Ensuring Effective Teamwork in an Organisation

Generally, the term 'teamwork' means the actions of individuals, brought together for a common purpose or goal, which subordinates the needs of the individual to the needs of the group.

Teamwork, when used narrowly or technically refers to the process of working collaboratively with a group of people in an industry/organisation to achieve a goal.

Deductively, teamwork is sine qua non towards the sustenance, growth and development of an industry, business or organisation as it involves pooling and tapping all the individual's skills together through co-operation and injecting these new skills totally to the already existing level of know-how in the business so as to move the industry from its present level to a much more productive stage of development. Teamwork belongs majorly to the labour related means of production as it involves human initiative being pooled together and of course implemented by capital means of the organisation and sometimes through the same labour if the industry is labour intensive. Since the protégé constitutes the large scale of the labour force of any organisation, factors that must ensure effective team working in the organisation cannot be got over.

A lot of scholars have aired their views on the best practices that can ensure effective teamwork in an organisation.

Writing on ' Tips For Building an Effective Team", Riley Jones, identified that the first step to building an effective teamwork is effective communication of the team's goals.

Here, it is meant that the protégé must be attentive and attuned to the team's objective and goals. This certainly ensures the whole team is focused towards achieving a common objective. The role of the protégé can be divided ensuring that their responsibilities do not overlap. Giving everyone a free hand in their domain will guarantee that your team tastes success very fast.

Very closely related to this vintage point is the fact that the protégé must be informed with face-to-face briefings as this helps them feel useful and important.

On the second note, it is crucial to involve the complete team while making necessary decisions. This makes them feel necessary and more responsible towards their roles. Brainstorming as a team will additionally throw up better concepts and solutions. Here, there has to be a general consensus on what the mentor wants the protégé to do and not an individual's opinion. The protégés have to exercise as much self-direction and self-control as they can on routine things. The mentor may need to say what exactly he wants them to achieve, but they must decide how to deliver it.

Third, the mentor must inform all the members of changes in the organisation and not to spring surprises. There might be new innovations or the management can change certain routine policies in the organisation, but is the duty of the mentor to inform them in a meeting and not inform them individually or not inform them at all except if they do anything contrary to the changes in the organisation.

Lastly, the mentor must be a good listener and he has to act on their objections when they have good ideas. The mentor must always give good reasons for declining to act in their objections.

The points outlined thus far are practical in nature and if applied religiously can turn around any organisation's productivity to a much more enviable level.

Coaching/Mentoring For Team Work

Both coaching and mentoring are great opportunities for learning, which uses effective questioning that brings insight, which fuels curiosity, which cultivates wisdom. Asking questions, rather than telling or ordering is the fundamental component which brings the processes of mentoring and coaching together. Mentoring encompasses coaching, but it also focuses on the individual, his or her performance, within a context of objectives. Mentoring is unique in that it does not exclude other methods, but exists alongside them, complementing them and adding value.

Considerable commitment is required of coach/mentor to fulfill the role properly, with the expectation that as managers, your communication skills are at a stage where the art of listening has been mastered. And have patience!!! Mentors are part wizard, comic, motivator, sergeant, and partner, and believe that great mentors are effective at surrendering, accepting, gifting, and extending. Surrendering in the sense of not controlling; accepting or including rather than judging; gifting, not using manipulatively and extending, pushing the relationship to grow beyond any preconceived boundaries.

It is an acceptable fact that there are three integral qualities which are very highly valued by learners, and they are: a keen understanding of management practices, organizational know-how, and credibility. Let your team members benefit from the experience, knowledge, and success you have attained, and there will be a win-win situation. Expect to become exhilarated.

Coaching/Mentoring Team Formation

Without guidelines and expectations, no relationship can succeed, so before anyone undertakes to become part of a coaching or mentoring process in a team, there must be an informed decision made by the managers and the learners. Since no one wants to waste time, Gilley and Boughton recommend that you choose:

Employees who are willing to assume responsibility for their own growth and development, who are receptive to positive and negative feedback, and who are willing to accept suggestions and advice (Gilley 1996,177).

These employees are usually very positive about their jobs, the workplace, and their colleagues, and are people one could envision as organizational leaders of the future. After choosing a good candidate, especially one deemed for a mentoring relationship, you may want to develop a formalized plan of action, which describes respective responsibilities, goals the employee would like to achieve, some strategies that can help, and target dates for the completion of specific activities. A mentoring plan can also be beneficial because it is a visual identification of progress made, and can act as a motivator. Of course, not all mentoring/coaching relationships are formalized ones, and remain as spontaneous discussions and meetings, however, regardless of the level of commitment, boundaries should be set out to avoid problems that can arise.

To be involved in a successful mentoring team, a team member must take responsibility for their own development, trust their mentors' suggestions and advice, expect both positive and negative feedback, not be controlling, and be willing to accept challenging assignments. And finally, he must make sure he include an understanding that results are expected, and an agreed method of evaluation will be in place before a coaching or mentoring relationship can be cemented in a team. With the number of employees who want to be involved in such a program, and considering that there are only so many of us who can become coaches or mentors, invest your time wisely, and if an employee is not taking advantage of the opportunity given to them, choose someone more worthy.

MEASUREMENT RULER FOR TEAM WORK

To measure the effectiveness of teamwork in every team, the following rulers should be applied exhaustively to achieve maximal benefits:

Competency Element	MINIMAL (1)	MODERATE (2)	GOOD (3)	EXCELLENT (4)
Teamwork	Developing. This level is marked by a serious weakness that ultimately prevents the team from succeeding. This weakness may be in a faulty assumption about the roles and responsibility, leadership or customer, poor communication skill, serious limiting attitude and behaviour etc.	Competent. This level is marked by clarity of purpose, role and expectation to contributing to the team.	Mature. This level is marked by the significant role in teamwork; strategist, motivator, finisher, analyst etc. Consistent in contribution to team with flawless disciplinary record. Proactive in problem solving and resourceful.	Exemplary.This level is marked by authenticity of individual strengths. When combined with others, it synergizes to produce outperforming results. The exemplary team member, loyal to team and frequently challenge team’s status quo.
Works cooperatively with others; a team player; respects others’ input and expertise; is willing to learn from others.
Observable Behaviour	·Unable to contribute in one or more of the following i.e. ideas, effort, support, feedbacks etc,	·Able to contribute in one or more of the following i.e. ideas, effort, support, feedbacks etc,	·Frequent nomination or selection to lead or join team,	·Frequent appointment to lead or join strategic projects or special taskforce,
(meet most of descriptions)	·Problem with time management and not discipline to meet team’s expectation ,	·Meet team’s expectation especially in schedule and deadlines,	·Capable of using many thinking and problem solving tools for	·Labeled as ‘planner’, ‘scorer’, ‘sharp shooter’ or any other nick names that signify value to the team,
	·Seldom assigned for specific role,	·Assigned for low to middle important role, with clear instruction given by team leader,	·Does not wait for formal instructions and close monitoring to execute action plans,	·Has strong network and very resourceful in solving problems, becomes a strategic advantage for the team,
	·Calculative and resistance to contribute to team.	·Has fair expectation of WIIIFM.	·Proactive in seeking solutions and giving feedback for team improvement,	·Delivers consistent results for the team,
			·Has fair expectation of WIIIFM but able to release personal agenda to achieve team’s goal.	·Challenges status quo and able to facilitate team to achieve a better result,
				·Has team’s best interest on top of personal gain.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Team Player

There is no single definition for the word team; however for the purpose of this study a team consists of group of people who has to apply their different talents, skills, knowledge etc to achieve a common goal. There are different function, roles and responsibilities that every team player has to have. The Mentor (Coach) has to monitor the team and ensure that most of these are manifest in every team member so as to play along and achieve the team’s targets and goals. Different individuals have residual talents which are just potentials but would never been harnessed if the right mentoring techniques are not applied in handling the team. These roles are not limited to the following:

Be Responsible When the opportunity arises, take up responsibilities that are outside the scope of your current role. Show people you are willing to work hard and learn more. When a task given to you does go wrong, whether or not the circumstances causing the failure were under your control, own it up. Never attempt to shift blame to another team member or to another team. Communicates constructively Every team needs people that can easily speak up and have their ideas clearly and directly expressed and at the same time have respect for others and the work of the team. That's what it means to communicate constructively. Such a team member does not shy away from making a point but makes it in the best way possible — in a positive, confident, and respectful manner. Listens actively Good listeners are essential for teams to function effectively. Teams need team players who can absorb, understand, and consider ideas and points of view from other people without debating and arguing every point. Such a team member can as well receive criticism without reacting defensively. Team members need the discipline to listen and then speak to achieve a meaningful dialogue. Visible results would always follow after an effective communication and problem solving. Functions as an active participant Good team players participates actively being always prepared for team activities and listen and speak up in discussions. They're fully engaged in the work of the team and do not sit passively on the sidelines. The Coach has to look out for this trait and develop it for effective impact on the teams’ output. Team members who function as active participants are initiative makers and they volunteer for assignments. Their whole approach is can-do: "What contribution can I make to help the team achieve success?" Committed to team agenda A good team player gives so much care about their work, the team, and the team's work. They show up every day with this care and commitment up front. They exhibit much effort and enthusiasm, and expect same from other members of the team. Solves Problems Problems are inevitable in daily team activities. Often times, teams are created to address particular problems. Good team players are willing to deal with all kinds of problems in a solutions-oriented manner. They're problem-solvers, not problem-dwellers, problem-blamers, problem-avoiders or problem makers. They are not fault finders and they don't put off dealing with issues, the way avoiders do. Team players get problems out in the open for discussion and then collaborate with others to find solutions and develop action plans. Treats others in a respectful and responsible manner. Flexibility Change is a constant in life. “Good team players roll with the punches” adapting to every change. They seldom complain or get stressed out because something new is being ventured into. In addition, a flexible team member can consider different points of views and compromise when needed. He or she doesn't hold rigidly to a point of view and argue it to death, especially when the team needs to move forward to make a decision or get something done. Strong team players are firm in their thoughts yet open to what others have to offer.

Cooperates and pitches in to help Cooperation is the act of working with others and acting together to accomplish a job. Effective team players work this way by second nature. Good team players, despite differences they may have with other team members concerning style and perspective, figure out ways to work together to solve problems and get work done. They respond to requests for assistance and take the initiative to offer help. A team player should: • Give credit where it is due. And more importantly don't take credit for what is not your work. • Never hold back on a compliment. • Learn from others and their failures. It is imperative for sustained success that the team as a whole should not repeat the same mistake. • Synergize and pool resources in critical projects. Ego and seniority should never stop a team from working towards an efficient solution.  • Offer to take up a shift that no one wants. When you display generosity and openness you will see it being returned by others. Demonstrates reliability Effective team players are always reliable in achieving their individual and team target. He or she follows through on assignments. Consistency is sine qua non, delivering on time, not some times. Open minded Good team players rarely hold information to themselves. They're willing to share information, knowledge, and experience. They take the initiative to keep other team members informed. Much of the communication within teams takes place informally. Beyond discussion at organized meetings, team members need to feel comfortable talking with one another and passing along important news and information day-to-day. Good team players are active in this informal sharing. They keep other team members in the loop with information and expertise that helps get the job done and prevents surprises. supportive manner Team players treat fellow team members with courtesy and consideration — not just some of the time but consistently. In addition, they show understanding and the appropriate support of other team members to help get the job done. They don't place conditions on when they'll provide assistance, when they'll choose to listen, and when they'll share information. Good team players also have a sense of humour and know how to have fun (and all teams can use a bit of both), but they don't have fun at someone else's expense. Quite simply, effective team players deal with other people in a professional manner. Team players who show commitment don't come in any particular style or personality. They be soft-spoken, but they aren't passive. They are concerned with what the team is doing and they contribute to its success without being coaxed. Team players with commitment look beyond their own piece of the work and care about the teams overall task. In the end, their commitment is about winning and seeing the team succeed, and knowing they have contributed to each success. Winning as a team is one of the great motivators of employee performance. Good team players have and show this motivation always.

 Ref:http://www.qualitycoaching.com/Articles/team.html 

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