Keys
to Building
Hi-Performing Work teams
“Teams share the burden and divide the grief.”
Where achieving targets
and goals is concerned, the combined efforts of two or more people are always
better than the effort of a single individual. In the workplace, where people
tend to have diverse ideas, skill levels, and work attitudes and behaviors, a
good manager must be able to foster an environment where business teamwork can
flourish and succeed.
THE
ADVANTAGES OF USING TEAMWORK IN THE WORKPLACE.
It increases the
likelihood of success - The most obvious advantage of fostering business
teamwork in the workplace is the increased likelihood of a project's success.
Since teamwork combines the strengths of all members of the team, there will be
better ideas tossed around and considered as the result of brainstorming. At
the same time, the strengths will form a combined advantage that can help the
team address any complicated task at hand.
It provides motivation and
sense of security- Business teamwork allows team members a sense of security in
that everybody can share in the tasks at hand, avoiding the possibility of
personal responsibility for any error or mistake that may emerge. At the same
time, working in a team motivates the members to work together to achieve their
common goals. With renewed enthusiasm and a stress-free environment in which to
complete the tasks, there is no reason why the project should be a resounding
success. The only way to achieve a stress-free teamwork environment is with a
great leader. A bad teamwork environment can add stress to the workplace, which
is exactly the opposite of what you want to accomplish.
It divides the work that
needs to be done- As we all know, a major task can suddenly seem much easier to
accomplish when broken down into segments or sub-tasks. In an environment where
business teamwork is fostered, team members can divide the tasks among
themselves (or with the mediation of a manager), thus making it easier for the
entire team to achieve the target result.
It allows the team members
to learn from one another- Last but not the least, the most important advantage
of teamwork within a group is that it serves as a venue where team members can
share information and exchange ideas and opinions. In this manner, everyone
learns from the skill sets and expertise of each other.
Fostering teamwork is a
top priority for many leaders. The benefits are clear: increased productivity,
improved customer service, more flexible systems, employee empowerment. But is
the vision clear? To effectively implement teams, leaders need a clear picture
of the key elements high-performance teams have in common. So what are the
essentials in successful teams?
KEY
ELEMENTS HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAMS
1. COMMITMENT
Commitment to the purpose and values of an organization provides a clear sense
of direction. Team members understand how their work fits into corporate
objectives and they agree that their team's goals are achievable and aligned
with corporate mission and values. Commitment is the foundation for synergy in
groups. Individuals are willing to put aside personal needs for the benefit of
the work team or the company.
To enhance team commitment leaders might consider inviting each work team to
develop team mission, vision, and values statements that are in alignment with
those of the corporation but reflect the individuality of each team.
2. CONTRIBUTION
The power of an effective team is in direct proportion to the skills members
possess and the initiative members expend. To enhance balanced participation on
a work team, leaders should consider three factors that affect the level of
individual contribution: inclusion, confidence, and empowerment. The more individuals
feel like part of a team, the more they contribute; and, the more members
contribute, the more they feel like part of the team. To enhance feelings of
inclusion, leaders need to keep work team members informed, solicit their
input, and support an atmosphere of collegiality. Another way to balance
contribution on a work team is to enhance employee empowerment. When workers
are involved in decisions, given the right training, and respected for their
experience, they feel enabled and invest more. It is also important to have
team members evaluate how well they support the contribution of others.
3.
COMMUNICATION
For a work group to reach its full potential, members must be able to say what
they think , ask for help, share new or unpopular ideas, and risk making
mistakes. This can only happen in an atmosphere where team members show
concern, trust one another, and focus on solutions, not problems. Communication
--when it is friendly, open, and positive --plays a vital role in creating such
cohesiveness. Positive communication impacts the energy of a work team.
When members talk about what they like, need, or want, it is quite different
from wailing about what annoys or frustrates them. The former energizes; the
latter demoralizes. Too often people are so obsessed with being heard that
they always want to speak. The reality is that real success potential is
unlocked when people really listen.
4. COOPERATION
Most challenges in the workplace today require much more than good solo
performance. In increasingly complex organizations, success depends upon the
degree of interdependence recognized within the team. Leaders can facilitate
cooperation by highlighting the impact of individual members on team
productivity and clarifying valued team member behaviors. When people are
genuinely interested in each other, they look out for each other. For me this
means helping people when they are struggling or facing a challenge
5. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
It is inevitable that teams of bright, diverse thinkers will experience
conflict from time to time. The problem is not that differences exist, but in
how they are managed. If people believe that conflict never occurs in
"good" groups, they may sweep conflict under the rug. Of course, no
rug is large enough to cover misperception, ill feelings, old hurts, and
misunderstandings for very long. Soon the differences reappear. They take on
the form of tension, hidden agendas, and stubborn positions.
On the other hand, if
leaders help work teams to manage conflict effectively, the team will be able
to maintain trust and tap the collective power of the team. Work teams manage
conflict better when members learn to shift their paradigms (mindsets) about
conflict in general, about other parties involved, and about their own ability
to manage conflict. Three techniques that help members shift obstructing
paradigms are reframing, shifting shoes, and affirmations.
6. CHANGE MANAGEMENT
It is no longer a luxury to have work teams that can perform effectively within
a turbulent environment. It is a necessity. Teams must not only respond to
change, but actually initiate it. To assist teams in the management of change,
leaders should acknowledge any perceived danger in the change and then help
teams to see any inherent opportunities. They can provide the security
necessary for teams to take risks and the tools for them to innovate; they can
also reduce resistance to change by providing vision and information, and by
modeling a positive attitude themselves.
7. CONNECTIONS
A cohesive work team can only add value if it pays attention to the ongoing
development of three important connections: to the larger work organization, to
team members, and to other work teams.
When a work team is connected to the organization, members discuss team
performance in relationship to corporate priorities, customer feedback, and
quality measures. They consider team needs in light of what's good for the
whole organization and what will best serve joint objectives. Leaders can
encourage such connection by keeping communication lines open. Management
priorities, successes, and headaches should flow one way; team needs,
successes, and questions should flow in the other direction.
Teams that connect well with other work groups typically think of those groups
as "internal customers". They treat requests from these colleagues
with the same respect shown to external customers. To compete effectively,
leaders must fashion a network of skilled employees who support each other in
the achievement of corporate goals and the delivery of seamless service.
8.
HAVE THE MISSION ALWAYS BEFORE YOU.
There is likely to be more
than one role that you could take on a team. The key is to get everyone doing
what they do best. If you get everyone focusing on their area of excellence
they are going to really deliver great results.It is sometimes hard to take
responsibility and be accountable for what you said you would achieve,
especially if it has not worked out quite as planned. At the same time being
accountable creates a huge amount of respect.
Sometimes the end goal or
outcome can seem just too big. It is easy to get disheartened or believe that
it is impossible. To overcome this natural feeling, break the end goal or
outcome into small attainable wins. We are often fast off the mark to criticize
when things don't go to plan. By celebrating success, we motivate and inspire people
to deliver more. And the really good news is that it can be really easy to do..
Dr Wilfred Monteiro
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