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Teamwork

Teamwork: interpersonal skills in working with others to achieve
common objectives.


For teams to be effective they must have leaders, who provide general direction, help members contribute
ideas, identify alternatives, and supply feedback to facilitate improved performance. Team members must
also be willing to participate in decisions and to assume the various roles needed for the team to reach its
purpose or goals. Team effectiveness depends on leadership and support, and focuses on three principles:

Principle

Description

Focus on Purpose
bulletTeams exist for the purpose of completing an assigned or chosen project or solving a problem
bulletEffective teams focus their efforts on the completing of the purpose, recognizing that individual members have both strengths and weaknesses that will affect the effort. This places a premium on collaboration and interpersonal skills.

Commit to Results
bulletReliably participating in team activities, e.g., agreed meetings
bulletBeing prepared to engage in discussions of topics and issues affecting the team purpose
bulletCompleting tasks assigned as part of the team purpose, by the time required, to facilitate the team effort
bulletBeing prepared to express and hear ideas openly and honestly

Leadership and Membership

Leadership

bulletdefining issues for discussion and attention by members of the team
bulletleading discussions to provide alternatives from which to choose possible solutions
bulletdelegating authority based on individual ability
bulletaccepting opportunities to lead and seeking feedback from team members to achieve the defined purpose (a desired result of this process is development of leadership skills)

Membership

bulletaccepting responsibility for achieving the defined purpose
bulletcontributing ideas to facilitate team effectiveness and the defined purpose
bulletlistening to others and criticizing constructively the ideas presented
bulletsharing values that promote team relationships
bulletdefining team processes to enable members to work together effectively
bulletbeing held accountable for individual contributions to the team effort
 
Copyright © 2008 Gerald M. Myers
Last modified:09/05/2009 01:52:14 PM