Download Team working and Efficiency

TEAM WORKING AND
EFFICIENCY
BY JEAN-PIERRE M
TSHIMANGA
NOVEMBER 2009
Siamese brothers
Five core values of ECD
Commitment
Integrity
Professionalism
Teamwork
Excellence
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Introduction
Teams and teamwork is still an important concept for successful
organizations.
The nature of teams may be changing, but the underlying nature
and benefits of teams are not.
Teams are becoming numerous and complex, with one person being
a member of a number of teams in a organization.
If handled with care and professionalism, that will not hinder the
life of the organization as well as the outcome, even though the
number of teams one should be part of, must be limited.
Organizations willing to succeed must put emphasis on team
working and manage the team in such a way that people, their
talents and their views may be recognized, respected and used
accordingly.
Team working brings a mosaic of opportunities for success
Definitions -1
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A joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his
or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the
group.(Webster’s New World
Teamwork is a group of people, contributing their individual knowledge
and skills but working together to achieve a common goal or task.
This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it
does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual
accomplishments.
The most effective teamwork is produced when all individuals involved
harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal and
objectives
Teamwork is working together- even when apart
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The
ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational
objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon
results.
Definitions - 2
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Teamwork is coming together, sharing together,
working together, succeeding together
Teamwork is a group, contributing their individual
knowledge and skills but working together to
achieve a common goal or task.
Teamwork is consulting each other in a very formal
way, taking decisions and planning together,
hearing team members’ view and considering
everyone’s interests and talents, in order to achieve
the success of the organization.
How do you achieve good teamwork?
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Good teamwork starts with a shared understanding of its importance.
Many organizations recruit people and never tell them about how important
and crucial it is to work as a team.
Some even talked about teamwork but never said how it was going to
work.
Emphasis should be put on teamwork right from the day of employment, the
induction processes must demonstrate it.
Only people who demonstrate an aptitude in team working should be the
only people to be employed (cfr Interview).
Teamwork is built into the organization’s culture, “it is part of the way we do
things here”.
Teamwork has to be carefully nurtured from the beginning and all the time
until it becomes part of people’s life.
It should not be used as anesthesia, it is not a word, it is an action. It is not
theoretical but practical .
Stages of Team Growth
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It should be known that teams don’t just start and
become mature. They don’t spontaneously start
working perfectly and accomplish great things.
There are stages, quite natural, through which
teams go in the process of maturing and becoming
stable and effective.
Four stages have been identified in their growth, if
given time and special attention and nurture.
Stage 1: Forming
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When a team is forming, members cautiously
explore the boundaries of acceptable group
behavior. They search for their position within the
group and test the leader’s guidance. It is normal
for little team progress to occur during this stage.
Team members are still adjusting with environment
as well as with each other. They are testing the
waters in order to know how deep they are and
find their way in.
That takes time, patience and determination.
Stage 2: Storming
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Storming is probably the most difficult stage for the
team. Members often become impatient about the
lack of progress, but are still inexperienced with
working as a team. Members may argue about the
actions they should take because they are faced
with ideas that are unfamiliar to them and put them
outside their comfort zones. Much of their energy is
focused on each other instead of achieving the
goal.
Team leaders have to be understanding at this
stage
Stage 3: Norming
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During this stage the team members accept the
team and each other, and begin to reconcile
differences. Emotional conflict is reduced as
relationships become more cooperative. The team is
able to concentrate more on their work and start to
make significant progress.
This stage must occur so that work can be done. If it
does not occur, the team has not adjusted, therefore,
cannot accomplish its task.
Something is therefore wrong. The team leader has
to find out what.
Stage 4: Performing
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At this stage and by the time the team reaches here
many things have already happened. The team
members have discovered and accepted each
other’s strengths and weakness, and learned what
roles they are playing both individually and
collectively. Members are open and trusting and
many good ideas are produced because they are
not afraid to offer ideas and suggestions. They are
comfortable using decision making tools to evaluate
the ideas. They prioritize tasks and solve problems.
Much is accomplished and team satisfaction and
loyalty is high.
What teamwork does…(1)
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1. To me as an employee: It makes me feel part of something bigger
than my individual job
It is shared by other members of my team
It allows me to focus on what I am good at while learning new skills
It reduces my workload, makes it easy to take
It improves my quality of life
It encourages learning from one another
It encourages sharing what you know
It shares the glory of a job well done
It facilitates decisions when things don’t go as planned
It builds up self-esteem and self-confidence
What teamwork does…(2)
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2. To Companies:
It is the only way things get done with quality and efficiency
It facilitates the company growth
It keeps the company competitive
It stimulates new ideas
It makes the company to be respected and emulated.
It achieves goal more efficiently
It leverages diverse individual skills
It allows for quicker change
It lowers implementation time
It saves on healthcare costs
What teamwork does…(3)
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3. To Customers:
It fosters a strong customer/vendor relationship
It provides backup services for customers
It increases customer confidence
It solves costumer’s problems faster
New Ways of using Teams
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Distance is no more a challenge because of
Technology. Team members can be based all over
the globe, they can still communicate and work
Members of the team may never meet, but they can
work together for years.
Members of the team use telephone/conference
calls, emails, file sharing and other online methods.
They can write a presentation together and even
correct it together online.
They can report together or take part in a seminar
online.
Why The Increased Use of Teams
Today?
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They work, results can be seen
They are different from informal groups
They produce real results
They need minimal supervision
They make people more conscious of their role
They make people feel valued and respected
They increase therefore motivation and
effectiveness
They make a difference.
Challenge in Managing Teamwork
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Some organizations fail to gain from the benefits
that teamwork can provide.
Team composition is critical for success
A team is a group of people made up of individual
who contribute their individual knowledge and skills.
Synergy, where the collective whole is greater than
the sum of the individual parts, often occurs where
teamwork is working well.
Teams benefit because individuals often do not
have all the knowledge and skills necessary
Challenge in managing teamwork-2
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Working together is essential. Harmony and a positive attitude
are critical. If the team is not working together, then the
expected gains will not materialize.
An understanding of common goal or task is also critical.
People have to be clear as to why the team exists and what
the purpose is.
Teams have to be well managed. A balanced team
composition is essential. Team members have to be carefully
selected. The full range of knowledge and skills required must
be present. Team members have to be willing and ready to
participate. They need to be committed to the task.
Importance of Teamwork
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1. Teamwork increases efficiency. It helps get more done in less time for less
money.
2. It encourage network even when two or more departments are involved
3. It eases interdepartmental projects planning and implementation.
Without teamwork, a project that looked good to one department can turn
out to be inadequate and even counterproductive for another.
4. Teamwork supports sharing of information. Information flows from any
corners of the team and all are ready to replace the departed.
5. Teamwork eliminates redundancy. Some common ideas and programs
can be performed together instead of unnecessary duplication and clashes.
We can team up together to fight giants.
6. Teamwork builds up mutual respect and acceptance, when
interdependence is found to be compulsory.
7. Teamwork helps make decisions together and make it easy to implement
them together.
What Makes A Team Leader Good
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1. He is effective: He should possess the skills to create and maintain a
positive working environment and motivate and inspire the team members
to take a positive approach to work and be highly committed.
2. He must promote a high level of morale and make team members feel
supported and valued.
3. He instates vital communication: he sees to it that team members
articulate their feelings, express their insights on plans and goals, share
their ideas freely and see each other’s viewpoints
4. He establishes roles clearly so that team members may understand what
their role on the team is. The team leader can enable this by defining the
purpose in a clear-cut manner in the beginning of the formation of the
team.
5. He Helps in conflict resolution. Whether you like it or not, conflicts will
always arise. No matter how well a team functions together. When it
happens, team members should be able to voice their concerns without fear
of offending others or of being shut from expressing themselves. Structured
methods of conflict resolution should be put in places.
What makes a Team leader good
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A good team leader, instead of avoiding conflict issues, will
have a hands-on approach that will resolve them as quickly
as possible.
It is often advised that the team leader sit with the
conflicting parties and help work out their differences
without taking sides and trying to remain as objective as
possible
He sets a good example for good teamwork to come about.
In order to keep team members positive and committed and
motivated, the team leader needs to exhibit these qualities.
THE TEAM LOOKS TO THE LEADER FOR SUPPORT AND
GUIDANCE so any negativity or indecisive attitude on the
side of the leader is disastrous.
Difference Between Groups and Teams
Groups:
-Members work independently and they often are not working towards the same goal.
Teams
-Members work interdependently and work towards both personal and team goals, and they
understand these goals are accomplished best by mutual
Groups:
-Members focus mostly on themselves because they are not involved in the planning of the group’s
objectives and goals
Teams:
-Members feel a sense of ownership towards their role in the group because they committed
themselves to goals they helped create
Groups:
-Members are given their tasks or told what their duty/job is, and suggestions are rarely welcomed
Teams:
-Members collaborate together and use their talent and experience to contribute to the success of the
team’s objective
Groups:
-Members are very cautious about what they said and are afraid to ask questions. They may not fully
understand what is taking place in their group
Teams:
-Members base their success on trust and encourage all members to express their opinions, varying views
and questions
Difference Between Groups and
Teams- Contd
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Groups:
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-Members do not trust each other motives because they do not fully understand the role each member plays in their
group
Teams:
-Members make a conscious effort to be honest, respectful, and listen to every person’s point of view
Groups:
-Members may have a lot to contribute but are held back because of a closed relationship with each member.
Teams:
-Members are encouraged to offer their skills and knowledge, and in turn each member is able to contribute to the
group’s success
Groups:
-Members are bothered by differing opinions or disagreements because they consider it a threat. There is not group
support to help resolve problems
Teams:
-Members see conflict as part of human nature and they react to it by treating it as an opportunity to hear about
new ideas and opinions. Everybody want to resolve problems constructively
Groups:
-Members may or may not participate in group decision-making, and conformity is valued more than positive
results
Teams:
-Members participate equally in decision-making, but each member understand that the leader might need to make
the final decision if the team can not come to a consensus agreement.
Characteristics of Effective Teams
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Larson and LaFasto in their book tilted Teamwork:
What must go right/what can go wrong (1989)
found 8 characteristics of Effective Teams. They
summarize how teams must be for them to
produce lasting results
1. The team must have a clear goal.
Avoid fuzzy . Motherhood
statements. Team goals should
call for a specific performance
objective, expressed so
concisely that everyone knows
when the objective has been
met.
2. The team must have a result-driven
structure
The team should be
allowed to operate in a
manner that produces fruit.
It is often best to allow the
team to develop the
structure
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3. The team must have competent team
members
The team must be educated as
per the task given them. It
means that the problem given
to them should be one that the
members can tackle given the
level of their knowledge.
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4. The team must have unified
commitment
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This does not mean that the team members must
agree on everything. It means that all individuals
must be directing all their efforts towards the
goal. If individual’s efforts is going purely
towards personal goals, then the team will
confront this and can’t resolve the problem
Team members must not look at each other, they
must look in the same direction, pointing to the
ultimate goal, the good of the organization.
5. The team must have a collaborative
climate
The climate must be full of mutual
love and acceptance, a climate of
trust produced by honest, open,
consistent and respectful behavior.
 With this climate, teams perform
very well, without it, they certainly
fail.
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6. The team must have high standards
that are understood by all
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Team members must know what is expected from
them individually and collectively.
Core values have to be emphasized as clearly as
possible.
Vague statements such as “Let’s have positive
attitude” and “demonstrated effort” as well as “We
are a family, let’s love one another” are not good
enough. Theoretical statements must be replaced by
living and compelling attitudes and behavior.
7. The team must receive external
support and encouragement
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Leaders have to provide support and encouragement to
the teams.
Assistance, mentoring, recognition, praise or any other
form of reward works just as well in motivating teams
as it does with individuals.
Resources and a conducive environment must be
provided to allow teams to work effeciently towards
the goals.
“Teams are successful when they are focused, have a
short cycle time, and are supported by the executives”
Tom Bouchard
8. The team must have principled
leadership
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Teams usually need someone to lead the effort.
Team members must know that the team leader has
the position because they have good leadership
skills and are working for the good of the team.
The team members will be less supportive if they
feel that the team leader is putting himself/herself
above the team, achieving personal recognition or
otherwise benefiting from the position
A team leader must be a team player.
How To Build A teamwork Culture-1
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Fostering teamwork is creating a work culture that
values collaboration.
In teamwork environment, people understand and
believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions
are better when done cooperatively.
People recognize, and even assimilate, the belief
that “none of us is as good as all of us”
It is hard to find work places that exemplify
teamwork. Workers are rarely raised in
environments that emphasize true teamwork and
collaboration
How To Build A Teamwork culture-2
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Teamwork is the norm to evaluate how the
organization values the people, their ideas, their
backgrounds, and experiences.
You can create a teamwork culture by doing just a
few things right. Starting small and precise, being
consistent and constant , with commitment and
appreciation for the value.
Communication is the key element in building up a
teamwork culture.
Actions that create Teamwork Culture
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. Executive
leaders communicate the clear expectation that teamwork and
collaboration are expected. No one completely owns a work area or
process all by himself. People who own work processes and positions are
open and receptive to ideas and inputs from others on the team.
2. Executives model teamwork in their inter-action with each other and the
rest of the organization. They maintain teamwork even when things are
going wrong; the temptation is to slip back into the former team unfriendly
behavior.
3. The organization members talk about and identify the value of a
teamwork culture. If values are formally written and shared, teamwork is
one of the key five or six.
4. Teamwork is rewarded and recognized. The lone ranger, even if she is an
excellent producer, is valued less than the person who achieves results with
others in teamwork. Compensation, bonuses, and rewards depend on
collaborative practices as much as individual contribution and achievement.
5. Important stories and folklore that people discuss within the company
emphasize teamwork. People who do well and are promoted within the
company are team players.
5. The performance management system places emphasis and value on
teamwork.
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What Does it take for a leader to
be a team player?
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1. Be cooperative
This is not just being polite and having good
manners. It means, not only, working towards
common goals, but also being fair with the people,
doing your share of the work, minimizing conflict, as
well as maintaining a positive attitude.
It is knowing and recognizing that the most
important outcome of your effort is the
accomplishment of the team. If you allow your
personal agenda to be more important, your
actions will diminish the performance of the team.
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2. Keep people informed
When c-workers are not informed about matterds
affecting them and their mutual interests, they
become confused, disappointed, and sometimes
angry.
This is a common source of conflicts at work. All of
this can be corrected by setting in place a good
communication system that aims to avail information
to the team. Good communication supports positive
teamwork. Communication must be internal and
external of the organization.
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3. Keep commitments
People need to know they can depend on you at all
time, that what you promise to do, you will certainly
do it. Don’t say, “I will do it” to please the ears of
your people. Fulfill your responsibility
If you want to be seen as a team player, be sure to
perform in such a way that other workers know that
they can rely on you. When you keep commitments,
it shows that you respect others. In the process,
others are more likely to treat you the same way.
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4. Be honest
Teamwork depends so much on honesty and trust. It
is all about making truth a core value in the
organization.
If a team relies on the truth, real problems will be
identified and solved because people will always
say the trust even if it is painful.
Lies cost the organization more than the truth does.
Always be honest, and trust and thruth will follow
consequently.
How to Be an Effective Team Player
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Being a team player is being a member of team
and play your role in the team by identifying with
others and using all good means to avail yourself
and your talents to accomplish your common task in
assigned you by the organization.
As a member of the team, you need to motivate
your team to success by your attitude and actions
within the team.
How do you them do it? Six keys things are to be
considered.
1. Be responsible
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As part of the team, be ready to take your task
seriously knowing that when you what you are
supposed to do, you make others’ task easy.
Be ready to take responsibilities even outside the
scope of your role. Show people you are willing to
work not only for your sake, but also for the sake of
others and the organization.
When things go wrong, never shift the responsibility
of the failure on others. Assume your success as well
as your failure. By so doing, corrective measures will
work.
2. Coach
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Coaching is not meant for leaders only. If you are
good at something and seem to be better than
others, coach and train. Share your methods and
ideas. Giving out knowledge never reduces it; it
rather increases it.
It is rewarding to show ropes to a junior team
member. It will have a returning effect on you. One
day, you will need it, and it will be returned to you.
Give, you will receive.
3. Be open
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Encourage free-thinking and discussion. Never
discount or ridicule another’s idea.
Take each team member seriously. Never make
presumptions about someone ignorance or
knowledge.
Don’t criticize someone’s ideas constantly, they will
get discouraged and become less open.
Be open to feed-back on your work or performance
Don’t give excuses in response to feed-back about
your performance.
4. Be generous
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Give credit where it is due. Don’t take credit for
what is not your work. Never hold back a
compliment. Learn from others and their failures. It
helps the team not to repeat the same mistake.
Offer to take shifts to help others affected by an
event, private or official; even when no one wants.
If you offer compassion and generosity, it will be
returned to you, sometimes when you can do without
Use your ego and seniority wisely to favor junior
members of your team.
5. Set an example
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You don’t have to a leader in order to set an
example. Rather than complaining at a situation,
instead take action to correct it. Take initiative.
Don’t dish out dirty work that belongs to you, to
someone else.
By setting standards for a professional team, you
will raise the bar for others.
6. Build Relationships
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People spend more time at work rather than at
home. This should them develop tidings and
relationships, which will be beneficial to their work.
It is crucial to know each other in details: birthday,
members of their family, hobbies…
Have a friendly disposition. Never abuse or insult
another team member.
Never discuss someone behind his/her back.
Never gossip about them.
Settle possible conflicts pro-actively by being
cordial.
7. Listen actively
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Good listeners help teams to function effecively.
Receive criticism from others without reacting
defensively . Listen first and speak second, it helps
in problem solving and communication.
Teams need team players who can be able to
understand, absorb and value others’ ideas and
viewpoints without debating and arguing every
point. Dialogue enriches, empty argument
impoverishes.
The one who wants to learn must listen.
8. Participate actively
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A team player is not a spectator, he is an actor.
They come to meetings prepared to speak up, share
their views and show their stand.
Their contribution is also shown through concrete and
visible work within the team. Don’t sit passively on
the sidelines.
Team members who function as active participants
take the initiative to help make things happen, and
they volunteer for assignments.
9. Exhibit flexibility
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Living in this ever-changing world is challenging.
Adjusting is not easy; yet It is important to be
flexible and helps adapt to the new conditions
New ideas and processes require team members to
have flexible mind.
Strong team members are firm in their thoughts yet
open to what others have to offer.
Rigidity of mind kills inspiration and creativity.
Compromise when it needed, don’t argue to death.
10. Demonstrate reliability
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A reliable team member gets work done and does
his fair share happily. He meets commitments and
work hard.
He is consistent and follows through his assignments.
He deliver constant and consistent services to his
team and the organization.
The team can depend on him and her. His absence
is felt.
Conclusion
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The success of a team does not depend only on the
team leader; it also depend in a larger measure on
the rest of the team members.
This will depend on the quality of each team
member and his/her contribution to the work.
A team player must be conscious of his role and
responsibilities among his/her colleagues.
If every team member is a team player, the team
will certainly succeed.