The Effects of Leader Absence on a Confrontation Team-Building Design

Abstract

Leader absence in a confrontation team-building session illustrates the critical role the Chief Executive Officer plays in a successful OD effort. In this study, six natural teams (family groups) and one cousin group participated in a 6-day confrontation team-building session. Five of the six natural teams, however, met without the Chief Executive Officer of their respective organizations. Although each team experienced the same design and environmental constraints, only the team with the leader present evidenced growth during the 6-day session, as measured by the Likert Profile of Organization and Performance Characteristics and the Group Behavior Inventory. The remaining six teams either retrogressed or remained unchanged.