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In
any industry, one can expect to work as art of a group or team. In this
"team" we are expected to share resources and collaborate our
results to produce the finished product. This process requires good
communication skills or "people skills". The success of a
company depends on the people who work there. The staff must work and
collaborate as a team with a focus on mission statements. Any conflict
within the staff can lead to potential quarrels and disunity, hampering
the success of the company.
Teams in
today's work place:
A team is defined as a collection of people who rely on group
collaboration such that each of its member's experiences an optimum of
success level reaching of both personal and team based goals. Suppose one
was to take a look at a typical business operation –a restaurant, golf
course, homebuilder, oil patch or software firm. We will note that this
business operation (assuming it is not a home based business) consists of
staff members who work together to provide a service. Each member of the
staff strives towards meeting personal and company goals. In teamwork,
everybody makes their own contributions and performs their tasks. The
staff members also interact and communicate with each other. Therefore,
the concept of team goes beyond professional sports. They exist everywhere
in the society. At work there may be different work groups. Each group is
a team. Even the family is considered to be the team. The team work run
through the family in the same way as at work.
However, success in any team environment is a challenge. Because
individuals have different behavior and thinking styles, this leads to
conflict. Poor handling of conflicts leads to disunity, quarrels, jealousy
and reduced morale. The process of team building investigates the personal
characteristics of team members. The result is the recommendation of
changes in the company's process and team interaction such that the team
can perform together.
Six Cs for team building:
Executives, managers and organization staff members
universally explore ways to improve business results and profitability.
Many view team based, horizontal, and organization structures as the best
design for involving all employees in creating business success. No matter
what you call your team based improvement effort: continuous improvement,
total quality, lean manufacturing or self directed work teams, you are
striving to improve results for customers. Few organizations, however, are
totally pleased with the results their team improvement efforts produce.
If your team improvement efforts are not living up to your expectations,
this self-diagnosing checklist may tell you why. Successful team building,
that creates effective, focused work teams, requires attention to each of
the following.
* Clear expectations:
Has executive leadership clearly communicated its expectations for
the team performance and expected outcomes? Do team members understand why
the team was created? Is the organization demonstrating constancy of
supporting the team with resources of people, time and money?
* Context:
Do the members understand why they are participating on the team?
Do they understand how the strategy of using teams will help the
organization to attain its business goals?
* Commitment:
Do the team members want to participate on the team? Do team
members feel the team mission is important? Are member's committed to
accomplishing the team mission and expected outcomes? Do the team members
perceive their service as valuable to the organization and to their own
careers?
* Competence:
Does the team feel that it has the appropriate people
participating? Does the team feel that its members have the knowledge,
skill and capability to address the issues for which team was formed? If
not, does the team have the access to the help it needs?
* Character:
Has the team taken its assigned area of responsibilities and
designed its mission of its work and the process the team followed to
accomplish their task? Does the leadership team or other coordinating
group support what the team has designed?
* Control
Does the team have enough freedom and empowerment to feel the
ownership necessary to accomplish its charter? At the same time, do team
members clearly understand their boundaries? How far may members go in
pursuit of solutions? Has the organization defined the team's reporting
relationship and accountability understood by all the members of the
organization?
When team building is not viable:
The management often misunderstands the term team
building. This knowledge is also frequently. If the manager sees team
building as an experience that all staff members should be exposed to, it
could cause a disruptive effect on the work unit and provide a negative
impression of team. If any one of the following conditions apply to a work
unit, then the team building approach may not be appropriate for process
improvement:
* If work were done mainly on an individual basis with
little interpersonal communication, a personal consultation would be more
suitable.
* If the manager is unfamiliar with the nature of the team
process, he may be disappointed with the results. Team building must be
treated as a long-term process, not a quick fix.
* Team building should never be done just for the sake of
it.
* A lack of group interest in honestly addressing problems
makes team building a risk.
* Team building is not needed to confirm the need for
previously suggested changes.
* Team building is not ineffective without adequate time and
resources.
Team building must be treated as a long-term process and not a bandage
solution to the existing problem. Software development teams, greens
keeping crews, families, sports teams, and project teams are all
specialization of team. They will experience their share of problems,
conflicts, quarrels and disagreements. These problems may not be work
related at all. The teams that treat problems as challenges instead of
burdens will be the teams that collaborate efficiently in the end.
Teambuilding- the equivalent of family counseling –will not guarantee a
performing team. However its implementation will force a team membership
to learn their strengths and weakness together.
References:
* Philips S.L and Elledge R.L: the team building source book.
* Dyer W.G: Team building issues and alternatives.
* Mumma, Frederick's: what makes your tick?
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