Communicating in

Teams
Lina Melkonian
SJSU Career Center

Top Skills Sought By

Recruiters
Communication
Oral/Written
Interpersonal/Social
Critical Thinking
Leadership
Teamwork

Business Communications Quarterly, Volume 65, March 2002, pages 21-36

Teambuilding Lessons From

Geese
Why do geese fly in a V formation?
What happens when a goose falls out of
formation?
What happens when the lead goose gets tired?
Why do geese in formation honk from behind?
What happens when a goose gets sick or
wounded?

Communicating in Teams

What is a Team?

A team is a unit of two or more people who work

together to achieve a goal. Team members share a
mission and the responsibility to achieve it.
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Types of Workplace Teams

Problem Solving

Taskforces

Committees

Virtual Teams

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Overview of Teams
Advantages

Disadvantages

Information & knowledge

Groupthink

Diversity of views

Hidden agendas

Acceptance of solutions

Free riders

Performance

High costs

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Group Dynamics

Rules

Norms

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Identity

Communicating in Teams

Team Decision Making

Orientation

Conflict

Brainstorming

Emergence

Reinforcement

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Roles People Play in Groups

SelfOriented

GroupMaintenance

TaskFacilitating

Controlling

Encouraging

Initiating

Withdrawing

Harmonizing

Information Seeking

Attention Seeking

Compromising

Coordinating

Diverting

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Procedure Setting

Communicating in Teams

Being a Facilitator is like being a

Referee
Facilitators focus on the process the team is using to get
results. On effective teams, every member feels responsible
for the process, not just the leader.
A facilitator like a referee, makes sure the team operates in
an organized manner. A referee does not supervise team
strategies, but rather makes sure that the teams are
observing the rules of the game.
Making sure that the team is operating in a fair, organized
and respectful manner is called facilitation, and it is the
responsibility of all team members.

Communicating in Teams

Team Leadership
As employers reduce their layers of management and as
companies become flatter, individual contributors are
increasingly asked to lead teams.
Leaders Lead, Dont Rule!
Successful team leaders demonstrate the ability to listen to
other team members first, then share their points of view.
Team Leaders Are Great Facilitators
Facilitation is a vital communication tool for effective team
leaders.

Communicating in Teams

Clear
Clear
Purpose
Purpose

Effective
Effective
Teams
Teams

Open
Open
Communication
Communication

Creative
Creative
Thinking
Thinking

Consensus
Consensus
Decision
Decision
Making
Making

Focused
Focused
Efforts
Efforts

Conflict
Conflict
Resolution
Resolution

Collaborative
Collaborative
Relationships
Relationships

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Conflict in Teams
Scarce
ScarceResources
Resources
Task
TaskResponsibilities
Responsibilities
Poor
Poor Communication
Communication
Attitudes
Attitudes and
and Values
Values
Power
Power Struggles
Struggles
Conflicting
Conflicting Goals
Goals
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Resolving Conflict
Proaction
Fairness

Research

Communication

Alliance

Flexibility
Openness

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Overcoming Resistance

Express understanding

Raise awareness

Evaluate objections

Withhold arguments

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Purpose

Participants

PRODUCTIVE
MEETINGS
Agenda

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Location

Communicating in Teams

Focus
Procedures

Effective
Meetings

Participation
Closing
Follow-Up

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Three Types
Of Listening

Content
Listening
Critical
Listening

Purpose and Feedback

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Empathetic
Listening

Communicating in Teams

Barriers to Listening
SelfCenteredness

Prejudgment

Selective
Listening
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Check Points for Meeting

Facilitators
Is this discussion being productive?
Are agreements being reached?
Are new ideas being generated?
Are people understanding each other?
What is being committed to?
What is the best use of the groups time now?
Are we meeting the objectives of the meeting?

Bruce Withrow, Conversation Types, Affinity Consulting

Communicating in Teams

Nonverbal Communication

Honesty

Reliability

Efficiency

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Types of Nonverbal
Communication
Facial
Expressions

Gestures
and Posture

Use of
Time and Space

Vocal
Characteristics

Touching
Behavior

Personal
Appearance

From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

Communicating in Teams

Commitment
Communication
Contribution

Cooperation
Change
Management

Conflict
Management
Connections
Suzanne Willis Zoglio, 7 Keys to Building Great Workteams