How to build teamwork
In order for a group of people to attain their maximum potential as a team, these conditional must be met:
1. The group must have a common goal.
2. The members must have a mutual trust for one another
3. Each member must have a thorough understanding and acceptance of the system of rewards, discipline and work sharing.
The 4 steps to building a team
1. The supervisor must see to it that the work environment is perceived by the team members as fair, reasonable and friendly.
Unfortunately, the supervisor cannot do this alone.
All levels of management have an impact. But, if the supervisor doesn't actively see that this environment is established with the work unit, all the
efforts of upper management will be to no avail.
2. The supervisor must demonstrate an ability to see things from the worker's point of view
,
not from the negative attitude of, "it's us against upper management " but from the perspective that the supervisor has the empathy to understand the
issues from the employees side of things.
3. The supervisor must strive to gain acceptance as the group's leader.
While the supervisor has formal authority that has been delegated down from upper management levels, his/her effectiveness will be greatly enhanced by
the willing support of the team members.
4. Encouraging employee contribution to working out problems, participating in decision making and so forth also boots commitment and team spirit.
Similarly, team members also value being kept up to date about things that will affect them, the work unit or the company.
Five steps to increased team productivity:
1. Set a specific, attainable improvement goal.
Improvement should first be sought in those areas where volume or quality of work is below par. Compare this with what the supervisor and team members
believe should be accomplished. Mutual agreement is reached on where to start. There should also be general agreement on how the improvement will be
accomplished.
2. Remove the roadblocks to success.
Make a list of the obstacles blocking progress toward his goal. All team members should participate in determining ways to remove or work around the
obstacles.
3. Make certain all team members are aware of and committed to the accomplishment of sought after goals,
Everyone must know what is going to be done, how it is going to done and why it is important to them.
4. Groom the team
Each team member's contribution is important to the accomplishment of the unit's objectives. Recognizing this fact, assess each member's abilities.
Give extra training or instruction to those who need it. If necessary, transfer the employee to a position where she can contribute appropriately.
5. Keep them informed
5. Keep them informed
A winning team always wants to know the score. Information on how, when, why and where the team members are in relation to achieving their goals has positive effects. It tells them where the team stands and gives them recognition for what they are doing. This information should be frequent and complete.
