Team Work

Team WorkLead & Manage People

TeamworkWhat is Teamwork?

Prepare a definitionCollection of people working together to achieve a common goal2Type of TeamsExisting or permanent teams Include paid or volunteers

A new group or team formed to handle a specific project Ie project based

Types of Teams p.311-313Quality CirclesMultifunctional or Cross-Functional TeamsProblem Solving TeamsManagement TeamsWork TeamsSelf-Managed TeamsVirtual TeamsMatrix TeamsMerged TeamsProject Teams

Effective TeamsDemonstrate trust, support & respect towards team membersIdentifying work goals for the teamPrioritising and completing work goals within deadlinesRecognising and accommodating cultural differencesSeeking and providing assistance to team membersResponding to feedback from team membersBuilding on quality service through continuous improvementHospitality Management Strategy & Operations L. Van Der Wagen 2nd Ed p.46Building Effective Work TeamsContribute ideasHelp othersGive feedbackCheck understandingAsk questionsRespect differencesFollow proceduresShare leadershipAgree on goalsHospitality Management Strategy & Operations L. Van Der Wagen 2nd Ed p.47

Characteristics of TeamMembers are skilled in all the various leadership and membership roles and functions

The team has developed a well established, relaxed working relationship

There is loyalty among members

Values and goals are in harmony

All problem solving, decision making etc. occurs in a supportive, trusting atmosphere Characteristics of Team Cont.All the material contributed to the team is treated as 'ours'

Constructive use is made of criticism - members do not take disagreements personally or confuse rejection of ideas as rejection of the individual.

The team is eager to help each member develop to his/her full potential

There is strong motivation from each member to communicate fully and frankly to the team all the teams activities

Characteristics of an Ineffective TeamFailure to listen to what other members are saying Constantly reiterating arguments Constantly interrupting Trying to put others down Failure to participate Silent members not drawn in Dominant members allowed to control proceedings Everyone pushing own views, not clarifying, developing, encouraging Unwillingness to accommodate others' views or needs Raising irrelevant or unhelpful points Not recognising how members are feeling about the discussion

Benefits of TeamworkBrainstorm a list of benefits of working in a teamObjectivesTeam objectives may include:Achieving sales targetsPerformance targets for a particular projectIncrease productivityMeeting key performance indicatorsCommunication in Leading & Managing TeamsExpectations, roles, responsibilities need to be communicated and may include:Nature & scope of workRelationships with others in the workplace and interdependent areas of activityExpectations around communicationReporting requirementsTeam DevelopmentAccording to Bruce Tuckmans model, a teams life cycle has five stages:FormingStormingNormingPerformingAdjourning (Mourning)

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Forming (Awareness) p.333Forming is the first phase in a teams developmentStrangers come together to carry out a task or activityThere is little common understanding about the teams aims, and individual roles and responsibilities are unclearFeelings, weaknesses and mistakes are covered upPeople show little care for others values & viewsForming & Leadership p.334Newly formed teams depend on their leaders for guidance and direction

Be prepared to offer a lot of information about the teams purpose, its objectives, its customers and so on

Use directive behaviour explained by the situational theory of leadership or the telling behaviour outlined in the continuum of leadership stylesStorming (Conflict) p.334The storming phase describes the conflict where people explore their differences in values, working styles and aimsCliques may form, power struggles may develop and leadership may be challengedProductivity remains lowTeam learns through trial & errorMore risky as personal issues are opened up and the team becomes more inward lookingThere is more concern for the values, views and problems of others in the teamStorming & Leadership p.334Leaders need to make it safe for the members to experiment and try new ways, allowing them to recognise their mistakes and learn from themNorming (Co-operation)Confidence and trust begin to emerge, together with a more systematic and open approach, leading to a clearer way of workingThere is greater valuing of people, clarification of purpose, establishing of objectives, systematic collection of information, considering of all options, preparation of plans and progress reviews to make improvmentsNorming (Co-operation) p.335Codes of behaviours, customs and policies are established both formally and informallyAll members learn where they stand in relation to others and gain a clear idea of their role and the contributions they can makeRoles & responsibilities become clear and acceptedThere is less me and more weThey start having fun with each otherNorming & Leadership p.335They will depend less on the leader, although they will continue to need their guidance and confirmation

Leaders are more of a facilitator and an enabler: participating in situational leadership terms and sharing in the continuum of leadership termsPerforming (Productivity) p.335They achieve synergy, creativity, harmony and high productivityMembers work together as a nicely balanced whole to achieve more than would be expected from them individuallyPerforming teams are mature teams whose members can work together or independently to achieve their goalsThey draw from each others unique strengths and compensate for each others weaknessesPerforming (Productivity) p.336High productivity

High satisfaction and team spirit

High morale, team spirit, loyalty and cohesion

Open communication, close teamwork

Flexibility, trust, resourcefulness and innovationPerforming & Leadership p.336Their leaders become a colleague and a resource to help the team achieve their goals

The team is capable of setting, monitoring and achieving its goals with little direction from the leader

Use of delegation leadership styleAdjourning / Mourning p.337Final stage of some teamsTemporary disband, or close downThis leaves a hole or sense of emptiness in team members, with feelings of loss and sadnessSome teams never reach the full stage of adjourning but when a team member leaves a form of mourning occursSuccessful TeamsTeams that go through these stages successfully should display:Clear objectives and agreed performance goalsOpenness and confrontationSupport and trustCo-operation and conflictGood decision makingAppropriate leadershipReview of the team process

Team ProblemsWhat are some issues or problems that can occur in teams

What have you experienced in your workplace

Team Culture and NormsAs a teams process or ways of working together establishes, a team culture or norms develop

As teams mature, the accepted behaviour patterns and ways of doing things become clearer and more recognisableTeam Culture and Norms - ActivityOutline a poorly performing team culture and compare it to a high performing team

Look at feelings, behaviours and results in your comparisons

Group Dynamics p.321The unique pattern of forces operating in a group that affects particularly the interactions between members and their relationships with each other

The way people operate together and their behaviour towards each other which influences how they go about achieving the task InnovationBenefits of innovation of ideas within a team, may include:Suggestions about how to do things betterAlerting colleagues to potential new technologiesTrying new approaches to old problemsSeeking information or ideas from unexpected placesLeadership SkillsLeadership skills which will encourage open & supportive communication styles within the team include:Planned & unplanned exchanges of informationProviding open access to documentsUsing technology to support effective communication (ie email groups)Involving others in developing solutionsBeing prepared to declare own need for assistanceProviding constructive feedbackLeadership SkillsLeadership skill required to encourage team work in the work environment include:Performance, vocational and personal counsellingRecognition and prompt resolution of problemsDealing with grievancesDisciplinary skillsCoaching in the ways of working with colleaguesWorkplace ConflictNeither too much or too little group conflict is desirableManagers should stimulate conflict to gain the full benefits of functional conflict, but reduce its level when it becomes a disruptive force (dysfunctional conflict)

Legislative Issues in Team ManagementIndustrial RelationsOccupational Health & SafetyWorkers CompensationSuperannuationEqual Employment OpportunityAnti-discrimination

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