Groups and Teams
Dealing with Teams
“There is no I in team” is a famous phrase used in all kinds of scenarios and the business world is no stranger to this concept. Teams play a very important role in organizations as well as our personal lives. Teams are formed when individuals with common interests come together and work together for a common goal. Henry Ford had the right idea when he said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” This proverb details the importance of working in teams, but what truly makes a team successful? Developing team competencies, team diversity, dealing with team conflicts, and improving group effectiveness are but a few factors that make an average team great. Team competence, or the ability to be successful within a team, typically revolves around the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the team. Knowledge in the context of a group refers specifically to “understanding facts, concepts, relations, and underlying relevant information that is crucial in performing team tasks” (Pg. 290). Some examples may include knowledge of the teams mission, objectives, and norms; task sequencing; team role interaction patterns; understanding teamwork skills; and understanding teammate characteristics. This wealth of knowledge is crucial and most beneficial to any group scenario. Skills, or highly developed behavioral and cognitive capabilities, are another crucial factor in the development and completion of the team. Flexibility and being able to adapt, monitoring ones own performance and those around them, being able to handle positive and negative criticism, and being able to approach the situation with the responsibilities of a leader are key elements that group members must have to be successful. Attitudes involve the emotional side of things. The feelings and beliefs about something is a vital part of how we view our environment and how we view the workplace. Several attitudes are unique to the group
“There is no I in team” is a famous phrase used in all kinds of scenarios and the business world is no stranger to this concept. Teams play a very important role in organizations as well as our personal lives. Teams are formed when individuals with common interests come together and work together for a common goal. Henry Ford had the right idea when he said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” This proverb details the importance of working in teams, but what truly makes a team successful? Developing team competencies, team diversity, dealing with team conflicts, and improving group effectiveness are but a few factors that make an average team great. Team competence, or the ability to be successful within a team, typically revolves around the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the team. Knowledge in the context of a group refers specifically to “understanding facts, concepts, relations, and underlying relevant information that is crucial in performing team tasks” (Pg. 290). Some examples may include knowledge of the teams mission, objectives, and norms; task sequencing; team role interaction patterns; understanding teamwork skills; and understanding teammate characteristics. This wealth of knowledge is crucial and most beneficial to any group scenario. Skills, or highly developed behavioral and cognitive capabilities, are another crucial factor in the development and completion of the team. Flexibility and being able to adapt, monitoring ones own performance and those around them, being able to handle positive and negative criticism, and being able to approach the situation with the responsibilities of a leader are key elements that group members must have to be successful. Attitudes involve the emotional side of things. The feelings and beliefs about something is a vital part of how we view our environment and how we view the workplace. Several attitudes are unique to the group