Teamwork: key success factors
A team can consist of employees of both the same and different levels and divisions of the company. During the period of work as part of a team, all its members have equal rights and perform duties arising from the goals and objectives of the team. For teamwork, it does not matter what position a colleague holds. In a team, all employees have equal positions.
The rights and obligations of team members serve, on the one hand, as the basis for organizing work within the team, and on the other hand, as the basis for assessing the abilities of participants for this form of work.
Team Member Responsibilities
Each member of the team is obliged to direct their efforts, knowledge and capabilities to achieve the goals set for the team. At the same time, he should not, following selfish considerations, hide the ideas and solutions needed by the team for their subsequent use at the main place of work.
Each member of the team is obliged to freely express his thoughts on the problems that have arisen, without regard to the obligations that bind him to the head of the main place of work.
None of the team members should make their activity dependent on the attitude of the group to its recommendations. Moreover, each member of the team must be ready to submit to the decision of the majority, even if this decision is contrary to his own ideas. The exception is the case when, in the opinion of one of its members, a special situation has arisen in the team for which he does not want to be responsible. In this case, the "dissenting opinion" should be reflected in the protocol.
Each team member should be loyal to colleagues. He must not inform outsiders about the content of discussions and decisions of the team or use these decisions for personal gain.
Each member of the team must treat other team members as equal partners. He must objectively analyze their ideas and express his point of view on them.
Tolerance and mutual respect are the most important conditions for successful teamwork.
Each member of the team is responsible for informing the others of everything they need to know in order to accomplish the tasks assigned to the team.
None of the team members can interfere with the cooperation of its members because of their own likes and dislikes.
In order to improve the effectiveness of cooperation, each team member should try to establish good business relations with the rest of the team members.
From the listed duties follow the rights of a team member.
Team member rights
Freely express your opinion and demand its verification.
Require the establishment of confidential, non-public, trust relationships. The thoughts that he expressed while working in a team should not become known to third parties. An employee cannot be endangered because of the ideas expressed by him in the process of working in a team.
Receive objective and complete information from other team members.
Require that his thoughts be used by other team members on the side only if this does not harm the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to the team or if special permission has been obtained for this.
Require that the principles of correct behavior are observed in the process of working in a team .
Responsibility when working in a team
The team as a whole is responsible for everything it does and does not do.
The team agrees that all team members share responsibility, even if they initially expressed doubt. They cannot distance themselves from the team's decision by citing their own objections.
If the team fails to achieve unity, then the decision is made by majority vote. In this case, the minority may enter a “dissenting opinion" into the minutes. In the future, it obeys the majority and works on the basis of the decision. In this case, these persons, although not responsible for the decision, are responsible for the further general results of the work obtained on the basis of this decision. Disagreement of individual members with a common decision does not relieve them of responsibility for possible consequences.
If a team makes a decision by majority vote that individual members consider to be an unacceptable error for which they do not want to be held accountable, then they must clearly state this to the team team. In this case, the “leader” of the team is informed, who decides on the possible exclusion of the corresponding person from the team or on the recruitment of a new team.
In practice, it often comes to the so-called "crossroads" – a situation where it is necessary to decide in which of the two directions it is necessary to move on. If the team itself is unable to find a way out, then the leader must either decide which of the two paths to take, or form two teams to work on each of the directions.
The team leader is responsible for the results of the work to the same extent as any ordinary team member. For the correct organization of the work that he does as part of his activities in the team, he is responsible to her team. The dual responsibility of the leader to the team and the customer would be contrary to the essence of his position within the team.
To solve problems that go beyond the usual process of collegial cooperation within the existing organizational structure, a higher manager or company management must create an appropriate team and document this. Such a team, established on a permanent basis, should be considered as a new unit. It cannot be formed by one of the leaders. The adoption of an appropriate decision is within the competence of the management of the company or a body subordinate to it.
A specially created team is disbanded as soon as it completes the assigned tasks. If we are talking about a team organized by the management of the company or other competent authority, then they should disband it.
Benefits of Teamwork
The team makes it possible to solve problems that are beyond the power of one person.
Creating a team is a guarantee that the development of a solution will take into account the interests of all parties.
As a result of cooperation in a team of specialists from several departments, the unilateral influence of one of the higher authorities becomes impossible.
When the team works, the risk of making an erroneous decision is reduced and the risk that some important facts will not come into view.
One head it's good, but two better.
The team helps to fight "industrial blindness". What one worker does not notice out of habit is seen by another, who, in turn, does not notice certain problems in his own work area.
Teamwork enhances the willingness and ability of leaders at all levels to cooperate.
An employee who has worked in a team will have less difficulty interacting with colleagues or other departments of the company.
The team has a positive influence on the development of qualities that are important for collegial cooperation. It encourages tolerance, order, recognition of other people's opinions and correct discussion, overcoming selfish views. These factors go beyond teamwork and affect the overall success of the company.
An employee who has proven himself well when working as part of a team receives additional qualifications that are valuable both for him and for the company.
The enterprise implements ideas that would not have arisen within the framework of a conventional organization of work. This is due to the fact that an individual employee does not have the opportunity to find starting points in his workplace in solving a problem that goes beyond his immediate activities.
The team provides both an individual employee and the whole team with the opportunity to maximize their creative potential and its practical implementation.
For large companies, the team allows them to more rationally use the capabilities of their specialists who are working on solving problems that go beyond their job responsibilities.
For medium and small companies, teamwork allows the full use of the abilities, knowledge and skills of employees. The team can replace the work of specialists whom the firm cannot invite to work for financial reasons.
Disadvantages of Teamwork
Along with positive features, teamwork also has negative aspects.
– Working in a team, unlike regular work, may require additional time. The initial period, when team members get used to each other, can be quite long. Some time is also required to find an appropriate form of joint work.
— Team work is often slow. This is especially noticeable with a large team size and when working part-time in a team. Difficulties encountered in gathering team members at the appointed time have a negative impact on the progress of work.
– Discussions that arise when working as part of a team take a lot of time, especially if individual employees do not know how to conduct them. Serious disagreements are possible.
– Teamwork can lead to a delay in decision-making, as the different views of the participants are generalized only after lengthy discussions.
– The anonymity of the results of the work of individual team members can adversely affect the desire to work. Any team member who has shown insufficient performance can “hide” behind an active member of team work. When working as a team, there is no incentive for a sense of ambition, since the individual worker does not receive personal rewards for the results.
– If an employee performs work as part of a team as an additional to the main activity, then it may be too much work for him. Therefore, it is necessary in each specific case to consider whether this load is feasible, which tasks and to what extent should be abandoned for the duration of the team work.
– The expression is known: "A camel is a horse drawn by a team." However, to argue that teamwork leads to an inefficient waste of time is just as unjustified as it is to demand that all decisions be made collectively.
Key success factors for effective teamwork:
Clear setting of goals and objectives;
Correct selection of the team;
A well-thought-out system for team members;
The ability of team members to work collegially.