Organizational Behavior -Case Study

NASCAR 's Racing Teams

Case Study Summary

The case analyses the dynamics of high performance teams using the example of Jeff Gordon 's racing team , a member of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR . Jeff Gordon was often described as a racing sensation , winning 40 individual races in a four year period While Gordon was a star and a brand , few spectators knew that his outstanding performance should have been to a large extent attributed to his team consisting of more than a hundred of committed individuals Rainbow Warriors

pit crew , and supervised by visionary team leader , Ray Evernham . According to expert opinion , there are three key ingredients that provide for success in car racing , namely people , equipment and money . While cars and equipment are made approximately even in performance in to make racing more competitive and spectacular , it is up to pilot and his crew to gain an advantage over the opponents Effectiveness of Rainbow Warriors pit crew gave Gordon on average a one-second advantage with each pit stop

Ray Evernham managed to gather and develop such an outstanding crew by applying several important principles of group work management . He fostered group cohesion by a variety of methods and believed that sound preparation , ego less teamwork , and original strategizing are the inherent components of success in car racing . In his view , the emphasis should have been on team performance rather than individual performance In case of a victory , prize money were distributed among all members of the crew more importantly , the money earned by Evernham through speaking tours and autograph signings were also shared . In 1999 , Ray Evernham resigned to start his own organization . Brian Whitesell took over as the crew leader on an interim basis despite his academic qualifications , he was unable to lead the crew in the way Ray Evernham was . Robbie Loomis became the permanent crew chief , and during six months of the turbulent transition period Gordon haven 't won a single race . However , Loomis was able to deliver a strategic turnaround and ensure Gordon 's continuous success

Answers to Review Questions

As concerns the philosophy behind high performance teams , Ray Evernham 's three principles (preparation , ego less teamwork , and innovations in strategizing ) are universally applicable in any organization . Evernham was successful in implementing these principles in practice by encouraging teamwork , recognizing that `team IQ ' was greater than IQ of any individual member , and promoting cohesion through such practices as a `circle of strength ' when all team members sit in a circle facing each other as a symbol of their collective strength

People , management , and psychology came together under his leadership to ensure superiority over the opponents ' performance . The emphasis on continuous learning made it possible to stay ahead for many seasons in a row . However , Evernham also warned against excessive perfectionism that might have been unproductive . Honest acknowledgement of strength and weaknesses and strive for improvement were sufficient to secure a place on top . This is interrelated to yet another principle used...