d standards, which are based on mutual understanding and commitment among team members, are established by determining conditions that will permit excellent performance. Such standards do not happen by accident; they are created by intent and become operational by conscious effort. Team members continually hold one another accountable for performance that meets these standards.”(13)My first day in this new group I was trying to be a conformist and start the process of developing some group cohesiveness with the other members. My very first task I was asked to do was to go flip the flags. In the last group I had come from, we followed the proper process for this procedure and I knew how to accomplish the task. Because I was following the proper procedures, this flipping of the flags took me all day, where it would have taken one of the other members about an hour due to the fact they had their own group norm process. As I was still working on this same task, the manager of our group came over and asked the lead of the group how I was doing right in front of me. The lead of the group who forgot to inform me about the group norm said that I was moving rather slow. I was shocked because I thought I had been working hard. After some discussion between my manager, my lead, and myself, we figured out why I had been working so slow and now my lead had some back peddling to do with our manager. Not a spot a new person on his first day in the group wishes to put his lead in. Lucky for me my lead was a fair guy and did not hold a grudge. Understanding the different group norms between one group and another is important if you wish to be a successful member of that group. One thing this experience taught me was when arriving in a new group, get your leads perception on what he thinks the job is, this can save you from some uncomfortable situations. In today’s complex business world working in groups is the way tasks are ac...
