They are small size/diverse makeup, agreement on purpose, agreement on the proce

Question

They are small size/diverse makeup, agreement on purpose, agreement on the procedure, ability to confront conflict, use of good communication techniques, ability to collaborate together instead of competing, shared leadership and acceptance of ethical responsibility.

Select two of these characteristics and respond to these three questions (for each one complete all three responses).

1. Explain why this characteristic is important.

2. Give a personal example of how you have seen this exhibited in a positive or negative way in a team situation.

3. Provide your thoughts on how you as a team member can personally exhibit or encourage these characteristics in a team you participate in.

Explanation / Answer

Talking about two of the characteristics i.e. (a) Use of good communication techniques and (b) ability to collaborate together instead of competing

A] Use of good communication techniques

1. Explain why this characteristic is important.

Good communication is an essential tool in achieving productivity and maintaining strong working relationships at all levels of an organization. Behind successful teams, is an organizational culture that encourages team members to communicate freely with each other, to be comfortable to share and express their opinion without fear of being overlooked. A successful team building emphasize on brainstorming, listening to all members' ideas and encourages the participation of others before concluding a final decision.

Employers who work hard on delivering clear lines of communication rapidly build trust among employees, achieve increased productivity, output and morale in general. While in contrast, poor communication in the workplace will inevitably lead to demotivated staff resulting more turnover.

I was reading biography of Richard Feynman who not only won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965, but also made important discoveries in biology and was an early pioneer of parallel and quantum computing. As quoted by one of the famous philosopher, Schopenhauer - “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.”

Feynman’s talent was so prodigious that even other elite scientists considered him to be a magician. Feynman was not content to hide his tricks behind smoke and mirrors. He insisted on teaching an introductory class for undergraduates exceedingly rare for top calibre academics that was standing room only. With his Brooklyn accent, wry sense of humor and talent for explaining things in practical, everyday terms, he was a student favorite.

Perhaps the best example of how Feynman combined brilliance with exceptional communication skills was a talk he gave a few days after Christmas in 1959. Starting from a basic question about what it would take to shrink the Encyclopedia Britannica to fit on the head of a pin, he moved step by step until, in less than an hour, he had invented the field of nanotechnology.

3. Provide your thoughts on how you as a team member can personally exhibit or encourage these characteristics in a team you participate in.

We often treat communication as if it were a discrete act, a matter of performance or lack thereof. Yet meaning cannot be separated from context. A crucial, but often overlooked, function of leadership is creating a culture in which effective communication can flourish. Below are some of the key areas where organizations can improve and enhance their communications:

Define goals and expectations – Managers need to deliver clear, achievable goals to both teams and individuals, outlining exactly what is required on any given project, and ensuring that all staff are aware of the objectives of the project, the department and the organization as a whole.

Clearly deliver your message – Ensure your message is clear and accessible to your intended audience. To do this it is essential that you speak plainly and politely – getting your message across clearly without causing confusion or offense.

Choose your medium carefully – Once you’ve created your message you need to ensure it’s delivered in the best possible format. While face to face communication is by far the best way to build trust with employees, it is not always an option. Take time to decide whether information delivered in a printed copy would work better than an email or if a general memo will suffice.

Keep everyone involved – Ensure that lines of communication are kept open at all times. Actively seek and encourage progress reports and project updates. This is particularly important when dealing with remote staff.

Listen and show empathy – Communication is a two way process and no company or individual will survive long if it doesn’t listen and encourage dialogue with the other party. Listening shows respect and allows you to learn of any outstanding issues you may need to address as an employer.

B] Ability to collaborate together instead of competing

1. Explain why this characteristic is important.

Collaboration helps individuals or groups work together to achieve a common goal by sharing their ideas and skills. When teams and individuals collaborate, they essentially learn new things from each other, perform effectively, respond to problems quickly and enhance their capacity to go and grow beyond their comfort zones as compared to people who work on projects on their own. Collaborating also brings responsibility among employees, which goes a long way in uplifting their motivation levels, especially when teams work virtually and take your business to new heights.

Benefits of effective collaboration

1) It Promotes Self-Analysis

Collaboration motivates people to think, articulate and receive clarity about their competencies. It serves as a mirror that gives them a glimpse of their strengths and weaknesses. Because two heads are better than one, teams work better together and plug each other’s gaps.

2) It Results in Problem Solving

When a variety of knowledge and skills are pooled, it creates a talent pool that is vast and more competent, able and experienced. Virtual collaboration minimizes or even eliminates the need for finances and infrastructure. Thanks to the Internet, businesses can gain better market reach and organizations with people from diverse backgrounds can thrive.

3) It Makes You Look at the Bigger Picture

No two people are the same, and when you have several people from different backgrounds working for you, you will need to know how to leverage those differences and identify how they can complement each other. You also need to understand that even if the project does not shape up the way you wanted it to in the end, the partnership could still achieve a great deal.

2. Give a personal example of how you have seen this exhibited in a positive or negative way in a team situation.

I got a chance to read one article which covered real life instances narrated by entrepreneurs, CEOs, and HR managers to drive employees interest in collaborating -

(a) As quoted by one of the enterpreneurs - “Our most unconventional event to date was the ‘Role Switch’. It was launched across our web and marketing department. In the event, each team member switches roles with a colleague. Usually, team members work together closely but they don’t really understand the complexities of other person’s role.

Spending a day in your colleague’s shoes highlights their efforts, which brings more understanding and respect for one another. The ‘Role Switch’ was a huge success: it brought the team closer together and made people more considerate of other’s workloads and requirements.”

(b) Another CEO of mid-sized company quoted ”An example of successful teamwork at our company was when the customer relation department put together an initiative of cross-training and specializing team members for different roles. After deciding who will focus on what, the group sat down and taught one another what they would need to become the expert in their respective area.

Because people were cross-trained, they had a broader set of skills they could use to handle customer interaction - which resulted in fewer hand-offs. This not only enhanced teamwork and productivity, but also improved customer satisfaction. Everyone worked as a team and covered for one another, which made everything move smoothly and quickly.”

1. Take the time and effort necessary to make people feel secure and appreciated. Co-create “rules of engagement” that outline the ways in which your team members agree to treat one another.

2. Let your team know why this project is important (you’d be surprised to know how often this is not done) and then set clear expectations for group outcomes and individual roles.

3.Build trust by displaying trustworthiness – be consistent, candid, open, vulnerable, and supportive.

4. Tell stories to build community, create a shared identity, and help people learn from successes and failures.

5. Respect and encourage diversity – of background, of experience, of opinion, of thinking.

6. Provide opportunities for team members to interact with one another and with other parts of the organization in order to develop relationships that are the bedrock of collaboration.

7. Watch your body language. Collaborative leaders don’t just say they want everyone’s input, they send nonverbal signals of inclusion -- giving people their full attention, listening carefully, and making positive eye contact.

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