Oscillation during Team Preservation
The guiding distinction organisational motivation/member motivation with regard to team parameters is an expression of a paradox. Their processing, like with all paradoxes, leads to oscillating effects.
If the team looks at the concerns of the organisation, it means this: relinquishing a veto and overruling the team members, abandoning the concerns and needs of the individual and making compromises which some do not like etc. This easily leads to demotivation, a feeling of functionalisation (“But we don’t count for anything here!”). The counter-direction then consists of increased consideration of individual interests (such as when an organisational unit is constructed ‘around’ someone), or the weakening of a leader and a power differentiation in the team. As a result, the team functions less as a whole, usually the reputation suffers in the organisational environment and the conflicts increase. This, in turn, creates a need to strengthen the authority of the group and the contribution of its task to the organisation. Thus, one curtails the autonomy of the team members.
The oscillating sequence then looks like this: clear focus on the complete task >> limitations to the autonomy >> functionalisation perception >> reinforcement of the participation rights and needs of individuals >> loss of focus >> reduction of team functionality >>
Such oscillations between the decision-making poles are often lamented, because they are interpreted so that one does not know how to proceed or what is now right. However, in this theory, this phenomenon is seen as an unfolding of a paradox in time, and is, therefore, an unavoidable aspect of team dynamics.