Participate In Work Teams
... Which elements of conflict should a team foster 18 Conclusion 19 References 20 Appendix A Characteristics of high preforming teams 22 Appendix B High Performing Teams Rating Form 24 Appendix C Team Role Profile 26 Appendix D Team Role Questionnaire 28 Introduction (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993) defines teams as … “A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they are mutually accountable. ... What the Words PERFORM mean: - Purpose Team members are clear about what the teams work is and why it is important. Empowerment Members are confident about the teams ability to overcome obstacles and to realize its vision. ... Optimal productivity High-performing teams produce significant results, due to a commitment to high standards and quality results. ... Morale Members are enthusiastic about the teams work, and each person feels pride in being a team member. ... Teams can not work together without trust. ... ‘Trust cannot develop in the absence of trustworthiness’ (Cole 2001, p673) Building of trust takes work, honouring promises and setting the right example, impartiality, fairness, full communication; participation and politeness go a long way to building trust. ... Commitment: As the supervisor of the accounting section of the company I work for I want total commitment from my six colleagues, to achieve this I would like them to follow the three points that I have listed: - v I want our team to work better? ... The following guidelines will assist you and your team in attaining the level of performance that you envision: - v Establish a strong sense of urgency and direction v Select members based on their complimentary skills, not their personalities v Set clear rules and expectations of behaviour v Set and seize upon a few immediate performance oriented tasks and goals v Challenge the group regularly with fresh facts and information v Spend lots of time together (Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith) provide a good definition of a team in their book “The Wisdom of Teams. ... Some teams stick together like glue and have a real sense of belonging, while other teams feel more likely a haphazard collection of individuals. ... Individual personalities start forming and there can be disagreements about the way participants approach the work. During the storming stage the supervisor will support his/her team members by following the points listed below: v encouraging all team members to participate in decision making v facilitating open and honest discussion v working with the team to establish common goals and performance measures v Implementing procedures for dealing with conflict. Stage 3 – Norming It is during the Norming stage that the team begins to work more efficient and effectively to become cohesive. ... Team members learn how to work with one another and deal with their strengths and weaknesses. ... S Strength W Weaknesses O Opportunities T Threats During the Norming stage the supervisor will support his/her team members by following the points listed below: v formalising the ways in which the team will work and how the team members will relate to one another v supporting the team in identifying both strengths and weaknesses v encouraging the team to develop its own unique culture and identity v Implementing a formalised feedback system. Stage 4 – Performing It is at this stage that the team matures and begins to work in a highly committed and cohesive manner. ... Problems will be promptly addressed to enable the accomplishment of work tasks. Team members will tend to be flexible in their approach to their work within the team and they will have a strong feeling of trust in their co-workers. During the performing stage, the supervisor will support his/her team members by following the points listed below: v monitoring the structure of the team and responding to the need for change as required v encouraging the continuous examination of roles and responsibilities v facilitating regular team meetings v developing links with other groups and teams within the workplace v Acting promptly when issues arise. ... ‘I work to build a team that works well together and helps each other out. ... I will work towards building the commitment and confidence level of each and every team member of my team, thus being an effective team leader who is vigilant about my skills. ... How quickly teams can "get into trouble," and 2. ... Most teams "fall out" over the basic issues listed below. ... Team member’s goals and expectations Team members are unclear about, or lack a commitment to the teams goals, or the teams goals seem to conflict with personal goals. ... Realistic To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. ... One way this can be done is through a simple four-step checking process: Plan Identify what the team wants to achieve and appropriate standards of performance Do Undertake the activities and monitor the teams performance Check Compare how the team has performed against the objectives set in the plan stage Adjust Evaluate the teams performance and make adjustments as required.