Effective Team Communication
In the environment today, it is not unusual to see people working in teams to accomplish certain goals and tasks. During our youth, parents and teachers encourage us through various methods to work as part of a team. Whether a sports team, classroom team, or after school activities, parents and teachers and other authority figures start the introduction of working in teams and teaching the value of being able to work together to accomplish a common goal. As people progress through the various stages of their lives, everyone continues to strive to communicate. Communication is a part of everyday life. It may be overlooked in some areas, but when dealing with a team environment, communication is vital. One
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What is teamwork? Teamwork is defined as "a formal work group consisting of people who work together intensely to achieve a common group goal." (University of Phoenix, Apollo Library, 2007). A group becomes a team when members demonstrate a commitment to one another to reach a common goal. There is a high degree of cohesiveness and accomplishment in a team. Simply put two heads are often better than one. (University of Phoenix, Apollo Library, 2007). Teamwork can help us communicate in many ways.
The use of teams in a workplace enhances employee communications. Team work requires some type of collective action that is grounded in words and actions. (University of Phoenix, Apollo Library, 2007). In effective teams, there is a sharing of information and ideas that improves communication within a team and between the team and the company for which they are employed. (University of Phoenix, 2007). In the Effective Team Work Starts with Good Communication article by Adkins, B, (2005), it is stated that "there is a checklist that can be used to provide ideas for communication within your team or this checklist can be used as springboard for developing your own team
Communicating in Teams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Team work in schools is important as it’s a development not only for you but also for others. It helps to build a positive relationship with those that are within your team, as well as showing that there is support for one another within the structure. When there is team work, responsibilities and tasks are shared and are completed more effectively and also in a good time scale. Each member or person has their own skill and or expertise, communicating with them helps you to learn, build up your own knowledge and know your own responsibilities. Communication is an invaluable tool in team work; you can ask for advice or even give advice about certain subjects or topics, as well as
Team work means that a shared sense of purpose is felt and a common purpose is identified. This bonds individuals into a team and creates the ideal scenario for success and achievement.
It is essential that there is effective communication to build an effective team. Effective teams need to work well together and that team cohesiveness depends on building strong relationships among team members. Communication is crucial and is driven by the team leader who will work with the team to establish ground rules and work to bring the team together so that it can accomplish its goals. All teams will go through expected stages of development, from forming to storming to norming and eventually performing according to Tuckman. Navigating through these stages effectively will help teams build relationships which in turn improves communication. Effective team communication can lead to both personal and professional development. Some examples of good communication are the holding of regular catch up meetings, active listening (by management and team members), regular feedback, clear vision and goals. In contrast to the above poor communication skills can have an adverse effect on team working. If team members are not communicating amongst themselves then
A team is something more than a collection of individuals. Teamwork is a group of people working together to achieve the same goal. The whole is more than a sum of the parts. A team can be identified by evidence of some or all of the following:
Hoegl & Gemuenden (2001) observed that the definition of teamwork is a social system including more than three people in an organization or context. These members identity others as one member of the team and they have the same goal. Robbins (2001) stated that the factors influencing teamwork are relation of leadership, roles, principles, status, size, composition and the power of agglomerate.
One of the more important skills students will learn outside the classroom is teamwork. This quality can not be taught it must be learned by experience. Members will be on teams to compete in competitions. Students must learn the limits and strengths of their team member if they wish to succeed. This skill prepares students for the team work assignments which will be required in classes, as well as in everyday
Increasing communication – team have to meet as often as possible to discuss issues of concern. Team has to clearly define methods and channels of communication to ensure that the right information is available at the right time, in the right form through the right channel for effective use and feed backs give timely.
Teamwork is the product of two or more persons working together to accomplish a given goal. Take for instance the Egyptian Pyramids. If one man alone tried to plan and build these colossal monuments by himself, he would have failed miserably. However, when men bond together and put their efforts to work toward a common goal, they can
One of the most important aspects is sharing a close relationship with the people one is corresponding with. This does not mean the participants must know all the details of the others’ lives or for that matter have known the person for an extended period of time. Instead, the people working together must be able to comprehend the motives of the other members and take compassion in their individual circumstances. Whether it is a sports team where the players may not all be best friends, but realize that each person will try their hardest and have bad days or if it is a business committee who treat all partners’ opinions with respect and attempt to understand their perspective, recognizing everyone has a unique view that deserves its own weight. Teamwork is more than just working together, but is the process of regarding and acknowledging every comrades’ strengths and weakness and then using this as the framework for achieving the overall goal. Personally, I experienced this important factor of teamwork during my years in gymnastic and dance classes. In the beginning of the year, our class would be shy and uncoordinated; nevertheless, as we took consideration about each member and built a personal relationship with everyone in the class we were able to create a relationship of a higher complexity, a team.
After reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Pat Lencioni, discussing the function of effective teams in class, and completing various team building exercises, I have developed a much better understanding of the importance of a proper team in a business setting and how good team work can produce more efficient and productive results.
Many organizations today believe that the use of work teams will allow them to produce better products and provide better services, faster, and at lower costs. Using a work team approach can reinvigorate productivity and service provider motivation, and better position an organization to deal with a rapidly changing environment. However establishing effective work teams is not something that comes easy. Though, the benefits of effective work teams within an organization are very substantial, it takes alot of hard work and dedication on the part of management and team members to develop, implement and maintain effective work teams.
Working within a group or team is unavoidable for most people. We are involved in sports teams, assignment groups, work teams, social groups and a variety of other groups and teams. Each of these groups share one thing in common, that is each requires us to communicate in some way in order to reach a shared goal or target. Therefore, it is imperative to know and understand how to work and communicate effectively with others to maximise outcomes and productivity.
Teamwork is the backbone of effective communication and the crucial cog that keeps the wheel of successful project management turning. The role of teamwork in enhancing problem solving skills, cohesion, learning, and productivity can no longer be ignored. Proper teamwork plays an integral role in promoting the effective implementation and fulfillment of shared goals in a team project in a manner that is better and quicker. Team work also provides a solid platform on which team members can take on different responsibilities and contribute in ways that together makes the entire team an effective unit.
Teamwork is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group." This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.