Former Edward J. Frey Dean of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Leading Teams
What You'll Learn
- Learn how to build your team, and improve teamwork and collaboration.
- Establish roles, build structures, and manage decision making.
- Manage critical team processes such as conflict resolution.
4 Modules
12 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Leading Teams
In this course, you will learn how to build your team, improve teamwork and collaboration, and sustain team performance through continuous learning and improvement. Specifically, you will learn best practices for composing a team and aligning individual and team goals. You will also learn how to establish roles, build structures, and manage decision making so that your team excels. This course will also help you manage critical team processes such as conflict resolution and building trust that have a profound impact on your team’s performance. You will discuss some of the best ways to harness the productive potential of teams while mitigating the risks and traps of teamwork.
In modern organization, most of work is done in teams, yet the results of teamwork are exceptionally mixed. Many teams are poorly designed and structured, fraught with dysfunctional conflict, experience coordination breakdowns and serious motivation challenges. As a result, many teams fail to realize their potential and frequently underperform even individuals working on similar tasks. After completing this course, you will acquire a set of tools and practices that enable you to effectively set up, run, evaluate, and continuously improve your team. Such insights will both make you a more effective team leader but also a standout contributor in team settings.
Skills You'll Gain
- Leadership
- Management
- Team Building
- Team Management
- Team Motivation
- Teamwork
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Leading Teams, a course designed to help you build high-performing teams, improve collaboration, and sustain team performance through continuous learning. You will learn best practices for composing teams, aligning individual and team goals, establishing roles, managing decision-making, and navigating critical processes like conflict resolution and trust-building. Gain practical tools to lead effectively and contribute meaningfully in any team setting. This is the fourth course in the Leading People and Teams Specialization.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Designing Your Team for Excellence
- Video: 01.01 - Intro: Designing Your Team for Excellence
- Reading: Help us learn more about you!
- Reading: Introduction to Jeff Brodsky, Chief Human Resources Officer at Morgan Stanley
- Video: 01.02 - Designing Your Team with the Client in Mind
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Video: 01.03 - What is the Optimal Team Size?
- Video: 01.04 - Demographics: How Demographic Diversity Impacts Teams
- Video: 01.05 - Demographic Faultlines: Be Very Careful!
- Video: 01.06 - Personality: How Diversity in Personality Impacts Teams
- Video: 01.07 - Values-based Diversity in Teams (Part 1)
- Video: 01.08 - Values-based Diversity in Teams (Part 2)
- Video: 01.09 - Team Values and Person-Team Fit
- Reading: Introduction to John Beilein, Head Coach, University of Michigan Men's Basketball Team
- Video: 01.10 - Building a Collaborative Climate
- Video: 01.11 - Goal Setting in Teams
- Reading: Can You Compose Your Team With Too Many Stars
- Video: 01.12 - Managing Individual Expectations
- Video: 01.13 - Emphasizing Shared Goals
- Video: 01.14 - Avoiding Self-Similarity in Composing Teams
- Video: 01.15 - Recap: Designing Your Team for Excellence
- Reading: Notice for Auditing Learners: Assignment Submission
- Reading: Unit 1 Lecture Slides
- Graded: Designing Your Team for Excellence
Module 2: Structuring Your Team for Excellence
- Video: 02.01 - Structuring Your Team for Excellence: Apollo 13 Case Study
- Reading: Gene Kranz Video
- Video: 02.02 - Departmentation: How to Group and Organize Jobs in the Team
- Video: 02.03 - Centralization: How to Structure Decision Making in the Team
- Video: 02.04 - Rewards: How to Structure Rewards in the Team
- Reading: Rewarding Teams or Individual Stars
- Video: 02.05 - Team Rewards and Punishments
- Video: 02.06 - Virtuality: How to Manage Virtual Team Structures
- Video: 02.07 - Roles: How to Define and Organize Roles in the Team
- Video: 02.08 - Every Role Matters in Teams
- Video: 02.09 - Keeping Individuals Motivated When They Do Not Get Their Preferred Role
- Reading: Template: Team Charter
- Video: 02.10 - Norms: How to Create Productive Norms in the Team
- Video: 02.11 - Creating a Culture of Teamwork Through Norms and Expectations
- Video: 02.12 - Team Charters: A Tool for Designing Your Team
- Reading: Team Charter Documents
- Video: 02.13 - Recap: Structuring Your Team For Excellence
- Reading: Unit 2 Lecture Slides
- Graded: Structuring Your Team for Excellence
Module 3: Managing Team Dynamics
- Video: 03.01 - Coordination
- Video: 03.02 - Common Information Effect
- Video: 03.03 - Social Loafing
- Video: 03.04 - Language
- Video: 03.05 - Working Across Cultures
- Video: 03.06 - Managing Conflict
- Reading: Conflict Resolution from The Office
- Video: 03.07 - Resolving Task Conflicts
- Video: 03.08 - Recap: Manage Team Dynamics
- Reading: Unit 3 Lecture Slides
- Graded: Managing Team Dynamics
Module 4: Creating Sustainable Team Performance and Learning
- Video: 04.01 - Evaluating Team Performance
- Video: 04.02 - Assessing Performance
- Video: 04.03 - Managing Teammate Satisfaction
- Video: 04.04 - Managing Team Performance
- Video: 04.05 - Creativity
- Video: 04.06 - Psychological Safety
- Video: 04.07 - Engaging Your Team
- Video: 04.08 - Hit and Hug
- Video: 04.09 - Building a Safe Environment
- Video: 04.10 - Transactive Memory
- Video: 04.11 - Facilitating Team Learning
- Video: 04.12 - Learning from Adversity
- Video: 04.13 - Instilling a Learning Mindset
- Video: 04.14 - Manufacturing Team Success
- Video: 04.15 - Creating Sustainable Team Performance
- Reading: Unit 4 Lecture Slides
- Reading: Post-course Survey
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online!
- Graded: Creating Sustainable Team Performance and Learning
- Graded: Improving Your Team’s Performance
Grading Policy
Your performance will be assessed through graded assignments and peer-reviewed activities. The grading breakdown is as follows. Each of the first four module assignments is worth 15% of your final grade, while the final assignment is worth 40%. Successful completion of all assignments is required to earn a certificate.
Whirlpool Corporation Research Professor of Business Administration, Professor of Management and Organizations
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
