Benefits of Creating a Team at Work.

Feb 23, 2013 2282 Words 10 Pages

Research Paper Template

Your name: Loyd Martin

Your Capella email address: lmartin51@capellauniversity.edu

The course number: BUS3004

Instructor name: Professor Philip Sherwood

Date submitted: December 16, 2012

Title of your paper: Benefits of creating a team at work.

Introduction

“Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.” - Alexander the Great (BrainyQuote.com,

2012). This statement, made by one of the greatest leaders and military minds the world has ever known,

applies to every aspect of business and life. Whether it’s a company, a sports team, or a military unit

everyone in each of these groups depends on another person to succeed. In order to truly understand

teamwork, team building, and what it means to be on a team, “team” must be defined. Team, by plain

definition, is a group of people joined for a common goal, normally with talents or skills that complement

each other to help them achieve their full potential (Armstrong, 2008, p.60-66). Teamwork consists of the

following aspects: the characteristics of a team, leadership’s role in team building, and the benefits of a

team approach in the business world. If a management team approaches and properly connects a team

together, it will foster a better working environment for the employees, which will create a better

atmosphere for the customer.

Characteristics of a Team

“The basic structure of a team includes a goal, a leader, a group, assessment, feedback and adjustment.

Team development is a critical beginning in the process”(Business.com, 2012).

There are ten characteristics of a team: (Gordon, 2002, p.185-188)

1. They must have clear goals.

2. Each person must have a defined role within the team.

3. There must be clear communication.

4. Effective decision making.

5. All members must participate fully.

6. Have diversification of skills and talents.

7. An ability to manage conflicts.

8. Positive environment.

9. Members must have a trust and understanding of each person’s contribution.

10. Strong participative leadership.

Each one of these characteristics plays an important role in the success of the team. If the goals and

objectives of the team are not clearly defined, then there will not be a common direction that the team is

trying to achieve. In short no unity. Once the goals or objectives are defined, it is time to define the role

each individual will play on the team. To do this, each employee’s talents and strengths must be evaluated

to determine what part of the team they will best be suited to perform. After determining the role of each

employee, there must be a clearly defined process for communicating effectively within the team. This will

ensure that all members are on the same page in the process and that they understand what is needed to

work and communicate with each other. “Communication is the most important trait of a successful team. It

cannot be left to chance” (McNamara, n.d.). To get every member to participate fully, they must understand

their role inside the team and the importance that they play in its success. By having a diverse set of skills

and talent inside a team, a clear process for dealing with any conflicts that may arise, and a trust by

employees in their fellow team members, all of these characteristics will foster a positive environment for

employees and the team as a whole. Even with all of these characteristics working, you must have a

strong participative manager who can lead and inspire the team through any adversity or challenge.

A Perspective on Team Building by Dr. Jean Gordon, looks at how management and team building has

changed the structure of business from an “I” culture to a “we” culture. Looking at research from The

Institute of Team Management Studies, you can see the complex nature of how team building works and
the integral part played by all the members of a team. It shows how using the Team Management Index,

which is a 60 question assessment that profiles an individual’s strengths and weaknesses inside a team

dynamic, and the Team Management Wheel that interprets the results of the Index to define the best role

of an individual in a team structure. Within this wheel, there are four outer preferences that are considered

major preferences: controllers, advisors, explorers, and organizers. This would be the basic breakdown of

a team member. These skills would then have another layer of six people skills that are as follows:

communication, active listening, good team relationship, problem solving and counseling, participative

decision making, and interface management. This is considered the people skills that define the first four

groups of people even more. Now we move onto the middle ring that is termed as team-based skills, these

are work allocation, delegation, objectives, and quality standards. This again defines each person a little

more as to what their skills truly are and creates stability and confidence within the team. The final ring, or

bull’s eye, of the circle is divided into two linking skills, which are motivation and strategic thinking. By using

the questionnaire and the assessment wheel, or by just looking at the breakdown of skills within the wheel,

research has defined how individuals can become effective team members and what roles they are best

suited to perform in a team dynamic. Looking at the characteristics of teams and the individuals that create

them, one can understand what is meant by the following quote, “Effective teams must have individuals

with complementary skills in order to meet ever-changing needs of both internal and external customers”

(Gordon, 2002, p.185-188).

Leadership Role in Team Building

Team building is not a one-time bonding event, but a daily ongoing team atmosphere created by a dynamic

leader. The role of a team leader or manager is that they must have the ability to develop employees in the

correct role that they are needed to perform within the team. To do this he/she must be able to assess the

skills and talents of their employees and move or mold them into the appropriate role they should play on

the team. A leader must create a culture that engages the associate, stimulates their desire to achieve

their goals, and ultimately earns them the respect of their employees. As a manager or leader, once the

employee has been established into the proper position, they must also provide the tools that they will

need to succeed at their job. A leader must set meaningful goals and clearly define the roles of each
member of the team and the main objective of the team itself (Goodwill, 2011, p.30). A leader who

effectively masters team building principles will create a stronger, more unified team that will be a more

focused and cohesive unit that will outperform a company’s goals and standards in customer service,

employee morale, and sales performance. An effective team building program, along with cross training,

will foster an atmosphere that will not only allow, but encourage employees to cross departmental bounds

to help fellow associates and provide superior customer service. It all begins with the energy, enthusiasm,

and positive attitude demonstrated by example of a departmental, store, or company leader. Any level of

manager can create a dynamic team atmosphere that will not only encourage and inspire associates, but

also be noticed by the customers they serve. To create a powerful customer-focused team, one must be a

strong and focused manager in all phases of leadership. True leadership in the form of team building will

set the standards daily, showing employees that they are willing to step up to perform exceptional

customer service, support their employees, and foster the team experience. In business, like in sports, the

unit that performs as a strong, unified team lead by a highly effective leader will always outperform those

that act individually without the guidance of a strong leader.

Benefits of a Team Approach in Business

Excellence in business requires a team approach and for leaders to be effective, they must embrace a

team concept. There are many advantages to a team approach for managers. It helps associates feel like

a genuine part of something special, the performance of individual member’s increases, and they generally

have fun working together. “Another highly valuable benefit that springs from building a high-performance

team that works together to achieve excellence is the boost in morale” (Romero, 2011, p.10-11). A team

concept in business allows companies to create a diverse group of people that are strategically placed and

trained to assist any customer that comes in to their place of business.

“Teamwork is essential for small businesses to take on new challenges and perform strategic tasks”

(Ingram, 2009). With the concept of team work, it allows a company to build a foundation of employee

excellence. As part of a team, an employee will never feel alone or abandoned when dealing with a

customer or project. They will have the tools and resources available to create a fun and dynamic work

atmosphere that will benefit the employee, the company, and most importantly, the customer. For a

company to grow and succeed, they must be able to separate themselves from their competitors by having
the most knowledgeable and service capable employee base available. If a company can do this in all

aspects of the business, the sky is the limit on the amount of success they can achieve.

Conclusion

By looking at the characteristics of a team, and listing and describing everything that is needed to form the

ultimate team concept, it can be said that an efficient team can outperform an individual in any task or

project given to them. That goals, defined roles, communication, trust, and leadership are the backbone of

any team. Leaders must manage by example, creating trust for and from the employees. An effective

leader must be able to place employees in a position to succeed and give them the tools needed to

complete their job. If a leader can master team building, they will create a dynamic customer service team

and will provide the foundation to take care of any customer, providing the best customer service

experience available in business. Team Building is an effective way for managers to create a seamless

unit in the work place that performs better under any situation. A strong united team will provide superior

customer service which will positively impact a company’s bottom line.