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Team Dynamics What is a team? A team is a group of people working together towards a common goal. Clearly, defining a team as a group of people working towards a common goal causes us to test our perception about what makes up a work team. In this essay, we will explore the challenges that teams face in their efforts to work together. As we explore the inter workings of teams, we will review team components such as team purposes, leadership concerns, membership requirements, and what teams should consider when faced with changes. This knowledge can then be used to create a positive approach to team building and to achieve better bottom-line results. By understanding both individual and team development needs, we can build on dynamic relationships with our peers. Partnerships, which can create opportunities, allow learning and allow each individual to reach their full potential. First, every team requires a purpose; this means that it needs to make clear the team mission and goals: Why are we here? Thus, a mission statement is important because it prevents confusion and clearly communicates the team’s reason for being. A team which proceeds without a mission statement leads to harmful consequences, including: members exhaust valuable time, but achieve little or no results, and the team may not think extensively enough about different possibilities if the mission statement is unclear. Finally, Lewis Caroll summarizes the importance of a mission statement through the words of the” (p. ?). In the article “Team Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, "If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter which way you go Dynamics for the Company Officer,” Tim Holman (2002) describes the key element of a team’s purpose as “Focus, the foundation of a team consists of creating and communicating a vision and setting team goals” (p.72). Since teams exist to share and attain goal-based results, it is imperative that the members actively contribute to this step. Tim Holman also states, “Once you have established your vision, establish goals to determine how the vision will be accomplished. It is extremely important that your team members participate in setting the team goals…”(p.72). After developing a mission statement and clear goals for the team, the team must next identify the rules and boundaries that the team will work within. This will help focus the team on completing the job while solving or preventing problems such as communications protocol time, individual skill requirements, and meeting guidelines. Other pertinent questions answered in this process are as follows: who will lead the team, how will work be assigned, and how will conflicts be resolved. It must be made apparent what has to be completed to ensure each member has the same level of dedication. Some possible team rules are as follows: · Arrive on time for the meeting · Be prepared for the meeting · Be open-minded to other ideas · Be an active listener · Participate in the meeting · Meeting should start and end on time · Understand and value the diversity of all members · Understand accountabilities to the team · Uphold constructive group dynamics · Make decisions through a consensus of team members These rules allow the team to develop a consistent team spirit and raise expectations for both individual and team performance.
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