BSBFLM412A Promote Team Effectiveness

Transcription

1 BSBFLM412A Promote Team Effectiveness This competency unit describes the skills and knowledge required of frontline managers to promote teamwork. It involves developing team plans to meet expected outcomes, leading the work team, and proactively working with the management organisations. Introduction what is a team? A team can be defined in many ways, depending on the situation, however it will always have several things in common; it involves several people, a team activity is organised, cooperative and has a sense of belonging, and has to work together to achieve its common goal in this case ensuring kids attend school! Within a team people work interdependently, communicate frequently and see themselves as part of a specific group. Successful teams also need effective leaders. Teams are not just groups of people. Teamwork means a combined effort and focus, whereas in a group people focus on their own efforts and goals. Effective teams rely on all members for success, even when they have a leader. Planning to achieve team outcomes The purpose of teams Teams can offer new solutions two heads are better than one. Different people looking at the same problem will find different solutions, and by considering all of their suggestions a better solution can be developed. Different people will also notice different problems and possible difficulties than one person working alone. A team of people all working toward the same goal is easier to manage than numerous people working independently, which means fewer managers are required and information can be shared more easily. Furthermore, teams allow larger projects to be completed which one person could not do on their own, from developing a new product to moving locations. Teams create a sense of belonging for employees. People can make friends, share information and help each other, which can also lead to people being happier at work and therefore more productive. Page 1 of 23

2 The foundations of an effective team Different organisations will have different expectations and requirements for their teams. The purpose of a team and its role within the organisation must be clear and well understood. So What is the team here to do? How does this relate to what the team needs to do with the RSAS project? How will the team s performance be measured? Will there be daily activities or special projects? How should the team best be structured? How much time will be allocated for the planning stage? What it the best way to help the team communicate with one another? How can the team be motivated and supported to help its members? How much authority and accountability will the team as a whole have? How will this be distributed within the team? How will decision making be managed? How will success be acknowledged and rewarded? What resources are allocated to the team? How? How will leadership be established within the team? What other roles exist within the team? What skills and experience do members need? What wider organisation support mechanisms are available to assist the team? What OHS, legislative and other issues need to be considered when running and managing the team? These questions could be organised into a checklist, grouping them into a few key areas to provide a focus for your planning. Activity 1 Make a checklist with the points above, and indicate how this is done with your RSAS team. Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Page 2 of 23

3 Types of Teams There are as many different types of teams as there are organisations, industries and sectors in which they work. Working teams are perhaps the most common, organised around the structure of the organisation. Members work on similar tasks and need similar skills and experience. For example, the RSAS team, the RJCP team etc. Cross-functional teams are made up of members from different sections of the organisation, such as finance, housing, medical services in community etc. Different people share their unique skills or knowledge with others in the team, and are sometimes external from the organisation. For example, there might be doctors or environmental people who come into community to address different needs. Project teams are very common and are often formed to deal with a particular issue or problem, and after it is solved the team will disband. People may return to their old work afterwards or they might move on to form a new project team. Self-managed teams are less common, and do not have a leader. Management teams make management decisions, and are found in most organisations. A typical management team might consist of a finance manager, RJCP manager and Rangers manager. Remote teams are teams whose members are located in different places, and this can be a challenge for managers. A team of National Park Wildlife Officers who watch over wildlife in different locations is an example of a remote team. Activity 2 What types of different teams are there within your organisation? Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Page 3 of 23

4 Team goals Teams are the building blocks of an organisation. They work together to achieve common goals which contribute to the organisation s wider goals and objectives. Many team leaders agree that having a common goal that is clear and well-understood is a major motivator for members. If everyone knows what they have to do, then both individual and team effectiveness will increase. Most of a team s goals may be fairly obvious but others may need to be described to them. However, there is usually an opportunity for teams to come up with a simple vision or mission statement that describes what they do. This is known as collaborative goal setting, and has many benefits. All team members are expected to participate, contributing and also listening to what others have to say. Collaborative goal setting activities often occur at conferences or meetings, and three main outcomes are expected: 1. The team comes up with a mission statement that summarises what they do and how they will do it 2. The team decides how it will achieve goals by developing team or individual plans 3. The team sets out rules and guidelines that direct how members will work with each other What makes a good goal? A good goal is one that is achievable and understood by a whole team. To make good goals: Encourage members to help each other Discuss the goal in a group Do some team building activities to help your team work more effectively Include the team at the earliest possible stage in goal setting and planning, including information sharing and asking for feedback Ask each member to explain to the rest of the group how they fit into the big picture Make sure the goal is realistic and specific Measure and reward progress If the goal is difficult and long-term, break it into smaller chunks that can be worked on in sections instead Assign deadlines and timeframes Page 4 of 23

5 Team plans Just like goals, plans need to be understood, agreed on, clear and easy to follow. Plans can take many forms, including those developed by the team or senior management, individual plans, action plans dealing with sub-sections, business plans with less detail or occupational health and safety plans that concern promoting a safe workplace. Plans can change for many reasons, such as organisational success, its focus and goals, or external influences such as competitor behaviour or economic or legislative changes. As a manager, make sure all members understand any plans they need to work with. Using plans to your advantage As a manager, there are several things you can do to use plans to your advantage. If the plan is too complex, you can re-word it and create a document people can work with. You can also create a team plan and then individual plans after for each member (using the same format for all). Plans should connect with the individual job descriptions and explain how they will contribute to the team, how their work will be measured and the priority of various tasks they will work on. You can also summarise major points from the team plan and highlight them on notice boards or in other communal areas where the teams works. Activity 3 What are your RSAS team goals? Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Team responsibilities Roles and responsibilities in teams can change depending on the team, organisation and environment or industry in which it operates, but people must always know what is expected of them. Whilst job descriptions usually explain this, it can be helpful to discuss individual and team responsibilities with the team, as sometimes certain responsibilities are more important than others, or additional ones may need to be added. Page 5 of 23

6 Team roles Roles generally depend on a person s skills and knowledge. This role is often evident in their title or job description (such as Manager or Team Leader ), however a team role can be quite different to a normal organisational role and sometimes harder to understand. Such as an office assistant, who knows their individual role but perhaps not their role in the larger team. Different types of teams will have different roles within them. In some teams, it is important that members take direction and complete tasks quickly without questioning the instructing. In others, team members are needed to be creative problem solvers, gathering and providing their managers with information. As organisations change, these roles can also change, causing problems for both leaders and team members. Activity 4 What are your RSAS team roles, and do you think they fit with your what your team actually does? If things don t seem to match what can you do to make sure that they do? Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Team consultation There are many benefits for a team that has a consultative nature. Aside from additional insights and ideas being produced, people s satisfaction levels, interest and commitment to their job can also increase. All teams will benefit from having an agreed way of working, and this can be decided partly by the team or managers. To promote a consultative team culture: Have meetings to identify and discuss roles and responsibilities Assist in identifying and documenting work goals and tasks for team members in their work plans Have regular meetings where people can share information about what they ve been working on, which is particularly helpful if there is a family that individual workers are having trouble working with Page 6 of 23

7 Have brainstorming sessions or workshops where members input and suggestions are expected At the outset of a project or when a new team member comes on board, set up one on one meetings within the team so individuals can discuss their work and also get to know each other Provide feedback Recognise the different skills and knowledge of members in the team (and in the wider organisation team) and ask them for their input where required The culture within a team is often determined by the leadership style of the manager. Those who naturally consult with others will find that many of the above suggestions happen naturally, whilst others may need to consciously incorporate them into plans. Creating a successful team There are many different necessary elements in creating a successful team, and even just missing one can be a large setback. Managers can use a team checklist such as the one blow to help make sure their team is effective. 1. Goals and planning a. Is everyone clear on what the team is trying to achieve? b. Are the goals realistic? c. Do the team goals fit into the organisation s goals? d. Does the team have the resources (human and physical) to achieve its goals? e. Does the whole team have input into the planning? f. Does the team have all the information it needs to plan properly? g. Does the team logically fit into the structure of the organisation? 2. Leadership a. Can and does the leader give strong guidance when it s needed? b. Does the leader understand the leadership expectations of team members? 3. Training a. Are team members supported with training and development programs? b. Is there opportunity for some team members to mentor others in the team? c. Does the leader understand their own, and the team member s strengths and weaknesses? Do they use training and development methods etc. to rectify problems? d. Would team training or bonding sessions help the team become more cohesive? Page 7 of 23

8 4. Attitude a. Are team members prepared to work together to achieve results, even if this meaning prioritising work, doing things they don t like doing or helping other team members? This can be particularly hard when workers have personal relationships with people in community. b. Is there trust within the team? c. Does everyone contribute equally? d. Are team members willing to contribute to and participate in decision making? 5. Communication a. Do team members communicate well with each other? b. Does the leader listen, with an open mind, to everyone? c. Do meetings help the team do better or are they considered a waste of time? 6. Rapport a. Are all members truly working toward the same goal? b. Are there personality conflicts within the team that are causing problems? c. Is the team within itself competitive or cooperative? 7. Recognition and reward a. Are the achievements of the team recognised? b. Are individual achievements also acknowledged? Page 8 of 23

9 Legislation and safety Teams must work within relevant legislation, codes, national standards and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) rules. Managers should be aware that many laws and standards are complex and change regularly, and that sometimes state regulations are different to national legislation. Many of these laws are designed to improve the experience of employees, and adhering to them will help managers promote the effectiveness of their teams. The Federal Work Health and Safety Act 2011 provides a framework for cooperative workplace relations, allowing employers the opportunity to make their workplace more competitive and allowing employees to improve both their living standards and the quality of their working lives. Anti-discrimination legislation is in place to make sure managers and team leaders prevent and eliminate discrimination from the workplace, no matter what it is based on. Occupational health and safety legislation states that managers have a duty to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Where a breach of the act may result in death or injury of a worker, the employer may have to pay compensation to the worker or their legal representative. Further information on Commonwealth OHS requirements can be found on the Safe Work Australia website. There are also other behaviour that the law forbids in relation to being an employer, but you should take particular note of those relating to sexual harassment, as it has particularly serious consequences for teams, managers and organisations. Sexual harassment is broadly defined as an unwelcome request for sexual favours or any other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. This includes discriminating against people based on their sexual preference. Laws regarding sexual harassment fall under the relevant equal opportunity discrimination legislation in your state or territory. The prohibition against sexual harassment applies both to management and their employees. You should make sure staff are aware of the provisions of the relevant act and have a clear policy against sexual harassment. Employees should understanding that such behaviour may be grounds for dismissal, or if they are subject to it that they have access to an effective complaints handling procedure. Page 9 of 23

10 Supporting team members to meet expected outcomes Different team members will respond to different ways of being managed. For RSAS workers the manager may know all of the team personally, and many if not all of the clients, so this can be particularly difficult. What do team members expect of their leader? Honesty is particularly important, as if a team member feels that their manager is being dishonest, they will question why this is so and as a result does not feel supported. Supporting your RSAS team member, particularly if there are people in community who are unhappy about what is happening is also very important; if they have made a mistake it should be addressed quietly and away from everyone s view. Imagination can be important, depending on the situation. For example, one of the team may have devised a really new way of engaging with the school kids, and the manager will need to use their imagination to think about how the idea might work for others. Management styles that support your team Mentoring A mentoring relationship involves two people. One, the mentor, is usually a more senior staff member or someone who has considerable skills and experience. The person being mentored is usually someone in a more junior role who is keen to learn and capable of achieving more than they are currently. Coaching Managers aren t meant to be the mentor of all of their team members. People outside the team could even mentor the manager. The right mentor can have lots of knowledge and advice on all sorts of issues relating to work and can really assist people at all levels within an organisation to realise their potential. Some tactics used by coaches of sporting teams could be useful for RSAS too. Managers can use techniques of sporting coaches, such as: Helping and encouraging team members to be an expert at what they do Setting goals for individuals that are unique to that person and reflect their abilities and hopes Page 10 of 23

11 Giving team members some control over the way things are done and a sense of ownership in the progress Coming up with new, different and better ways of doing things and having an open mind when suggestions are made Giving feedback People need to know how they are doing, if their work is up to scratch or if they need to improve. Feedback encourages communication within teams and encourages members to look for advice. Even feedback about poor performance can still have positive effects if it is given in friendly way that helps people improve. Feedback should be timely, such as immediately after the team members has achieved a goal, when they handle a difficulty well of if they fail to meet a deadline. This makes sure the feedback is fresh in the person s mind. Training As well as training that promotes teamwork, individuals may need training in order to perform well. They may also need to attend training as a result of changes in organisational procedures or industry legislation (such as Occupational Health and Safety training). Training is a major part of any role. At the very least, when a new employee begins with an organisation there should be some sort of orientation program or training session. Activity 5 Name 5 different things that you do to support and guide your RSAS team, and why these things are helpful: Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Page 11 of 23

12 Developing team cohesion Providing opportunities for planning, decision making and action Within a team, members are given chances to raise issues and concerns, contribute knowledge and opinions and assist in decisions making and planning activities. Managers and team leaders need to work hard to make a team culture where members are encouraged to participate and have a say in how things work. Team meetings, one-on-one meetings, planning days, team diaries and social get-togethers all help people develop relationships, share information, understand each others work and discuss issues about the team goals. Meetings One popular way of sharing information and encouraging teamwork is to hold a meeting. Many teams hold regular meetings, for example every morning or once a week. Meetings can be formal events with agendas and presentations, but can also be informal. Many people feel like meetings are a waste of time. Because of this, you need to make sure that people know why you are meeting and what you want to get out of it - at the end people should feel like they have gained something from the experience. Many managers make the mistake of organising regular meetings because they think just having a meeting means they are doing their jobs. However, effective meetings need to have a clear purpose. It is a good idea to consider the purpose of the meeting before it takes place. Do you want to promote team spirit or motivate the team? Think about what you re going to do in the meeting. One idea is to get team members to work together on deciding the agenda, or ask team members to report successes and share specific issues. Use meetings such as this to celebrate good work, such as an increase in school attendance. Page 12 of 23

13 Do you need to set goals or revise plans? Planning meetings for setting goals is very important. Understand that this might take some time and that team members will want to debate these issues a lot. Allow plenty of time and record people s thoughts and make sure everyone gets a fair say. Do you want to solve a problem or brainstorm new ideas? Make sure everyone has the information they need to contribute effectively and that they know their ideas, knowledge and opinions are expected. You should start the meeting by introducing the reason for it and then moving on to problem solving or generating ideas. If people want to discuss other issues, make sure they have the opportunity to do this outside the problem-solving meeting by talking directly with you or placing the issue on the agenda of a more suitable meeting. Do you want to provide training? Think about what you want your staff to learn. Is the meeting room the best place for this? Do all RSAS team members need to attend? Make sure staff know it s a training session, why their attendance is important, what is expected of them, who will be there and how long the session will last. Meeting tips Check whether your meetings meet the following criteria for running a good meeting. Don t try to squeeze everything into one weekly meeting, as making it too long will result in people losing interest Goal setting and planning activities are best done at infrequent intervals (perhaps every 4 months or once a year) Even in informal meetings, tell people how long the meeting will last. Be organised. Make sure people have information ahead of time. Minutes should be brief and given out as soon as possible after the meeting Make the meeting interactive. Make sure members know they are expected to participate and come prepared with examples of RSAS successes or problems they have encountered If you have shy team members, encourage them to offer opinions without making them uncomfortable. Make sure everyone s opinions are respected Keep the meeting as brief as possible. Have breaks if it has to be long. Page 13 of 23

14 Activity 6 How often does the RSAS team meet? Are meetings helpful in getting the work done? How could they be better? Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Planning days Many organisations arrange time for employees to come together to talk about the organisation s operations and plan for future action. Such planning sessions may last a day, a week, or more and are carefully structured events with a set agenda. Planning days provide an opportunity for teams to have input into their organisational planning as well as planning for the RSAS section. Strategic planning topics might include risk management, occupational health and safety procedures, environmental issues, broader elder, family and community matters all of which will impact in some way on the RSAS team s operations. The role of a frontline manager is to encourage team members to actively contribute, as important decisions can be made at these times that will affect all staff. Performance reviews Regular performance reviews give RSAS team members the chance to have a say about the way the team operates and they can provide team members with a sense of ownership. Some people prefer to have a say in a one-on-one situation rather than in a group meeting. Encourage team members to discuss how they think the team could improve its performance. Discussion might include suggestions for better planning strategies, or suggestions for how staff could contribute ideas they have. A team member might believe that decisions are always made by one or two people or that ideas are not listened to. Looking at all the ideas collected from performance reviews can be very interesting. Making decisions Different teams will have different ways of making decisions. The process depends on the environment, how closely the team is working, the input of the wider organisation and the personalities and working styles within the team. It also depends on the manager s leadership style. Page 14 of 23

15 Activity 7 Read the following examples: 1. Team leader makes major decisions but relies largely on information from the team, and talks about them with the team. 2. The team leader contributes to the final decision but it is really the team who reaches it. 3. The team leader asks for a little information from the team in order to decide, and then tells the team about the decision later. 4. The team leader makes a decision without consulting with team members at all. Give an example when you think each one of these would be what you might do when working with your team, and explain why this would be the best way to do it Provide you answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Encouraging team members to take responsibility for their work Managing a group of people, developing procedures and systems and working them to the point where they consider themselves a team takes time. Team leaders and managers need to work to create a team that encourages members to work together in a responsible way. Responsibility within a team environment An important part of any effective team is the way team members work together. Working together means helping one another and working towards a common goal. Team members need to feel responsible to the team and realise the role they play in achieving their goals. Furthermore, team members need to agree on and have a sense of pride in the outcome they are working toward. Being responsible in a team environment is more than simply saying yes to doing the work. One team member s lack of responsibility can create problems for the whole team, and these can sometimes be very serious, particularly if we consider the safety of a child or their family members. Page 15 of 23

16 Maintaining an effective team Tips for developing an effective team: Make the team accountable for their actions in the RSAS project. Have members tell each other what they ve done. If they haven t completed their allocated work or met their responsibilities, make sure there is a solution on a team level Work out the strengths of people within the team and make it known to members so that they can share their knowledge and seek help from others Tell people it s OK to share any problems they may have in meetings Make sure members know that it s OK to make a mistake, and that the whole team can learn from it Don t allow a blame culture to develop, where team members are attacked if others feel they are not contributing. Providing feedback Communicating within a team is very important. Team members who don t communicate well between themselves or who don t give information to their manager, or managers who don t provide information to their teams, are not doing a very good job. One of the most important parts of communication is feedback - people who don t give feedback are not helping their team mates do their job. Getting feedback from team members can be very valuable -as well as learning about what YOU could do to improve next time, you can benefit from the experience and ideas others provide. After all, they are out there doing the RSAS work. Feedback can be sought and provided in my situations, both formal and informal. Informal and ongoing feedback Ask members for feedback on your own performance All team members can give each other feedback Feedback can be sought several times over the course of the RSAS project and can be used to check how well work is progressing Give your team feedback on what happens at management, as a representative of the team. That way no one will think that you are hiding anything important Page 16 of 23

17 When instructions or requests are given, make sure team members understand the information provided. Sometimes people say they understand when they don t. Activity 8 Tell us 3 different ways you give feedback to your RSAS team Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Recognising and addressing issues, concerns and problems Every day, all different kinds of teams come across problems that put the team s goals at risk. There are a few major areas than can typically slow a team s progress: Personality issues within the group Lack of understanding or acceptance of what needs to be done to achieve goals Team members don t cooperate Poor leadership or direction Lack of resources, knowledge or skill Changes to the RSAS program Poor planning Team decision-making process not clear Arguing, poor attitudes or other negative behaviours within the team Too many expectations placed on individuals or the whole team Team members don t feel their work and achievements are recognised or rewarded Sometimes, despite the plans, the right people and a productive team culture, problems still happen. In such cases, having backup plans and a flexible team culture will help get the team back on track. Reasons for team failure There are many reasons that teams fail, some might be 1. No one trusts each other 2. People are frightened of conflict 3. Lack of commitment 4. No one really wants to be responsible 5. People don t pay attention to the important things that the team is meant to be doing. It can be hard to notice when things in a team aren t going to plan, but you need to try your best to know how things are going with the RSAS program. Page 17 of 23

18 Signs a team needs help might include: Not really wanting to do the work Constant arguing Personal worries being put above the work Some team members pressuring others Not meeting deadlines Team members who don t share the work equally Complaints and feedback from individual team members who come forward with issues should be taken very seriously. If someone has taken the time to share their concerns with you and you ve been encouraging communication and feedback within the team, listen to what they have to say. Ask them what ideas they have that would be helpful and perhaps even what they would like you to do. Remember, though, that sometimes issues important to one person may not be serious for the team, even though the problem still needs solving. Also, sometimes people just get worked up, and may simply want to talk through a problem with you rather than take action. Addressing problems When a problem arises, the RSAS team needs to work together to identify the problem and work out what is going wrong. Think about: Is the problem related to the way the team is working? Is something else outside the team causing the problem? Is it such a problem that the team cannot directly address (such as an issue within the school that the RSAS team cannot address) Depending on the type of problem, raising an issue can be either formal, informal or both. Formal methods of raising issues include: Writing a report about the problem faced by the team, the impact the problem has and some suggested solutions Asking a specialist staff member for assistance Reporting the issue in regular reports such as management or board reports Informal methods include: A phone call to another senior or specialist staff member (your manager, or the accountant) Discussing the issue in meetings or other get togethers Page 18 of 23

19 Just having a yarn about what is happening when you see someone What is important is that things are looked at and discussed quickly, so that the problem doesn t grow and become an ever bigger problem! Activity 9 Name 3 different ways you address problems within the RSAS program Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Contingency Planning Contingency planning is thinking about things that can change or go wrong within the team, and being prepared for them when they happen. They can include: A team member not turning up for work Changes to the rules Culture matters that take people out of community Issues to do with the weather the wet cutting roads, bushfires etc The bus breaking down Contingency planning is thinking about these things and being prepared for when they happen. One way to address this is to share the planning among the team so one person can be responsible for thinking about other staff, one can be thinking about how the kids can get to school etc. Most of these tasks fall on the manager, but involving others can be helpful. Activity 10 Pick something in community that goes wrong on a regular basis and explain how you work around it. Who in your team helps with this matter? Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Page 19 of 23

20 Leading by example Being a good leader is a lot of things, and in community it can be very difficult when the supervisor or manager may know everyone. In this case the supervisor is the eyes and ears of the team, and in looking after that team the supervisor needs to lead by example. The team needs to see that you are willing to do what they do and back them in their work. A good leader: Knows what the team has to do and focuses on that Is calm when there is a problem Wants to help the team Is really good at communicating with the team both the good and the bad Gives tasks to people they know can do the job and helps them to do it Makes sure everyone knows they are part of a team Plans the day s work well Makes sure everyone feels that they are a part of the team Page 20 of 23

21 Activity 11 Look at the list above, and check off all of the things that you think you do well. Be honest with yourself and pick 3 things you think you could do better (everyone can do better at something!) Write how you could improve below: Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Liaising with management As well as looking after the team, a good manager or supervisor also has to work upwards that is, they need to work with the management team who are senior to them as well. Sometimes it is to take direction about what is happening with RSAS, sometimes is to give them feedback from the RSAS team. Communication from the team to management The supervisor s role is making sure the flow of information is accurate and arrives when it is needed. You have to be honest and open with everyone, whether the news is good or bad no-one expects that programs will always run smoothly and being honest with senior management will help when you need to address really serious problems or need another person to think a little differently about an issue. For example, there may be problems with a teacher at a school, or the maintenance of the bus things that cannot be addressed without input from senior people. In addition, you may have some issues with a member of your team, and discussing it with a senior manager can be helpful. Issues raised are not complaints but show that there is a genuine need for direction and information from management. You will have to think about it, but may have to do one of the following: Tell the team that their concerns, while serious, are not a reason to worry (if that is the right action to take) Develop solutions to the problem yourself Develop solutions to the problem with the team Raise the problem with your manager or other managers in the organisation; they may be able to provide advice that helps fix the problem or avoid it all together Wherever possible it is valuable to have some thoughts about what might be helpful to share with the Management team. This is not saying that you always have to fix things yourself, more than senior managers might not know the same things that you and your team see and do as well as you do, and input from you helps them make their decisions too. Page 21 of 23

22 Communication from management to the team There will be times in your meetings with management that issues, concerns or problems concerning your team or the organisation as a whole are raised, and it s your responsibility to take that to your team or individual team members. Sometimes it will be bad news and you must be very careful how you take that to the team so as not to upset them and cause problems with morale and motivation. In such situations: Decide with your manager, or by using your own judgement, how much information can be shared with the team and what is the best way to tell them Think carefully about how you will manage concerns raised by management about your team s work or a team member. It is hard with a small RSAS team as everyone will know everyone else, so issues may be better addressed by encouraging the team to address problems through meetings and setting goals Communicate particularly sensitive issues one on one. Think about what others in community might do if they think someone is not doing their job properly, and work with that person to improve their individual performance Activity Give an example of providing feedback from management to your team 2. Give an example of providing feedback from your team to management Provide your answers in the Assessment Document for this unit. Page 22 of 23

23 Following up Supervisors must follow up on the information they bring to others, and report back to those who have raised the issue. So you must report to senior management on any issues raised about team performance for example, and you must report to your team about what is being done about the RSAS bus, for example. When concerns are presented to a manager, it is critical that they are: Taken seriously Clearly understood Communicated to the right people, in the right way, at the right time Followed up, so feedback can be given to those who identified and raised the issue in the first place. Remember, team effectiveness is directly related to the quality of the communication you have with the team itself, management and others within the organisation and community. Page 23 of 23