Team Effectiveness

In recent years, numerous allegations have been raised as far as the effectiveness of team work in various sectors are concerned. In the event that these approaches aren’t that effective, have you ever wondered as to why they have been used for so many years? Well, the reason behind these allegations is the fact that the market today has become a lot more uncertain as compared to what it used to be. As a result, the idea of team work has vanished amongst a considerable category of individuals. This is solely due to the fact that the level of competition among the various employees is growing at an alarming rate with each employee having the mindset of out lasting the other. Under such a competitive environment, individuals may very often fail to leave aside their interests and consider the interests of the team as a whole which in turn results in the loss of effectiveness of the various teams that have been formulated in recent years. As a result, it is extremely important to consider all the possible circumstances that may arise at the time of formulating a particular team. Another thing that must be considered is the state of affairs in the future. For example, there may not be an issue with two members X and Y of a particular team at present. However, as they climb up the corporate ladders, it is for certain that each of them will be looking forward to outweighing the other so as to ensure that their personal interests are preserved. This is something that one certainly can’t take out from the mind of the employees. However, in the event that the owners of a particular firm are able to highlight the various mutual aspects of a particular firm, then one thing is for certain that the employees will think twice before doing something that is against the interest of the team. Hence, there are high chances that the effectiveness of the team as a whole is going to be preserved. In addition to this, the company might as well offer the various individuals in the team with certain incentives. These incentives usually would be meant for the team. However, in the event that these incentives are worth it, there are various individuals who would without a doubt look forward to keeping aside their personal interests and work for the team as a whole. These are certain aspects that are of utmost importance in the event that an individual is looking forward to ensure that the effectiveness of the team prevails over any sort of personal interests.

Another thing that the authorities in charge must take into account is the fact that the employees each have certain characteristics of their own. As a result, it is extremely important for the various employees to be frank with one another. The concerned authorities must ensure that a healthy relationship prevails between the various employees so as to ensure that there is a mutual level of understanding and respect which in turn ought to be extremely beneficial in the long run. These are certain things that may not appear to be that important at this point, however, if you consider it on a long term basis, it is extremely important for the various members of a teams to maintain a healthy relationship among themselves. In the event that this doesn’t happen, then there are high chances that disputes are going to arise. The more comfortable the team members are with one another the easier shall be the task of the governing bodies of the team as they don’t have to invest much of a time in settling the various disputes among the various team members which is something that the governing bodies of most functional teams come across. Hence, the governing bodies must try and figure out ways and means by which a sense of unity and brotherhood can be established amongst the members of the team. They may plan get together for the team on the successful completion of various projects. This is one of the most common approaches taken by the governing bodies. However, there are instances where in the governing bodies opt for several other alternatives as well.

Selecting team members

This is not all that is necessary in order to ensure that a particular team is up to the mark. There are other things that needs to be considered as well. This includes the fact that each member of the team must perform certain specific functions. Functions in sectors where he or she excels in. This will play a huge role as far as increasing the effectiveness of a particular team is concerned. For example, in the example that we had taken up earlier regarding a content writing company. Suppose the company has 100 team members as before and each of its members are good with writing SEO contents. However, none of them are capable of writing blogs. Suppose the company needs to submit 200 blogs and 200 SEO companies, how is it supposed to get the job done considering on a handful of individuals are capable of writing blogs? This in turn emphasizes on the fact that a company or rather a particular team in a company must not have individuals who possess the same level of skill throughout. There are various roles that a team ought to serve and it is important that at the time of forming the various teams, the members are distributed in such a manner that all the teams are effective enough in solving the various issues that the company may face. These are some of the key aspects that I wanted to highlight under this section. I believe that each team must be balanced in such a manner that it serves the purposes of both the team members and the company for which they are working. The various roles that a team may have to follow are discussed in details below:

• The Shaper: This is the role that most of the managerial teams of the particular company have to perform. Their major task is to ensure that the development process of the various projects keeps going no matter what and is submitted as per the schedule. These group of individuals are a lot more experienced and have worked for the organization for a considerably long period of time. Hence, they will have better understanding of the various aspects that the teams under them may come across. As a result, one of the major’s things done by these groups is to provide their views to their subordinates so as to ensure that the desired job is done in the required time interval. These individuals are without a doubt extremely capable of challenging the views and opinions of the various members of the other teams. The best part is that they themselves are open to criticism.

• Coordinator: The task of such a person is to overview that various things that are being carried out in his or her group. He or she is perhaps the direct link for the other team members to the higher authorities and vice versa. In the event that the team doesn’t perform as it is expected to, it is the coordinator who is accused. Hence, this position which is often considered to be quite a respectable one involves great amounts of risks and as a result, there are very few individuals in this world you are capable of becoming successful coordinators. Another reason behind this is the fact that a lot of responsibility is involved as far as these coordinators are concerned.

• Plant: Just as a power plant provides energy and an organic plant provides food for all living beings, a plant in a team is an individual who provides the other in his or her team with suitable ideas so as to ensure the smooth functioning of the team. These ideas are without a doubt extremely beneficial in the event that a particular company is looking forward to get an edge over the others of its class. These ideas are such that they challenge the traditional way of thinking in a manner that is somewhat acceptable for most individuals. The creative and the imaginative skills of the various individuals who are the plants of their teams are without a doubt in some other dimension. This is perhaps one of the basic reasons as to why the various individuals acting as the plant of the teams are respected all the more. This is due to the fact that without their innovative ideas, it is for certain that the team isn’t going to make much of a progress.

• Implementer: Just as the plant provides ideas, there must be certain members in a team who ought to understand the various ideas that the plant of the team has in store> in the event that these ideas aren’t understood by any one, it is for certain that these ideas will go in vain. The major reason behind this is that fact that you can’t understand a story until and unless you are aware of the language in which it is written. For example, you need to communicate with an individual who cannot speak through messages. Consider a situation where in that individual knows only one language, English and you on the other hand aren’t very comfortable as far as English is concerned. In such a scenario, you will have to get hold of someone who ought to translate in between so as to ensure that you are able to communicate with the individual who has been taken into consideration here.

• Investigator of Resource: The member of the group referred to as the investigator of resource is perhaps the one who has the largest number of contacts. Such an individual must be a pro as far as gathering information from the outside world is concerned. In addition to bringing information, he or she is also responsible for bringing in the desired level of support that his or her team needs. The type of supports that is needed varies from team to team and on the basis of the type of project as well. This member is very well aware of the various objectives that the company has. He or she without a doubt has a lot of enthusiasm as far as these goals are concerned. However, he or she may not always be able to control that enthusiasm.

• Completer: This is the individual in the team who is responsible for curving out the deadlines of a particular project. In addition to this, such an individual is also responsible for providing the developed project with a bit of finishing touch. This is something that every project needs especially in the event that the developers are looking forward to launching a product that ought to beat all others in its class. He or she is responsible for keep up with the schedule of the project. He or she does so by providing his or her teammates with a sense of urgency which is without a doubt an absolute must especially in the event that the team is looking forward to submitting the project on time.

• Specialist: Such an individual of the team is often single minded. He or she is referred to as the specialist due to the fact that he or she provides certain level of expertise that the other team members aren’t capable of providing. As a result, such individuals are often considered to form the backbone of the team just as the plant. In the event that you are well aware of the roles of a plant in a particular team, you will without a doubt be able to relate the roles of the plant and the specialist. However, in the event that you aren’t able to do so, it is strongly recommended for you to go through the reference section that is provided at the later portion of this book.

• Monitor Evaluator: This is perhaps the individual who is often considered to be the brain of the team. This is due to the fact that this is the individual who is responsible for considering the various aspects that are in hand and carrying out the various operations accordingly. In the event that this person fails to carry out his or her duties properly, one thing is for certain that the performance of the team isn’t going to be optimal. However, in the event that he or she does consider all the options in hand properly, then his or her company rather his or her team is definitely going to thrive. This is something about these individuals that cannot be neglected by any means in the event that an individual is looking forward to realizing the true essence of effective team work.

• Team Worker: Considering the fact that a team is a heterogeneous mixture of numerous individuals, one thing is for certain that several disputes are going to arise while the various members are working together as a team. As a result, there must be someone who hold everything together no matter what and shows his or her team mates the true essence of being a team. Irrespective of what the team is possibly working on, such an individual is without a doubt an absolute must in the team especially if the governing bodies of the tem are seeking the maximum possible output.

ACTIVITY

In the event that the concerned authorities of a particular team are looking forward to identifying the potential roles of a particular individual in a team, there are several ways that they can opt for. One of the most common approaches is the various psychometric procedures that an individual goes through during the process of selection of the particular company. Identifying the roles of individuals in the various teams is one of the key aspects in the event that an individual is looking forward to making the maximum profit out of a particular team. It is not necessary that a person serving his or her role in a particular team isn’t capable of serving other roles in various other teams. These roles are definitely something that needs to be identified. Apart from the various psychometric tests during the process of selection, there are various other approaches that the concerned authorities of a particular team can opt for. These may be in the form of various aptitude tests that the employees of a particular firm need to go through on a regular basis. These tests will without a doubt play a huge role as far as providing individuals with the desired roles in a particular team are concerned.

TRAINING OF THE LEADER AND THE MANAGER OF THE TEAM

As you gain experience as a member of the team, you may come across new roles that needs to be served. These roles without a doubt ought to play a huge role as far as deciding on the manner in which the team approaches a particular project. The responsibility on the shoulders of the manager and the leader of the team is such that if anything goes wrong as far as the progress of a particular project is concerned, then it is these individuals who are to be blamed. This is one of the major reasons as to why these individuals are the ones who ordinarily take charge of the team. As one elevates up the rankings for a particular team, one thing is for certain that he or she is going to come across new responsibilities every day. This is perhaps one of the major reasons as to why these individuals monitor the various activities that are carried out in the team. By doing so, these individuals try to ensure that the team can keep up with the various objectives that the individuals framing the team had in mind at the time of putting the team together. This is perhaps one of the major reason behind the effectiveness of these teams. Another thing about these leaders or managers is that they are a part of the team and as a result, they can very well understand the various circumstances that the members of the team ought to come across time and again. Hence, one thing is for certain that there is a better level of understanding between the manager and the leader of the team with his or her team members.

TRAINING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM

Just as the managers and the leaders of the team play an administrative role in the team, there are numerous roles that the members of the team need to serve. In order to ensure that the team carries out its various purposes as per schedule, one thing is for certain that the various members of the team have indeed served their purposes. However, in the event that a member of the team irrespective of the purpose he or she serves in the team doesn’t perform his or her responsibilities, one thing is for certain that he or she is needs a considerable amount of training so as to ensure that he or she is able to meet up with what is being expected form him or his team.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEAM

As per the suggestions provided by Blau of 2002, the only reasons as to why the concerned authorities of a particular company or firm look forward to the idea of development of new teams in the first place is due to the fact that the teams that currently work under the firm may not be able to meet up with what all is being expected from them. Under such circumstances, it becomes exceedingly difficult for the concerned authorities of the team to figure out new ways and means so as to ensure that the team can keep up with the objectives of the team. There are various processes that are involved as far as the development of a particular team is taken into consideration.

There are various things that need to be taken into consideration at the time of formulation of a particular team. One of the major things that needs to be considered is the type of project that the team ought to be working on. In the event that the project that the team needs to deal with is an extremely complex one, i.e. a large number of parameters are involved, then there are high chances that the team ought to be an extremely huge one. This is due to the fact that a greater man power is required in the event that a team is working with a project that involves a considerable amount of overhead. As a result, it can be said that the volume of the members of a team is directly proportional to the amount of overhead involved in a particular project. In the event that the team handling an enormous project doesn’t have sufficient team members, there are high chances that the project will either be divided, with the remaining part being handed over to other teams or the project as a whole ought to be taken away from the current team and handed over to another team. These are some of the major aspects about these teams that you must definitely take into consideration in the event that you are considering the idea of getting the maximum level of profit out of these teams. These teams will definitely not be able to perform at its very best until and unless the various members of the team work together in a manner that is effective to most of the members of the team.

As far as the development of the various processes in a particular team are concerned, a considerable amount of overhead is involved. In order to deal with this sort of overhead. It is strongly recommended for the higher authorities of the team such as the leader or the manager to plan out the various proceedings of the team thoroughly. These proceedings if not planned properly can very well have an adverse impact on the team. The process of planning the various procedures to be adopted in order to ensure that the project is carried out in a suitable manner is an extremely complex one. Hence, in order to ensure that these plan are up to the mark, it is imperative for the authorities of the team to take into account the opinion of the individuals who will be benefiting from the development of this project. Hence, you can very well understand how important the process of development of a particular project can actually be. In the event that the plans aren’t followed, then the leader of the team is to be blamed as he or she is the individual who is responsible for ensuring that that various members of the team carry out the various plans as per schedule. This will without a doubt play a huge role in ensuring that the various teams are successful in their respective fields. There are various activities that are involved as far as the building of a particular team is concerned. In the event that an individual is willing to consider these options, he or she might as well consider the 13.2 case.

PRACTICE WINDOW

If you consider the various approaches that ought to be taken up for the development of a team, which one is the most effective?

As per the reports of Blau, there are various approaches that need to be taken into consideration at the time of development of a particular team. In the event that the individuals formulating a particular team take a single approach into consideration, one thing is for certain that the team that is going to build up isn’t going to be an effective one. In South Africa, Blau came across numerous mysteries of murder of wild life. Firstly, consider the manner in which Harry Potter made potion, the kitchen was the place where they worked and Finland’s puppy sledding, among others. The individuals who were the providers of courses such as these believe that at the time of making fun out of a situation it is as yet conceivable to take a shot at significant matters which can in turn be connected to their workplace. For instance ‘Thyme administration’s’ Tim Sheply believes that the entire idea of considering the kitchen to be the workplace with it similar anxieties and time weights, and Leith’s Schools at Celia Francis of Food and liquor proposes it is vital that members leave away with various new learning – for this situation cooking gourmet. Such incentives are presently huge business. While becoming acquainted with kindred laborers better might be useful, Aston University’s Michael West contends that creating transferable aptitudes in a group setting is considerably more important, and contends against group exercises which base on fun. Rather he proposes that the concentrate should be focused on specific abilities which are important as far as the work setting is concerned. Birkbeck College’s Briner recommends that there ought to be more accentuation on how individuals work making a genuine showing with regards to errand.

Reward and recognition

As far as the scope of a particular team is concerned, the more expose it receives, the more will be the level of reward it stands to receive. Under circumstances where in the team has received the desired level of public recognition, there are high chances that the team isn’t going to perform as is expected from it. This is perhaps one of the major reasons as to why the various individuals of the team need to get their acts together and ensure that they are able to carry out the various objectives of their team as planned by the concerned authorities of the team. In the event that the various concerned authorities of the team aren’t responsible enough, then it is for certain that the team isn’t going to receive the desired level of public recognition which in turn will lead to a situation where in the various objectives of the team aren’t meet. In order to ensure that they don’t come across such situations, the various authorities of the team try and ensure that the plan is followed by the various individuals of the plan. In the event that the members of the teams don’t follow the various plans that have been laid down by the higher authorities, one thing is for certain that the team isn’t going to thrive. In the event that these teams are to ensure that they are to meet up with the various objectives of the team, they can very well follow the plan laid down by the higher authorities of the team. In the event that the team follows the plan as provided by the higher authorities yet it isn’t being able to meet up with its objectives, then it is the higher authorities of the team who are to be blamed. Hence, in order to ensure that such situations don’t arise, the higher authorities at the time of formulating the plan must take various aspects into account such as the objectives to be meet, the level of skills of the various objects of the team, etc. If these things are taken into consideration, then there are high chances that the team is going to receive the public recognition it desires.

In addition to this, in the event that the team receives the desired level of recognition, there are high chances that t is going to receive various rewards.

Are teams always the right answer?

While going through this chapter, most individuals ought to come across the obvious question as to whether or not formulating teams can be the answer to all your problems. In the event that the team that has been formulated doesn’t perform as expected then the troubles ought to increase all the more. Yes, the amount of complexity involved in a particular project is greatly reduced in the event that the team formulated is good with what is has been chosen for. However, the fact remains that a team may not always be the answer to such problems. Hence, it is strongly advisable for the individuals in question to first consider the situation in hand before deciding on as to whether or not they need to formulate the team. There are various possibilities that may arise from a particular problem. In the event that there instances where in you are in a dilemma as to whether or not a team would aid in the problem, all you need to do is consider the various aspects that have been discussed under the scope of this chapter.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIOUS PROPOSITIONS LAID DOWN

VARIOUS TOPICS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GENERAL DISCUSSION

BOOKS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FURTHER READING

REFERENCES

Links of Previous Main Topic:-

• Selection methods and decisions
• Staff retention
• Ending the contract
• Strategic aspects of performance
• Organisational performance
• Individual performance management
• Team performance
• Purpose nature and impact of teamwork
• Broad team types

Links of Next HR Management Topics:-

• Introduction leadership and motivation
• Managing absence and attendance
• Interactive skill 3 appraisal interviewing
• Strategic aspects of development
• Context competence competencies
• Learning and development