Case Analysis

Team Turmoil

The current situation and existed issues of the learning team
Only three weeks into the MBA program at a famous school in the eastern United States, a learning team was in trouble. Teamwork turmoil impaired the team atmosphere and hindered progress. Especially on one night group study, the problem boiled over. Some members just benefited from others’ efforts and easily gained key points. Others were occupied with their personal lives instead of work. Besides, some laughed at others analysis. In addition, disagreement with the key points worsened the situation, eventually, the team split into several distinct parts. Tony Marshall, the learning team mentor, had no idea how to effectively
Therefore, an uneven degree of each understanding may affect the outcome.

c. Adjust the team schedule and set new criteria
Rearrangement of the team schedule, including identifying tasks for each member, assigning responsibility and deadlines, introducing new criteria to evaluate everyone’s behavior would be a solution to the turmoil situation. Pros: When there are specific criteria to regulate and evaluate conduct and behavior, people tend to behave under the measurable criteria. So the problem that one just benefits from others’ effort may be avoided, since the new criteria rules demand each member should objectively assume duty and work in the team. Additionally, this alternative is measurable and provides control outcomes for the mentor.
Cons: The alternative seems to solve the problem by keeping everything in a good order under a new regulation and criteria. However, the approach obeys the principal goal of learning team, namely making each one in it be a member and also a leader. The new criteria transform a self-managed team originally to a group that had a designated leader, which definitely goes against the original intention of the learning team.

Recommendation
After careful consideration, I believe discussing meaning of teamwork with all members through watching or having an athletic game is the best choice for