WORKING productively as a team can be difficult for a number of reasons. Based on various backgrounds and professions, teams are usually confronted with a wide array of ideas and opinions on any particular subject matter that may result in conflicts and disagreements. These disagreements can sometime be quite volatile and discussions may sometimes go on for longer than was expected. Regardless of the reason, the end result can prove highly unproductive.
How can we build productive teams?
For a team to work successfully there must be certain important elements present. These elements can help the team work effectively together and the end results will be positive. These elements include:
• The Presence of A Common Goal
• Unity and Trust
• A Dynamic, Empathetic Leader
• A Sense of Choice
• A Good Selection of Team Members
It can be difficult to find a compatible group of people who can work well together. The success of the team is heavily dependent on the circumstances and the reason for the formation of the group. It is important to note that to achieve a successful business; the employees need to work together in various types of groups in order for goals to be achieved. In some instances, there will be groups working towards a common goal, where each member has to participate equally, sharing duties to reach the desired objective. In other circumstances, it may be that each member has a specific and separate role to play in order for the end result to be reached successfully.
There must be a sense of unity amongst members as unity in turn builds trust. Without trust, there is generally conflict. Therefore, it is usually wise for a team to have a chosen leader. The leader’s role should be to successfully guide the team, instilling unity, building trust and avoiding conflicts along the way.
As stated previously, within the team, there must also be an established sense of choice. This sense of choice means that each team member must feel that their input is respected, accepted and considered by all other team members. They must feel that the choices given to the entire team are just that, for everybody and not just for one member. There should also be a balanced sense of competence within the team. In other words, each member should know their capabilities and be able to apply their skill. They must also be able to trust that all other team members have the ability to do the same.
When a leader is asked to choose members from a group of people, it would be wise to undertake research on prospective members’ background, personality and skills. Changes may need to be made if one person does not fit well with others within the group.
Good leaders are those who lead by example. Also, a good leader must show team members how to work through conflict respectfully. If they have done their job correctly, members will understand the goals set, their role on the team and their specific tasks. If members are confused about what they are supposed to do, they will encroach on another member’s role, overlapping tasks and wasting time and resources.
Smaller working teams have become a major part of many productive large corporations. They are formed regularly as they work well at finding solutions to problems and conceptualizing ideas. With a smaller grouping concentrating on working on an issue or theorizing an outcome, results in a greater chance of the right solution being found. Therefore, this means that the right group selections must be made, all team members must have the right mind-set and a dependable positive leader must be chosen.
For more information about productivity, visit the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) Secretariat, 2nd floor, Financial Centre Building, Bridge Street, Castries, log on to the NCPC website; www.stluciancpc.org ; www.facebook.com/stluciancpc ,call 468-5571/5576 or send an e-mail to [email protected]