processing
single pieces of information or waiting for additional information, and is a useful result of
previous experience. Through the development of a collective knowledge base, all group
members can also tap into relevant experiences when new situations appear (Thompson,
Gentner, and Loewenstein, 2000 ), allowing them to make sense of complex situations
quickly and elaborate responses to surprises (Bechky and Okhuysen, 2008 ). This “ collective
intuition ” can help a group become faster and more effective in its work.
FOSTERING PRODUCTIVE TASK CONFLICT
A second reason that this combination of tactics builds effective group process is that the
intense interaction creates groups whose members are more likely to disagree. Familiarity
and friendship make such frank conversation easier because group members are less
constrained by politeness and more willing to express diverse views (Okhuysen, 2001 ). In
situations where developing this interpersonal familiarity is not possible, such as fi lm crews
where strangers come together for a few weeks to complete a shoot or emergency trauma
teams in hospitals whose membership is constantly changing, the presence of strong roles
can substitute for familiarity (Bechky, 2006 ; Klein, Ziegert, Knight, and Xiao, 2006 ). The
presence of well - defined roles in these groups instantly achieves two objectives. First, it
brings different perspectives to bear on a problem because each role represents a different
point of view. Second, because each member is expected to be an expert in his or her role,
bringing up problems or disagreements is a natural part of the role - based structure.
The familiarity that group members develop through their intense interactions is also
one element that allows them to disagree in the short term, and yet still get along in the
long term (Valley, Neale, and Mannix, 1995 ). Familiarity in a group develops as a consequence
of the interactions among members and is constantly reinforced as members discover
information regarding the expertise and preferences of their co - workers (Reagans,
Argote, and Brooks, 2005 ). For groups where the deliberation of decisions is important,