The term "team" have a definite meaning. "Teams" are synergistic - they produce a total that is greater than the sum of its parts. They consist of a group of people who:
1. Share a common goal (or goals). 2. They do have interdependent roles and responsibilities with each other. 3. In achieving one's goal; you should hold a common behavioural approach and action.
To have a successful team, a group of people must have a shared mandate and who works together to achieve the task given at hand. Sports teams are the ultimate example of the definition of team.
Others feel more comfortable with the term workgroup. Workgroups often arise when one leader has a conglomerate of direct reports, none of those roles have anything to do with anyone else's role in the group. Workgroups comprises of a group of people who :
1. Have individual, unrelated goals. 2. They can work independently thus, achieving a successful goal. 3. They can achieve tasks on their own without anyone's help.
A very good example for this is the US Olympic track and Field "team." Together, they have a common goal of getting the most track and field gold medals at the Olympics. In order to achieve this, they have common trainings and along with this is the emotional preparation.
Within the Olympic team, however, there are sub-components that consist of teams and of groups. Two examples are the relay team, and the group of sprinters. The relay team aims to win the race. They are also interdependent to one another to pass the baton and most especially they work together in preparation of the big event. On the other hand, the sprinting group has each own individual glory to achieve their goal. They race alone. The success of a group is seen through its production of output. The synergy of the relay team allows them to run longer distances at a faster rate than four individual sprinters running alone. This is what makes the "team" unique. They produce a total that is greater than the sum of the parts.
Workgroups can often function highly effectively without much need for team meetings and team building events. Teams on the other hand require a higher frequency of communication and problem solving. Group members can often get along just fine setting their annual performance objectives and doing performance reviews one-on-one with their boss. Teams on the other hand should be encouraged to set annual team and individual objectives together, and should be meeting regularly to check on their collective progress towards those objectives.
With this new understanding of teams and groups, you can now take hierarchy out of the equation. Organizations are increasingly becoming what I call "teaming" organizations. Individual output of the workload done is very important to evaluate each other's strengths and weaknesses. Because of the work done right, efficiency and quality style of work was enhanced.
What do they do? They form a "team", for whom the "leader" is often the key sponsor of the project or process. The leader must be the one who will lead the group. The leader must be responsible for the following.
1. Gaining everyone's buy-in to the common objective - even people who don't report directly to him/her in the hierarchy. 2. Each member of the group have its own role and work to achieve and aim in order to have a fruitful project. Attention to teamwork and be open minded to every idea or forum a member has to say since this might help enhance your group as well. 3. Proper implementation and common behavioural approach is needed to achieve the goal or aim of the group. The leader must call meetings of all the team members to set action plans, solve problems together, and check progress on their objectives.
Organizations are made up of many complex structures and people. It is ok to have both teams and groups in the hierarchy. The "teams" should create various areas of the hierarchy. It is not easy to be a "group leader" or a "team leader". It entails a lot of decision making and rigid analysis and development. Do whatever suitable management plan in order to have a successful group.
----------------------------------------------------
Mary Legakis is The Management Coach - the only coach focused exclusively on helping ambitious managers and aspiring executives raise their game and get to the corner office faster. For more information, please visit her website- http://www.managementcoach.ca
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=256773
No comments:
Post a Comment