| Requirement of Teamwork?Larger, ambitious goals | | | | effective teamworkBy taking small but carefully |
| requiring unique tailor made approaches usually require | | | | drafted and effectively implemented measures a |
| that people work together with other people in a | | | | sense of team spirit can be developed among the |
| team and not as individual. As the tasks are unlikely | | | | workers. Few of the measures are suggested here: |
| to be well defined and practiced for new challenges | | | | -· A shift in attitude from being employees to |
| posed and unfamiliar environments it becomes difficult | | | | partnership/ownership. For example many progressive |
| to assign predefined tasks to workers with | | | | companies are issuing their stock to their employees |
| well-defined targets to be achieved in stipulated | | | | on a preferential basis. This invokes interest in the |
| time.Companies today want people who are team | | | | employees towards the profitability of the company |
| player, people who are able to get along with their | | | | and he puts in his best to improve companies |
| colleagues and work together in a cohesive group to | | | | profitability as part of that profit is paid back to him |
| achieve the organizational targets sacrificing their own | | | | by increase in share price of that company.· |
| personal interests at times. Such people are hard to | | | | Instilling a sense of belonging in the team members. |
| find and best an organization can do is to develop | | | | Sense of belonging can only be instilled when s/he is |
| the team spirit through various in house techniques. It | | | | made to realize that the company belongs to him and |
| may be noted that a ready-made team can never be | | | | in case he needs their support that would come |
| hired/implanted. It has to be very carefully and | | | | automatically and not merely by letting him know |
| systematically developed at the organizational | | | | that s/he belongs to the company.· An |
| level.Prerequisites for TeamworkCommon and | | | | important shift in focus: Our common goal instead of |
| well-defined Goal: It will be very difficult to built an | | | | company/ boss's goal should be the theme to |
| effective team unless the individual member's goals | | | | develop and work.· Developing mutual faith. It is |
| are in line with that of organizational goal. It is like | | | | important to note that faith can never be invoked |
| one-day cricket match. Goal there is to win the | | | | through talks. It has to be developed through |
| match and not to look for individual achievements. A | | | | actions.· Clarity, simplicity and effectiveness of |
| batsman cannot afford to loose time by playing slow | | | | communication. If communication is efficient but not |
| in order to improve his average score. At all times | | | | effective it is useless as it will not be taken |
| the team goal has to be kept in mind and it has to | | | | seriously.It will not be out of context if I quote one |
| over ride individual desires and goals. So a clear and | | | | very popular story here, which shows the importance |
| well-defined goal becomes a prerequisite for any | | | | and relevance of instilling a sense faith and effective |
| team. After having set the goal the individuals | | | | and not only efficient communication.John was a |
| forming the team have to be groomed so that they | | | | young shepherd boy whose job was to guard a flock |
| identify this and realign their personal goals with that | | | | of sheep on the mountainside. One day, he had |
| of the organization. It is a tough and painful exercise | | | | nothing to do and a little annoyed, he decided to play |
| and takes lot of time and patience. Role of leader | | | | a joke. He shouted at the top of his voice to the |
| becomes very important in developing team spirit. It | | | | other shepherds: "The wolf! The wolf is here!" The |
| may be mentioned here that at times the leader | | | | men came running immediately armed with sticks and |
| does not have the choice of choosing his own team | | | | clubs to kill the wolf but the boy greeted them with |
| and more often than not he gets a team by default, | | | | a laugh saying that he wanted to joke with them. On |
| which he has to lead.A team Leader (not a boss): As | | | | the morrow the shepherd boy repeated the same |
| brought out already, a boss will never be able to lead | | | | cry and once again a good number of shepherds |
| a team to a victorious situation as the team | | | | came running up the hill, but seeing that it was once |
| members will let him down the moment they get an | | | | again a joke they returned to their jobs very |
| opportunity to do so. At places where the jobs are | | | | annoyed. On the third day there was indeed a wolf |
| very well defined and standardized over a period of | | | | and John cried out as he had never cried out before. |
| time, a boss may be able to force the individual | | | | But nobody came. The wolf was able to kill the |
| member to achieve the targets imposed by him but | | | | sheep undisturbed and it was John's turn to see the |
| in situations where the tasks are not very well | | | | sheep that he loved and cared best of all carried off |
| defined and standardized and every coming day | | | | by the wolf to his den. In this case the faith was |
| poses new challenges hereto unknown the boss will | | | | broken and communication, though efficient, was not |
| never be able to get the desired results. Here I will | | | | effective.Team Leader and his roleHow can those |
| like to quote a very popular and quoted quote that | | | | who lead, maintain the difficult balance of managing |
| distinguishes a leader from a boss.The boss drives | | | | the affairs of the company while maintaining the |
| people, the Leader coaches them.The boss depends | | | | loyalty of their employees? What truly sets apart the |
| on authority, the Leader good will.The boss inspires | | | | mediocre, overbearing boss from a highly respected |
| fear, the Leader inspires enthusiasm.The boss says: | | | | and effective leader? The answer is that leaders lead |
| "I", the Leader says: "We"The boss fixes the blame | | | | people. A leader is someone others consistently |
| for the breakdown; The Leader fixes the | | | | follow. It stands to reason that people follow |
| breakdown.The boss says: "Go", The Leader says | | | | because they have a belief in the direction, integrity, |
| "Let's go!"The boss says do it anyhow; Leader shows | | | | and competence of the person in the lead. A |
| how it is to be done.A boss knows everything, a | | | | manager remains a leader only as long as he keeps |
| leader admits mistakes.A boss criticizes, a leader | | | | proving that he is the superior man with the best |
| gives advice.A boss demands respect, a leader earns | | | | method. Following are few handy points to help the |
| and deserves respect.So, be a leader, not a | | | | to be leaders: -· Sometimes leadership is merely |
| boss.Causes of failuresExamination quickly reveals | | | | letting people do their jobs: After having defined the |
| that under-performance derives, not from ineffective | | | | job for an individual it would be better to leave him |
| policies or individual incompetence, but from the | | | | without interference at times, however a close |
| interactions among the staff, i.e. process rather than | | | | watch may be kept on the progress. Just remember |
| performance. This factor, often referred to as group | | | | he will do the job the way he likes best. He may not |
| dynamics, needs to be understood and utilized if an | | | | do it the way you probably do the same job. For |
| organization is to achieve its full potential for | | | | you what matters is the end result. If you want him |
| effectiveness. The American Management | | | | to do the job the way you would have done it you |
| Association conducted in-depth interviews with 41 | | | | are asking for trouble.· Leaders cannot be aloof; |
| executives and uncovered seven common traits that | | | | they must constantly show that they care:People |
| most often lead leaders to failure: -· Insensitivity | | | | leave or love their jobs for a number of reasons. Ask |
| to co-workers.· Aloofness and arrogance.· | | | | yourself the following questions: How important do |
| Tendency to misuse information conveyed in | | | | your employees feel in their work? What have you |
| confidence.· Inability to control ambition.· | | | | as a leader done to show your employees how |
| Inability to delegate assignments or promote | | | | important they are? When was the last time you |
| teamwork.· Inability to staff effectively.· | | | | made it possible for people to be proud of their |
| Inability to think strategically.So how can those who | | | | achievements? How often do you celebrate their |
| lead maintain the difficult balance of managing the | | | | successes? Chances are your answers to these few |
| affairs of the company while maintaining the loyalty | | | | simple questions will closely reflect your employee |
| of their employees? What truly sets apart the | | | | retention rate.· A good leader keeps the entire |
| mediocre, overbearing boss from a highly respected | | | | team informed: In order to achieve success the |
| and effective leader? The answer is that leaders lead | | | | leader should keep his team informed of the strategy |
| people. A leader is someone others consistently | | | | that is being adopted. By this he will understand his |
| follow. It stands to reason that people follow | | | | role better in overall plan and thus will put in his best. |
| because they have a belief in the direction, integrity, | | | | Leadership is all about getting the very best out of |
| and competence of the person in the lead. As | | | | each person in the team.· Leadership is getting |
| Kenneth "Thane" Walker once said, "A manager | | | | your employees to compromise for the good of |
| remains a leader only as long as he keeps proving | | | | all.When Columbus was searching for the New World, |
| that he is the superior man with the best | | | | his crew became discouraged and demanded that he |
| method."Skills Needed For TeamworkFollowing could | | | | turn back. So Columbus offered a compromise. He |
| be termed as skills which team members, specially | | | | promised that if they would be patient and faithful |
| team leader, should exercise in order to develop and | | | | just three days longer, he would abandon the |
| promote team spirit in his team: -· Listening: It is | | | | enterprise if land was not discovered. Before the |
| important to listen to other people's ideas. When | | | | three days had expired, land was sighted, and the |
| people are allowed to freely express their ideas, | | | | rest is history.· Leaders must learn to sacrifice |
| these will produce other ideas. By allowing other to | | | | for others: Take the example of Alexander the |
| speak their mind makes them feel at home and they | | | | Great, who over three hundred years ago led his |
| adapt to common goal more easily rather than the | | | | troops across a hot and desolate plain. Eleven days |
| organizational goal getting imposed upon them.· | | | | into the journey, he and all his soldiers were nearly |
| Questioning: It is important to ask questions, interact, | | | | dead from thirst. But Alexander pressed o unnerved. |
| and discuss the objectives of the team and also the | | | | At midday, two scouts brought him what little water |
| plan for execution. By doing so you come one step | | | | they had. It barely filled his cup. Alexander's troops |
| closer to making organization goal as team goal and | | | | watched in amazement as he poured the water onto |
| inch forward to make it a common goal for all team | | | | the hot sand. "It's no use for one to drink when |
| members.· Persuading: Individuals are encouraged | | | | many go thirsty," he proclaimed. As a leader, |
| to exchange, defend, and then to ultimately rethink | | | | Alexander gave his followers the only thing he had: |
| their ideas and come to mutually agreeable solution if | | | | inspiration. The influence of a leader persists long |
| possible. It will help to instill a sense of belonging in | | | | after the person is gone. The final test of a leader is |
| them towards organization.· Helping: It is crucial | | | | that he inspires others and leaves the conviction and |
| to help one's coworkers, which is the general theme | | | | the will to carry on even after he has gone.· |
| of teamwork. Use of proactive approach will be | | | | Keep the morale of the team to highest level: You |
| better. Be sure that he will reciprocate the same | | | | should be rest assured that a de-motivated person |
| when situation so demands.· Respecting: It is | | | | will not put even his average. Having a well-motivated |
| important to treat others with respect and to | | | | team therefore is he first and foremost requirement |
| support their ideas instead of being critical of their | | | | for achieving. The team leader should always be with |
| approach. All ideas can be discussed and debated | | | | the team and should not maintain too much of |
| upon. Acceptable ideas could be adopted after | | | | distance from team members.· Know your team |
| consensus without hurting anybody's sentiments. | | | | members back wards: In order to derive the very |
| Same way the actions of the members of the team | | | | best of each person it is essential that the leader |
| in different situations must be supported. Lessons | | | | knows each of them to the full including their strong |
| can be drawn from instances where they had gone | | | | and weak points and he should assign the tasks |
| wrong to avoid repetition of mistakes/ failures.· | | | | depending upon the individual capability of the |
| Sharing: It is important to share sorrows and joys | | | | members and not at random.Author has 28 years of |
| with the team members to create team spirit. It may | | | | experience in the field of Teaching and Management. |
| be mentioned that rewards must be shared and | | | | He is M. Tech from IIT Kanpur and has worked in |
| credit must be given to the team and not taken | | | | different capacities including Signal corps Indian Army, |
| personally by the leader.· Participating: All | | | | Regional Manager for a Telecom Company. Currently |
| members of the team should be encouraged to | | | | he is Associate Professor with ITM, Gurgaon that is |
| participate in the team and to have a say if | | | | rated as best Engineering colleges of North India. |
| possible.Approach for establishing the norms for | | | | |