Attitude
Communication
Empowerment
Feedback Components
Integrity Issues
Productivity
Leadership
Management
Job Satisfaction
What is Teamwork?
A team is a group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
The special contribution that a team makes to an organization is the pooling of the collective creativity, skills, knowledge and experience of its members. This benefit is only realized in a climate of open communication based on trust, mutual respect, and commitment to a common purpose. Team members commit to an approach to working together which includes specific guidelines or norms, developed by team members, to help them to communicate ideas and concerns, give one another feedback, conduct meetings, solve problems and make decisions.
Much of the work that teams do is conducted in meetings at which work processes, group effectiveness, and outputs are discussed; problems are analyzed and identified; and decisions related to future actions, changes, etc. are made. The meeting provides a forum and structure within which a team may work.
What Can You Do to Improve Teamwork In Your Workplace?
Use the Eight Rules for Empowered Teams
These nine rules are based on the belief that level of elementary problems controls efficiency, quality and cost. If there are many elementary problems, productivity will be negative, likewise, low level of problems puts productivity in the positive column. In the typical workforce, there is no recognition for people who spend time on elementary problems, big problems receive all the attention, yet, big problems start as minor and there are people around who are aware of them. Because of leadership attitudes, employees develop the habit of ignoring problems until they explode, at which time they become big problems, then, leaders want to go on record for being a problem solver. Empowered teams corrects this attitude. They focus on getting the job done while solving or preventing problems before they get big.
1. Priority #1... Get The Job Done!!! - In many work environments, top priority is cost control which limits the ability to get the job done. It cost money to control project cost. Focusing on "getting the job done" is automatic cost control. Decision are based on what it takes to finish a job, not what it cost.
2. Consider employees as an investment, not a cost. - In any work environment, employees skills and abilities will reflect the attitude of its leaders. If leadership considers employees a cost, quality of employees will suffer, likewise, if leadership considers employees an investment, then both sides will be motivated to increase skill quality. Greater efficiency is the result.
3. Employee attitudes are byproducts of leadership style. - If subordinates attitudes are negative toward the company, it is because of leadership style. If they are positive, it is because of leadership style. If attitudes need changing, it must start with the leaders.
4. Sharing knowledge inspires motivation. - People who have opportunity to share knowledge feel they are a part of the team. Team members want to impress by their ability to contribute valuable information and this motivates the desire to seek information. It maintains a desire to excel, accept challenges and reject the status quo.
5. Coach, not control. - People who only follow orders do not assume responsibility, are not motivated and do not have a desire to excel. Coaching is inspiring people to find solutions to problems. Finding solutions is a motivating force, it also becomes a habit. Coaching is sharing knowledge.
6. Team responsibility. - Being responsible for results is a highly motivating force. Also, a group of three or more, focused on a common goal, becomes an highly intelligent force. They are aware of minor problems and have authority to manage them. The team is recognized for their ability to prevent problems while getting the job done.
7. Supply quality resources. - Efficiency is as effective as available resources, (tools, supplies, work environment), to complete tasks. Teams will work hard to get jobs done, but they need quality resources to be efficient. Resources influence pride which affects output quality.
8. Opportunity to learn. - Repetitive tasks kill the desire to learn, an attitude that rejects change and accepts the status quo. There is always a better way of doing tasks, including repetitive task, and better ways are found in empowered teams. Challenges motivates people to learn and the desire to learn is based on opportunity for challenges.
Related Teamwork Websites:
www.accel-team.com/work_groups/informal_grps_02.html
www.combo.com/ergo/prodeff.htm
www.gmu.edu/student/csl/5stages.html