UNIT OF COMPETENCY : WORK IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT
MODULE TITLE : WORKING IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT
MODULE DESCRIPTOR : This module covers the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to relate in a work based environment.
SUGGESTED DURATION : 4 hours
QUALIFICATION LEVEL : NC II
SUMMARY OF LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this module the students/trainees must be able to:
LO1 - DESCRIBE AND IDENTIFY TEAM ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN A TEAM
LO2 - DESCRIBE WORK AS A TEAM MEMBER
DESCRIBE AND IDENTIFY TEAM ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN A TEAM
Clarify Roles
Knowing everyone’s role and being familiar with the responsibility of those roles create efficiency and flexibility. Ideas for clarifying roles on the team include:
Review team members’ roles frequently.
Relate team member expectations to the team’s overall purpose.
Clarify responsibilities when action planning.
Learn what others do on the team.
Figure out ways to help each other.
Setting aside time to really evaluate what you do and how that impacts (or not) the company you work for is important to understanding the value you and your role have with that organization. Are you a key player on your team? If not, does the role provide opportunities for you to advance toward this?
After fully understanding your current role, value within your company, and its possible benefits and setbacks for your future, it’s time to take action. So many people become complacent in their careers and on the job.
If after evaluating your overall situation you discover that it’s actually beneficial to step out of your current role—step out of it. Don’t be afraid to follow after what your heart truly desires.
Relationship and Responsibility
Being a mutually evolving process, a relationship requires team members to be dependent on each other. Every individual should develop a level of trust for each other in order to be reliable for each other. Some of us just cannot find it easy to entrust a work with another team member or cannot seem to trust what a member can contribute.
In order to build trust, the team can hold trust-building talks during meetings every now and then. Self-disclosure is a good strategy for establishing trust with each other. Learning how to open and share a little about you to your teammates will give them a chance to know you as a person. Inject humor and some fun to be comfortable with each other.
Once you start to trust each other as an important member of the team, you will also become easily dependent on each other. With this, a budding relationship is established.
Each individual in a team has talents and abilities that can contribute to a solid work relationship which is needed to be productive in the job. As a team, members have to identify who excel in technical expertise, who are keen in problem-solving and decision-making, and who are adept in active listening, giving good feedback, and conflict resolution.
Identifying these skills helps a team perform effectively. This is otherwise known as team synergy through a coordinated effort of performing these abilities. Diversities even in skills and talents are common. But sharing these skills for the benefit of the team can build a solid work relationship among the individuals.
For a relationship to become healthy, learn to appreciate each other’s talents. Being recognized by fellow colleagues for the effort contributed for the team is heartwarming and rewarding.
Relationship with a Team
Typically, in a work setting, every working individual belongs to a team where a group of members work together with similar functions and work description, though not necessarily similar in interests.
Also, individuals in a team generate a collaborative effort to achieve common goals, and may need to give up individual autonomy in order to attain those goals. The organization as a whole can make up a team and this component is by far the largest to be called as such.
If you are paired up with another work colleague on a project, you are already called a team. Regardless of the population of the members and diversities in a team, building a relationship is a crucially important factor grounded on teamwork.
Team members who develop a common strategy in working such as using a discussion in the interaction process or assigning tasks are manifesting teamwork. Individuals work together by sharing individual objectives and eventually come up with a unified goal.
Being a part of a team also entails commitment in the job and the responsibility. In order for a team to be harmonious, a good working relationship has to be established.
DESCRIBE WORK AS A TEAM MEMBER
Be an Effective Team Member
Working on teams can be rewarding, but at times it can be difficult and downright frustrating. If there are poor communicators on your team, you may often feel left in the dark, confused or misunderstood. To create a successful team, effective communication methods are necessary for both team members and leaders.
Get Involved
Share suggestions, ideas, solutions and proposals with your team members. Take the time to help your fellow teammates, no matter the request. You can guarantee there will be a time in the future when you’ll need some help or advice. And if you’ve helped them in past, they’ll be more than happy to lend a helping hand.
No Bragging
It’s one thing to rejoice in your successes with the group, but don’t act like a superstar. Doing this will make others regret your personal successes and may create tension within the group. You don’t have to brag to let people know you’ve done a good job, people will already know. Have faith that people will recognize when good work is being done and that they’ll let you know how well you’re doing. Your response? Something like “Thanks, that means a lot.” is enough.
Group Planning and Decision Making
There can be advantages and disadvantages in involving teams of people in decision making. Some advantages include; accumulating more knowledge, taking a broader perspective and gaining support by letting individuals participate in the process.
Some of the disadvantages in group decision making include often a slower time to get a decision, a necessity for compromise which results in a less than optimal outcome and the potential for an individual or clique to dominate the group, negating its original benefit.
One difficult decision in itself for a manager or business owner is determining when to engage a group, and the extent to engage a group to help make a decision or whether to go alone and make a decision individually.
Advantages:
As the leader, do you have enough information of your own to make a good decision?
Is the problem structured in that it is clearly defined, organised and has recognized solutions?
Do the members of the group have to accept this decision for it to work?
If you make this decision yourself, are you sure the group will accept it?
Are the group members aligned with the same goals that you are trying to achieve?
Is disagreement likely among group members in reaching a decision?
If it is determined that a group decision is the preferred option, some simple guidelines for the decision making process can help as follows;
Develop a clear understanding of the problem and the need for a decision
Develop a clear understanding of the requirements for an effective choice
Thoroughly and accurately assess all the positive qualities of alternative solutions
Thoroughly and accurately assess all the negative qualities of alternative solutions
Although group decision making can be effective, it can also have disadvantages such as;
Social pressure. The pressure to conform to the group can have adverse effects on the creativity of the individual group member.
Domination by a vocal few. Group members may be ignored and outspoken by members who speak the loudest and longest.
Goal displacement. The primary objective of making a sound decision may be affected by a member’s personal considerations such as winning an argument, or getting back at another group member.
Groupthink. Groupthink occurs when group members try to minimise conflict and want to remain within the comfort zone of the group’s consensus thinking. Creativity and independent thinking are usually the first things to be sacrificed, resulting in poor quality decisions.
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