Outcome 1 Unit 1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS

Transcription

1 Outcome 1 Unit 1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS

2 WHAT IS A TEAM? A team is a group of people sharing skills and ideas and working towards a common goal

3 STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT It is thought that before teams are fully effective they go through various stages: FORMING the team members are introduced STORMING members compete for roles; there could be some dispute and power struggles NORMING members start working together and for each other, conflicts are resolved PERFORMING the team is settled and working well together

4 FEATURES OF AN EFFECTIVE TEAM An effective team will have the following characteristics: A strong, positive and focused leader who offers a clear vision for the whole group A positive team ethos whereby every member feels valued and part of the group A good mix of personnel so that ideas and skills can be shared Clearly structured targets with strong overall aims

5 TEAM CONFLICT There are many reasons for conflict but it usually occurs when there are: Conflicting goals: two members of the team want to go in different directions Personal disputes: there are always people who will not get on, causing difficulties for the team Lack of resources: not being able to put all ideas into action because there is not enough money, staff, equipment, etc Changing expectations: perhaps moving deadlines or the targets being changed after the work has started Loyalty issues: affected by the relationships that exist between members of the team

6 TYPES OF TEAM LEADERS Good leaders generally have the ability to think clearly, analyse situations and make decisions. They know how to delegate, motivate and communicate. They have good social skills and can build relationships with all members of their team. Good team leaders have technical proficiency, and the skills and expertise for core areas of the job.

7 TYPES OF TEAM LEADERS TYPE Autocratic Democratic DESCRIPTION This type of leader takes decisions without consultation and has very little regard for the thoughts and opinions of other colleagues or the workforce; usually found in traditional organisations This type of leader is much more likely to be consultative and to encourage participative decision making Laisses-faire This is the Let it be leader who prefers the workforce to take their own decisions. This type of leadership can be useful in businesses where creative ideas are important but it relies heavily on good team work It is generally recognised in today s workplace that the democratic leader is the preferred option.

8 BELBIN S TEAM ROLES Belbin is a famous guru of team working within organisations, and identified key roles which make a team perform effectively: An IDEAS person someone who shows creativity and innovation A MOTIVATOR someone who is responsible for encouraging all members of the team to get involved and enjoy what they are doing/part of An ORGANISER someone who is responsible for ensuring that all resources are organised in an efficient manner and are available when required A SPECIALIST someone who has the expertise and skill to give the team a competitive edge A CHECKER someone who ensures all tasks are completed to the highest standard

9 REFLECTIVE TASK Taking into account Belbin s team roles think back to your Timestealer s Task and name the role each member played in the team and explain how you came to that conclusion give examples. Belbin s Team Role Team Member Examples

10 BENEFITS TO AN EMPLOYEE OF PARTICIPATING IN AN EFFECTIVE TEAM The employees will benefit in a number of ways, namely: Morale will be boosted as there will be a sense of belonging Motivation will be increased as there will be more opportunity to embark on new and challenging activities Skills will be broadened as expertise is shared amongst a number of employees Promotion opportunities may arise from the employee excelling in a particular group task, whereby essential skills of leadership and decision making are demonstrated

11 BENEFITS TO AN EMPLOYER OF PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFECTIVE TEAMS TO EXIST The employer will benefit in a number of ways namely: A highly motivated workforce will result in greater productivity to a very high standard of quality A multi-skilled workforce whereby expertise will be shared and continuously developed An excellent use of resources very costeffective and ultimately can lead to gaining a competitive advantage

12 QUESTION TASK 1. List the characteristics of a successful team 2. Which is the most successful stage of team development? Explain why. 3. Describe two reasons why conflict may arise within a team 4. Outline two qualities of a successful leader 5. Describe the benefits and concerns an individual member may have of belonging to a team.

13 ANSWERS 1. Work well together and support each other; help make decisions; take on responsibility for set tasks; being prepared to negotiate and compromise; giving feedback and contributing to meetings 2. Performing this is when the team is working together towards common aims and goals 3. Personality clashes between team members; changing expectations from some members; lack of resources 4. Good social skills, good communicator, well organised, ability to delegate, motivational 5. Can share knowledge and skills can help each other out when things are really busy. A concern might be personality clashes, which may result in staff being unpleasant to each other or obstructive, resulting in poor performance from the team.