BSBWOR502

Lead and manage team

effectiveness
Learner Guide
 Table of Contents

Unit of Competency...............................................................................................................................4
Application..........................................................................................................................................4
Performance Criteria...........................................................................................................................5
Foundation Skills.................................................................................................................................6
Assessment Requirements..................................................................................................................7
1. Establish team performance plan.......................................................................................................9
1.1 – Consult team members to establish a common understanding of team purpose, roles,
responsibilities and accountabilities in accordance with organisational goals, plans and objectives. . .10
Engage in workplace consultations...................................................................................................10
Verbal and non-verbal communication skills....................................................................................10
Active listening..................................................................................................................................12
Reflective listening............................................................................................................................12
Closed questions...............................................................................................................................12
Open questions.................................................................................................................................13
Activity 1A.........................................................................................................................................15
1.2 – Develop performance plans to establish expected outcomes, outputs, key performance
indicators (KPIs) and goals for work team.............................................................................................16
Performance plans............................................................................................................................16
Work goals, objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).........................................................16
Activity 1B.........................................................................................................................................20
1.3 – Support team members in meeting expected performance outcomes........................................21
Supporting your team in work activities...........................................................................................21
Teamwork.........................................................................................................................................22
Group dynamics................................................................................................................................22
Team development model (Dr Bruce W. Tuckman)..........................................................................22
Collaboration within the team..........................................................................................................23
Activity 1C.........................................................................................................................................24
2. Develop and facilitate team cohesion..............................................................................................25
2.1 – Develop strategies to ensure team members have input into planning, decision making and
operational aspects of work team.........................................................................................................26
Strategies for team working..............................................................................................................26
Fostering a common purpose...........................................................................................................26
 Modelling good behaviour and practices..........................................................................................27
Activity 2A.........................................................................................................................................28
2.2 – Develop policies and procedures to ensure team members take responsibility for own work and
assist others to undertake required roles and responsibilities.............................................................29
Policies and procedures....................................................................................................................29
Roles and responsibilities..................................................................................................................31
Activity 2B.........................................................................................................................................35
2.3 – Provide feedback to team members to encourage, value and reward individual and team efforts
and contributions..................................................................................................................................36
Provide positive feedback to your team............................................................................................36
Two-way communication..................................................................................................................37
Activity 2C.........................................................................................................................................38
2.4 – Develop processes to ensure that issues, concerns and problems identified by team members
are recognised and addressed..............................................................................................................39
Dealing with employee issues...........................................................................................................39
Personal values and beliefs...............................................................................................................39
The development of relationships....................................................................................................40
Anti-discrimination legislation...........................................................................................................41
Activity 2D.........................................................................................................................................43
3. Facilitate teamwork.........................................................................................................................44
3.1 – Encourage team members and individuals to participate in and to take responsibility for team
activities, including communication processes.....................................................................................45
Team participation............................................................................................................................45
Team communication.......................................................................................................................46
Activity 3A.........................................................................................................................................47
3.2 – Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems...............................48
Assessing performance problems.....................................................................................................48
Contingency planning........................................................................................................................49
Identify your strengths and weaknesses...........................................................................................51
Overcoming work challenges............................................................................................................52
Activity 3B.........................................................................................................................................53
3.3 – Ensure own contribution to work team serves as a role model for others and enhances the
organisation’s image for all stakeholders..............................................................................................54
Be a positive role model for your team.............................................................................................54
Motivation techniques......................................................................................................................54
 Adding to the organisation’s image...................................................................................................55
Activity 3C.........................................................................................................................................56
4. Liaise with stakeholders...................................................................................................................57
4.1 – Establish and maintain open communication processes with all stakeholders............................58
Use open communication processes.................................................................................................58
Communication methods..................................................................................................................58
Adapting communications to the stakeholder groups......................................................................59
Communication conventions............................................................................................................60
Activity 4A.........................................................................................................................................61
4.2 – Communicate information from line manager/management to the team..................................62
4.3 – Communicate unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by team members and
follow-up with line manager/management and other relevant stakeholders......................................62
Management communications to the team......................................................................................62
Resolving team member issues.........................................................................................................62
Dealing with issues and problems within the workplace..................................................................63
Conflict resolution techniques..........................................................................................................64
Activity 4B.........................................................................................................................................66
4.4 – Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding unresolved issues, concerns and
problems raised by internal or external stakeholders...........................................................................67
Evaluating workplace concerns and problems..................................................................................67
Corrective action for workplace issues..............................................................................................67
Activity 4C.........................................................................................................................................68
Summative Assessments.......................................................................................................................69
References............................................................................................................................................70
Unit of Competency
Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to lead teams in the workplace and to actively
engage with the management of the organisation.

It applies to individuals working at a managerial level who facilitate work teams and build a positive
culture within their work teams. At this level, work will normally be carried out using complex and
diverse methods and procedures requiring the exercise of considerable discretion and judgement, using
a range of problem solving and decision making strategies.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of
publication.

Unit Sector

Industry Capability – Workplace Effectiveness

Performance Criteria
Element Performance Criteria
Elements describe the Performance criteria describe the performance needed to
essential outcomes. demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Establish team 1.1 Consult team members to establish a common

performance plan understanding of team purpose, roles, responsibilities and
accountabilities in accordance with organisational goals,
plans and objectives
1.2 Develop performance plans to establish expected outcomes,
outputs, key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals for
work team
1.3 Support team members in meeting expected performance
outcomes

2. Develop and facilitate 2.1 Develop strategies to ensure team members have input into
team cohesion planning, decision making and operational aspects of work
team
2.2 Develop policies and procedures to ensure team members
take responsibility for own work and assist others to
undertake required roles and responsibilities
2.3 Provide feedback to team members to encourage, value and
reward individual and team efforts and contributions
2.4 Develop processes to ensure that issues, concerns and
problems identified by team members are recognised and
addressed

3. Facilitate teamwork 3.1 Encourage team members and individuals to participate in

and to take responsibility for team activities, including
communication processes
3.2 Support the team in identifying and resolving work
performance problems
3.3 Ensure own contribution to work team serves as a role
model for others and enhances the organisation’s image for
all stakeholders

4. Liaise with 4.1 Establish and maintain open communication processes with
stakeholders all stakeholders
4.2 Communicate information from line manager/management
to the team
4.3 Communicate unresolved issues, concerns and problems
raised by team members and follow-up with line
manager/management and other relevant stakeholders
4.4 Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding
unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by internal
or external stakeholders
Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the
performance criteria that are required for competent performance.

Skill Performance Description

Criteria

Reading 1.1, 4.4  Analyses and interprets textual information from the
organisation’s policies, goals and objectives to establish
team goals or to determine corrective action

Writing 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 4.2,  Prepares written reports and workplace documentation
4.3, 4.4 that communicate complex information clearly and
effectively

Oral 1.1, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2,  Engages in discussions or provides information using
communication 4.3 appropriate vocabulary and non-verbal features
 Uses listening and questioning techniques to confirm
understanding and to engage the audience

Navigate the 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3  Understands how own role contributes to broader
world of work organisational goals
 Modifies or develops policies and procedures to achieve
organisational goals

Interact with 1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1,  Selects and uses appropriate conventions and protocols
others 3.2, 4.2, 4.3 when communicating with diverse stakeholders
 Uses interpersonal skills to gain trust and confidence of
team and provides feedback to others in forms that they
can understand and use
 Adapts personal communication style to build positive
working relationships and to show respect for the opinions,
values and particular needs of others
 Plays a lead role in situations requiring effective
collaboration, demonstrating high level conflict resolution
skills and ability to engage and motivate others

Get the work 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.2,  Develops, implements and monitors plans and processes to
done 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 ensure team effectiveness
 Monitors and actively supports processes and
development activities to ensure the team is focused on
work outcomes
 Plans for unexpected outcomes and implements creative
responses to overcome challenges
Assessment Requirements
Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

 Use leadership techniques and strategies to facilitate team cohesion and work outcomes including:
o encouraging and fostering shared understanding of purpose, roles and responsibilities
o identifying and resolving problems
o providing feedback to encourage, value and reward others
o modelling desired behaviour and practices
 Develop policies and procedures to ensure team members take responsibility for own work and
assist others to undertake required roles and responsibilities
 Establish processes to address issues and resolve performance issues
 Support team to meet expected performance outcomes including providing formal and informal
learning opportunities as needed
 Develop performance plans with key performance indicators (KPIs), outputs and goals for
individuals or the team which incorporate input from stakeholders
 Communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders about team performance plans and team
performance
 Facilitate two-way flow of information between team and management relevant to team
performance
 Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding unresolved issues, concerns and problems
raised by internal or external stakeholders

Note: if a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.

Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:

 Explain how group dynamics can support or hinder team performance

 Outline strategies that can support team cohesion, participation and performance
 Explain strategies for gaining consensus
 Explain issue resolution strategies

Assessment Conditions

Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates

consistent performance of typical activities experienced in the industry capability - workplace
effectiveness field of work and include access to:

 Workplace documents
 Case studies and, where possible, real situations
 Office equipment and resources
 Interaction with others

Assessors must satisfy NVR/AQTF assessor requirements.

Links

Companion volumes are available from the IBSA website: http://www.ibsa.org.au/companion_volumes

- https://vetnet.education.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-
4da407e23c10
1. Establish team performance plan
1.1. Consult team members to establish a common understanding of team purpose, roles,
responsibilities and accountabilities in accordance with organisational goals, plans and
objectives

1.2. Develop performance plans to establish expected outcomes, outputs, key performance
indicators (KPIs) and goals for work team

1.3. Support team members in meeting expected performance outcomes

1.1 – Consult team members to establish a common understanding of team
purpose, roles, responsibilities and accountabilities in accordance with
organisational goals, plans and objectives
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Understand about communicating effectively as a team leader

 Know how to use non-verbal and verbal communication skills

 Use listening and questioning skills in workplace discussions.

Engage in workplace consultations

Management roles require excellent leadership skills to
effectively guide and facilitate workplace activities. To lead and
manage your work team, or work area, you will need to be able
to communicate with influence and coordinate work tasks and
employee roles fairly. Others will look to you for answers and for
direction, both employees and managers alike, and you will
need to take a subjective viewpoint in your role.

Leadership skills include:

 Being organised

 Thinking in a strategic manner

 Planning workplace activities and formulating

actions

 Being able to make decisions

 Solving problems

 Motivating yourself and others

 Issue and conflict resolution

 Being personable and equitable to others.

Workplace consultations need to take place with your team so that you can ensure a common
understanding is made by all on the team’s purpose, working roles, responsibilities and accountabilities.
These will be defined by the organisation’s own plans, goals and objectives.

Verbal and non-verbal communication skills

As organisations evolve and change to the needs of business, organisational goals and objectives may
also change. As a manager, you should be kept informed of such changes and ensure your team (or
work area) are made aware of these also. Your team rely on you for the dissemination of organisational
information as applicable to their job roles and position. You need to discuss work requirements with
your team and manage their progress.

As such, you need to develop excellent communication skills to be able to interact with a range of
individuals and stakeholders. These include your team, other employees and managers, senior
management and your external contacts.

Non-verbal communication
You should use non-verbal communication techniques with care and appreciation of the audience.
Meanings may differ between cultures and social groups; these cancause offence to some individuals,
however harmless a gesture may appear to be. Non-verbal communication can signify status, attitudes
and emotions which can be easy to misunderstand.

Aspects of non-verbal communication that may differ between cultures may include:
 Eye contact

 Body language

 Voice speed

 Mannerisms

 Volume

 Vocal noises

 Gestures

 Facial expressions

 Posture

 Personal space

 Touch.

Verbal communication
Verbal communications should be professional, courteous and respectful at all times. It is essential to
know howto relay information and how to conduct discussions; these will need to be tailored to suit the
audience, e.g. formal for managerial discussions and informational for team meetings. Your use of
language and terminology should be appropriate.

Verbal communications include:

 Addressing people in a suitable manner

 Articulating clearly and impartially

 Listening to others

 Asking questions to confirm and clarify meaning

 Allowing others to speak and contribute

  Acknowledging the contribution of others

 Facilitating an environment of open discussions and employee participation.

It is important to understand social and cultural differences in communication and ensure your
approach and responses are appropriate. Take time to understand your team members, managers,
employees and all others that you need to interact with so you can make your verbal and non-verbal
communications suitable.

The appropriate way to respond may be:

 In a neutral tone

 Clearly, using plain English

 With the use of visual aids, e.g. pictures or diagrams

 Without slang or jargon

 With consideration to others.

Active listening
Active listening is a technique used in professional environments, for example consultations, training
and conflict resolution. This technique requires the listener to repeat what they have just heard from
the speaker by re-stating, or paraphrasing this back in their own words. This enables all parties to
ensure the correct understanding has been made. This can be a useful tool in business, as it enables you
to clarify information straightaway, and directly with the person(s) involved.When involved in your
communications use active listening skills; this aids understanding and helps to encouragemore
productive discussions.

Reflective listening
This listening technique also involves restating or paraphrasing back what has just been said to the
speaker. The difference with reflective listening is that along with clarifying and confirming meaning, it
also seeks to acknowledge and confirm the feelings and emotions behind the words. This technique
allows you to understand how a person may be reacting to a situation or how they may feel about
workplace changes; it can also be useful for resolving workplace issues and employee difficulties. For
example, along with restating the words, you may also aska question such as, ‘Am I right in thinking this
makes you feel angry?’

Closed questions
A closed question is one which requires a short and direct response.
This style of questioning provides a clear understanding as often a one
word answer, such as “yes” or “no”, or a specific and appropriate reply
is required.
 For example:
 Q: “What is your name?”

 A: “Jessica.”

Closed questions often begin with:

 What?

 Is?

 Do?

 Can?

Closed questions are used when we want to find out specific information, quickly. It is generally used
when we want to establish initial information which provides the topics and subjects that we will then
delve further into.

Open questions
An open question allows for a much more substantial and informative answer to be given. This
technique is used to elicit opinions and thoughts and can be useful for discussing and formulating work
actions or for problem-solving.

Open questions often begin with:

 Why?

 Where?

 When?

 Who?

 How?

When consulting with your team (or others), always take a positive approach to
encourage open and honest communications. Provide them with full information and
accounts so that opinions and thoughts can be accurately given.

Always let your team know what is allowed and expected within the
communications, so they have a true understanding of their level of
involvement.
Effective communication can:
 Establish trust

 Build rapport

 Promote productivity

 Create good relationships

 Assist in the minimisation of risks

 Help in the maximisation of opportunities.

Poor communication may lead to:

 Missed deadlines

 Embarrassment

 Personal conflict

 Increased employee turnover.

 Frustration

 Incorrect assumptions.
Activity 1A
1.2 – Develop performance plans to establish expected outcomes, outputs, key
performance indicators (KPIs) and goals for work team
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Use performance plans to help establish work goals

 Understand what KPIs are and how they can be used

 Know the importance of work goals and objectives.

Performance plans
Performance plans can be developed for individual team members and for the work area/department
as a whole. This type of plan details the expectations and needs of work so that both department and
organisational work targets and objectives can be met. They allow you to define the actions, roles and
responsibilities and what needs to be done by individuals to achieve these.

Performance plans can be included in appraisals and performance reviews, and also at the beginning of
projects or at the start of the new working year. These help to explain and guide required workplace
performance.

They can include:

 Department and organisational targets

 Individual and team roles

 A look at past performance

 Work activities and tasks for employees.

When producing your performance plans, make sure

these are applicable to the individual team member so
they are fully aware of what is required of them. If
producing a department performance plan, this will need
to provide the overall focus and goals that the team need
to work upon.

Work goals, objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs)

In order to be able to plan how and when to complete work tasks, employees need to understand what
is expected of them and any rules or protocols which affect their work planning. For example, an
employee may have a long list of tasks they would like to complete, but if those tasks are ‘nice to do’
activities and they are not related to the core purpose of the job, then one could question why the
employee is considering doing the tasks at all.

It is not uncommon for people to get side-tracked with activities at work which are actually little to do
with the actual job role. A real example of this was an administrator who spent a considerable amount
of time making travel and hotel bookings for her colleagues in the belief that she was delivering
excellent customer service to them.
She was indeed providing a great service, but it was her colleagues’ responsibility to make their own
travel and accommodation arrangements and so the work that she was doing was over and above her
core work duties. ‘So what?’ you might ask.

The key point here was that she was carrying out tasks which other people were expected to do and she
was neglecting several core tasks which were her responsibility. The result was that her job
performance was suffering as she was being distracted by the ‘nice to do’ tasks which generated a great
deal of thanks and appreciation from her colleagues. But this was at the expense of the important tasks
which she was actually employed to carry out. So, from this we can learn that it is essential to have an
understanding of the work goals, objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) to avoid the trap of
just concentrating on the tasks that we like doing.

KPIs
KPIs are a form of work goal or objective – they typically include data which can be used to measure and
benchmark performance.You will need to ensure they employees are hitting KPIs consistently in the
workplace – this will allow you to predict performance and business output, based on a minimum
standard.

An important thing to establish from the beginning is which factors you will use as KPIs and in what
terms you will measure these, as you will have to keep them consistent throughout the future, in order
to validate any kind of comparison.

Examples include:
 Key performance indicators on customer satisfaction including:

o repeat business

o customers making recommendations

o completing surveys

o making complaints

o offering compliments

 Key performance indicators on customer effort including data concerning the efforts
made to interact with customers such as:

o sales visits

o numbers of customers served/contacted/spoken to

 Monitoring time taken to answer calls:

o can be measured relatively

easily with automated systems
which can track the volume and
duration of calls
 o can also track the average time taken to answer calls (e.g. some
organisations set a standard that calls must be answered within 3 rings or
within 5 seconds)

 Operating within reporting protocols includingfactors such as:

o completing or submitting reports within specified timescales (e.g. it may be

necessary to complete an update report every hour, shift, day or week

 Score tools such as:

o net promoter

o these are linked to customer satisfaction indicators and give objective data
about how customers have rated or scored the service that they have
received

 Understanding metrics:

o metrics are another form of key performance indicator

o tend to be more general in nature (e.g. sales figures).

Work goals and objectives and KPIs are set within the overall context of the
organisation’s requirements which may include:
 Access and equity principles and practice

 Business and performance plans

 Defined resource parameters

 Ethical standards

 Goals, objectives, plans, systems and processes

 Legal and organisational policies, guidelines and requirements

 Work health and safety (WHS) policies, procedures and programs

 Quality and continuous improvement processes and standards

 Quality assurance and/or procedures manuals.

An essential first place to start when planning and organising work is to understand what key goals,
objectives and KPIs relate to each team member’s role, in the context of your organisation’s
requirements. Without an understanding of this, there is a danger that employeeswill fall into the trap
of completing tasks diligently only to discover later that they shouldn’t have been doing these tasks at
all. This is an extreme example of course, however it is surprisingly common for employees to be
uncertain about what exactly they are measured on, making it difficult to prioritise their workloads.
 There are several ways for employees to check and understand what is expected of them:
 Their job descriptions – thereshould be clear statements which refer to any relevant
KPIs or objectives

 Additional instructional documentation concerning work goals, objectives or KPIs –

theremay be a departmental standard for a particular KPI which may change over time
(it is important to make employees aware of what these are)

 Talking to their manager – as manager, you need to be clear on your team’s roles and
responsibilities as they may seek clarification from you on what a goal, objective or KPI
means and what they need to do as a consequence of this.

If an employee finds a goal/KPI to be too challenging, you will need to support and assist them. This
means assessing the goal/KPI and determining what the underlying issue may be and how you can help
the employee to manage this. It may be necessary to seek ways to modify this into a more manageable
goal/KPI.

There are some circumstances where it would be

perfectly reasonable to adjust a goal/KPI:
 When an employee is new to the role

 When an employee is undertaking training to

develop skill and competence in an activity

 When there are other factors which affect an

employee’s ability to perform to the required
standard (e.g. temporary health problems).
Activity 1B
1.3 – Support team members in meeting expected performance outcomes
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Incorporate techniques to support team members

 Understand about teamwork and group dynamics

 Have awareness to the stages of team development.

Supporting your team in work activities

Part of your role as a manager is to provide ongoing support to your
team in carrying out their work tasks. This includes guiding and
monitoring your team’s performance to check that work progress is
meeting required plans. It is your responsibility to keep your team’s
progress on track with the organisational goals and objectives.

Supporting your team may include:

 Providing additional help at busy times

 Skills training and development

 Workplace mentoring

 Monitoring the team for stress levels and providing help when needed

 Managing employee workloads and prioritising tasks.

To give the correct support you need to have a complete understanding of what each team member
does. This includes knowing what tasks are actually done in your team, how long these take to do and
the skills that are involved. This will give you an appreciation of what your team does and gives you the
knowledge to find the best ways to support your team to meet their performance goals.

If you haven’t worked up through the team to your role as manager, you may have little prior
knowledge on what your team members do. If this is the case, it is useful to shadow your team
members on an individual basis to gain an understanding of what each team member’s day at work
involves. Shadowing an employee for one day will not give you all the information you need but it will
go a long way into providing you with an understanding. This also helps to build a good working
relationship and camaraderie with your team; they will also appreciate your steps towards developing
individual work roles knowledge.

Meet with team members

You can also meet with each team member and discuss the details of their work roles and
responsibilities. Although you will know on paper what each job description involves, speaking first-
hand with your team will give you valuable information on which tasks are easier than others, or which
are more complex to do. This mutual understanding will help you to recognise when support may be
needed and will prevent issues from developing into major difficulties or from preventing objectives
from being reached. It opens up a two-way dialogue with your team so they will also be able to come to
you to request support if work is not following plans.

Understanding team member roles includes knowing:

 All the steps required to complete tasks

 Who your team members need to interact with

 The problems and issues that may be encountered on a regular basis.

Teamwork
Teamwork involves building strong and positive working relationships across the team. Not only will you
need to develop theses working relationships, but your team members will also need to forge good
working relationships with each other to ensure work productivity and enjoyment are maximised.

When teams work well together, work is more seamless, communications are more fruitful and the
working atmosphere is generally more conducive to a positive working environment. They are able to
achieve more than the individual members can by themselves. Each member should know and
understand their role within an effective team.

Effective teamwork should result in the improved use of resources and generation of ideas. The
outcomes should be of higher quality, more efficient and, increasingly effective. Each individual can
enjoy the benefit of working with others. There should be a mutual sense of accomplishment.

The entire team may suffer if individuals are unable or

unwilling to work together. This may be costly for the
organisation. It might prove more difficult to achieve
the goals set by the organisation. There may also be a
negative impact on the workplace environment. A
sense of negativity and disruption may build.

Group dynamics
This describes the behaviours that occur between individuals in a team or group environment and are
usually in response to how individuals feel about another person. These feeling can be unconscious or
conscious reactions and can be formed through observances or experienced situations. It is not always
easy to ensure that all team members will work well together within the group dynamic and observing
how your team interacts with each other can help you to develop positive team relationships.

If there are dominant or more extrovert team members, you may need to assist more introvert team
members to participate on an equal footing. Equally, encouraging certain working relationships and
partnering individuals together can help provide a balance and harmony within the group dynamic.

Team development model (Dr Bruce W. Tuckman)

The American born psychologist, Bruce Tuckman researched group dynamics and published one of his
theories known as ‘Tuckman’s Stages’ in 1965. This model had four stages to describe the phases of
team development. Teams could go through some or all of the stages, depending on the group. Bruce
Tuckman advocated that teams need to go through all stages to grow and work effectively together. In
1977, Bruce Tuckman added an additional fifth stage to this model.
 This model is outlined below:
 Stage 1 – Forming

The development of the individual into team member occurs; there is still a need for a
team leader to guide processes and initiate work. Roles and responsibilities are unclear
at this point and some friction within the team may result.

 Stage 2 – Storming

Team members are looking to find their position within the team and challenges between
the individuals begins. This stage is one of conflict as all individuals find their place
within the team. Compromises need to be made so that work can be carried out and
clarity of purpose can be formed.

 Stage 3 – Norming

The team begin to agree on roles and responsibilities and decisions are made more easily.
An understanding and bond begins to develop within the team and working together
occurs.

 Stage 4 – Performing

The team develop strategies and processes and works towards the common goal within the
team. Any disagreements that happen are sorted easily and work is now performed
without the need of constant guidance by the team leader.

 Stage 5 – Adjourning

The final stage is the end of the group, or conclusion of the project. The members of the
team can move on to new projects and can have a feeling of satisfaction at a job well
done. The team members at this point may also feel vulnerable to new changes and
have a sense of loss from the end of the team.

Tuckman spent time observing teams in action and described the phases of development as he saw
them. A team will work well in the ‘norming’ or ‘performing’ stages but if the team changes, such as
when a new member joins, it could put the team back into the ‘storming’ phase, causingproblemsin
performance levels. Team leaders or managers should be aware of this process so that teams can be
managed appropriately and supported to perform at an effective level.

Collaboration within the team

Workplace collaboration will involve the sharing of ideas and
thoughts by two or more people in order to accomplish mutually
agreed goals. It is considered a higher level of teamwork and has
become a more productive way of doing things.Collaboration in
the workplace incorporates teamwork and involves equal
participation and use of group perspectives to solve problems.
Teamwork should benefit the organisation and/or each individual.
Activity 1C
2. Develop and facilitate team cohesion
2.1. Develop strategies to ensure team members have input into planning, decision making and
operational aspects of work team

2.2. Develop policies and procedures to ensure team members take responsibility for own work and
assist others to undertake required roles and responsibilities

2.3. Provide feedback to team members to encourage, value and reward individual and team efforts
and contributions

2.4. Develop processes to ensure that issues, concerns and problems identified by team members
are recognised and addressed
2.1 –Develop strategies to ensure team members have input into planning,
decision making and operational aspects of work team
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Formulate leadership strategies

 Address the needs to foster a common team purpose

 Know how to model good behaviour and practices to team members.

Strategies for team working

Strategies are the conscious actions and approaches which are decided on and used within businesses
and organisations. These are predetermined as being the best waystoachieverecognised goals and
objectives.

In a position of leadership, you will need to develop the most appropriate strategies for your team to
follow in their work activities. These strategies should allow your team to be actively involved in
planning their own work tasks to give them autonomy to make work decisions within the parameters of
their own work roles and responsibilities.

For example, if a worker needs to arrange delivery of goods to clients, strategies should allow them to
plan the best methods to do this, such as the order in which work needs to be done, e.g. clarifying
preferred delivery arrangements with the client, arranging the delivery and then confirming this with
the client. Scope for flexibility in working tasks should be included, as long as the main objectives are
still being met; work should be done when it is required and within the identified timeframes.

Your team are best placed to assist in reaching work

objectives through workplace strategies, as they
know what needs to be done to achieve the
required results.

Strategies should address:

 Team collegiality and understanding

 Working to organisational
procedures

 How to resolve work problems

 Effective team communications.

Fostering a common purpose

Work strategies should show a common purpose in reaching team and organisational objectives. Your
team should be encouraged to work together to fulfil team requirements, not just to focuson the
singular goals that exist within their own work roles. Of course each team member will have their own
goalsbut these should be seen in context with the rest of the team’s goals so that everyone can work
towards achieving a common end.
You should also work at gaining the trust and confidence of your team. This will come over time through
working together and in managing their needs effectively in the workplace. Supporting your team and
showing that you are working together will go a long way in helping you to build working relationships
into good ones. You need to look after the wellbeing of your team when matters of work are being
discussed within management meetings. Trust and confidence from your team will ultimately reflect
back to you through improved work output and motivation.

Strategies may include:

 Holding weekly team meetings to discuss events and progress of work

 Encouraging collaboration and teamwork on tasks

 Prioritising work tasks with individual team members

 Giving clear expectations and guidelines within work roles

 Recognising and using team strengths in work activities

 Celebrating successes and reaching work objectives.

Modelling good behaviour and practices

As a leader you will need to model the expected behaviours and practices that are required of your
team in the workplace. Leading by example is an essential skill that needs to be seamless; your team will
soon notice if you vary behaviour according to the person or situation and will take this as being
acceptable. Take time to recognise the behaviours and practices that you place importance on and
demonstrate these in your interactions and work.

You will need to demonstrate behaviours and practices such as:

 Courteous and respectful communications

 A positive attitude to all work tasks

 Compliance in work policies and procedures

 Honesty and trust with work colleagues and the team

 A ‘can do’ attitude

 Supporting and assisting others in completing work tasks.

Activity 2A
2.2 – Develop policies and procedures to ensure team members take
responsibility for own work and assist others to undertake required roles and
responsibilities
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Understand how policies and procedures effect employees

 Know about responsibilities in the workplace

 Assess roles and competencies of employees.

Policies and procedures

Policies and procedures provide the backbone for your organisation’s functions; without them work and
employees would not be governed, and practices would prove inconsistent. Policies provide the rules to
guide employees and include legal, ethical and organisational requirements. Procedures translate
policies into real working processes and practices; they provide a means to ensure work is carried out to
required standards.

Workplace policies and procedures will be developed by high-level management with the different work
departments to ensure that each area of work has been assessed correctly. Managers in work areas can
provide on-the-floor guidance to how work needs to be carried out.

Make sure that policies and procedures in your department are effective andsupport your team at work.
They should allow employees to develop into their work roles and responsibilities so they can continue
developing skills and are able to reach their full potential.

Policies and procedures cover work requirements such as:

 Codes of conduct

 Legal requirements and ethical standards

 Health and safety

 Risk management

 Confidentiality

 Access and equity

 Communication processes and protocols

 Training and workplace instruction

 Human resources, e.g. employee performance

management and work hours.
 Codes of conduct
A code of conduct outlines the behaviours and responsibilities of an individual employee and the
organisation as a whole. It is often found in the employee handbook and it defines what the
organisation considers to be acceptable behaviour. It also provides a framework for ethical decision
making. A code of conduct does not need to be complicated; it should simply inform the employee of
organisational expectations. The code of conduct will act as a protection for the organisation in the
event that an employee’s contract has to be terminated.

A workplace code of conduct should:

 Be clear

 Promote business values

 Be specific

 Be flexible

 Take individual circumstances into account.

Codes of conduct will differ between organisations. However, they will all contain behaviour guidelines
that are consistent with organisational policies and values.

Work health and safety

Work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation needs to be followed by
all businesses. This ensures that mechanisms are in place to protect employees and employers within
the workplace from risks to health and safety.

Both employers and employees are subject to rights and responsibilities in the workplace under
WHS/OHS. This is to ensure the safety of all people and to establish mutually beneficial working
arrangements.

Employers must:
 Provide a safe workplace
 Provide safe equipment
 Provide:
o training

o information

o supervision

 Provide adequate and suitable facilities, where

required
 Check and maintain WHS systems and procedures
 Provide personal protective equipment (PPE), where
required.
 Employees must:
 Work safely
 Wear PPE, where required
 Follow safety procedures and requirements
 Not destroy or compromise equipment and resources
 Not interfere with safety equipment
 Not act in a way that compromises their own safety, or that of colleagues, clients, and
the public
 Report any WHS:
o issues

o hazards

o injuries

o accidents

o near misses

o concerns.

Responsible working
Policies and procedures need to enable and facilitate responsible working. This includes maintaining
personal safety and the safety of others in the workplace. It includes managing workloads to prevent
team members working additional hours on a regular basis, and to prevent the occurrence of workplace
stress.

Roles and responsibilities

Employees must identify, understand and live up to their responsibilities and duties in order for a
workplace to function effectively.

Responsibilities and duties may include:

 Interacting with colleagues and external contacts

 Job description and employment arrangements

 Organisation’s policy relevant to work role

 Skills, training and competencies

 Supervision and accountability requirements including work health and safety

 Environmentally sustainable working practices

 Team structures.
 Job description and employment arrangements
A job description is a written statement of a particular job that helps employees to understand their
role. It is usually based on the findings of a job analysis and can be used when measuring the worker’s
performance.

A job description may include:

 Job title

 Responsibilities and duties

 Reporting requirements

 Working conditions

 Required qualifications

 Desired skills

 Information regarding wages.

Employment arrangements are a formal agreement regarding working hours

that suit the organisation’s needs. There are many different types of
employment arrangements.

Employment arrangements may include:

 Full time

 Part time

 Casual

 Fixed term

 Commission.

Flexible employment arrangements are essential in fulfilling work activities and

in achieving economic growth. They also show an organisation’s compliancy to cater for diverse
employees who may have other commitments out of the workplace.

Skills, training, and competencies

Worker skills are essential for the achievement of qualifications and experience. They can also increase
the chances of successful development in the workplace.

Skills should allow an employee to:

 Get along with their colleagues

 Develop respect

 Solve problems

 Make critical decisions

 Become a strong part of an organisation.

 Examples of skills include:
 Interpersonal skills

 Technology skills

 Communication skills

 Presentation skills

 Numeracy skills.

Employee training is essential for the success of an organisation. It provides an opportunity for
expansion of the employee’s knowledge.

Training is important because:

 It provides an opportunity for education about the effective use of technology

 A consistency of employee knowledge can be developed

 Skills can be improved

 Qualifications can be obtained

 Productivity and profitability can be improved

 Health and safety can be promoted

 Opportunities for career development can be created

 It is part of laws and regulations.

Workplace competencies should be used in order to define and measure the

effectiveness of particular employees. A workplace competency describes
the required characteristics, behaviours, attributes, or skills for success in a
specific job role. They provide employees with clear guidance regarding
performance expectations. They also highlight behaviours that are valued by
organisations. There are lots of different competencies within the
workplace. It is essential to know which ones are relevant to your team and
your organisation.

Accountability requirements
Accountability in the workplace is concerned with taking responsibility for
ones actions; it also means providing accountability for the work that is
done. All employees should be accountable for the work that they do and
ensure they follow the correct procedures and take care to maintain health
and safety. Work should be documented to show evidence of actions and to
provide the organisation with workplace records.
 For example, employees should:
 Be present for their shifts and complete assigned tasks

 Ensure health and safety of self and others

 Fulfil the organisation’s goals

 Perform their required duties.

The employee should accept responsibility for the completion of tasks and functions. They should be
prepared to face the consequences of poor performance.

Environmentally sustainable working practices

All organisations should recognise the importance of working in environmentally responsible ways. It is
an employee’s responsibility to follow environmentally friendly practices and minimise their impact on
the environment. Environmentally sustainable work practices reduce harm to the environment and
ensure that resources aren’t unnecessarily wasted.

Environmentally sustainable work practices may include:

 Reducing waste

 Re-using materials when possible

 Recycling relevant materials

 Disposing of waste responsibly

 Minimising energy waste

 Avoiding air or water pollution.

Team structures
Team structures relate to the composition of organisational work groups. A good
team structure should promote teamwork and have clear leadership. Each team member should
commit to their specific role in order to maintain effective teamwork. It is an employee’s responsibility
to identify, understand, and demonstrate their roles. Work activities should be undertaken in ways
which promote cooperation and good relationships.
Activity 2B
2.3 – Provide feedback to team members to encourage, value and reward
individual and team efforts and contributions
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Understanding the importance of providing positive feedback

 Know the value of assessing worker competencies through fair feedback

 Use a two-way communication process with your team.

Provide positive feedback to your team

In your management role, it will be necessary to share work information with your team. This includes
discussing work activities and providingfeedback onthe team’s performance. You should be positive to
the team when providing your feedback and any negative aspects should be addressed constructively so
that you encourage individuals to adjust to the needs of work.

Positive feedback will:

 Motivate the team
 Encourage a happier workplace atmosphere
 Allow successes to be acknowledged.
It is important to show your team how their work is valued and that
both the team and individual efforts are vital to meeting the
organisation’s objectives.

It may also be appropriate to reward contributions made by your

team members, if so, this should be done in the spirit of goodwill and
sharing, so that all of the team are made to feel valued.

Information and feedback for your team may include:

 Acknowledging satisfactory performance
 Acknowledgingunsatisfactory performance
 Providing assistance to team members
 Clarifying the organisation’s preferred task completion methods
 Providing encouragement to the team and individuals.
The benefits of sharing information and feedback with your team include:
 Successful decision-making
 Utilisation of combined strengths
 Quicker resolution of problems
 More efficient completion of projects
 Increase in employee satisfaction
  Achievement of goals.
Negative feedback will only serve to demotivate your team and puts a focus on any parts that are not
working successfully or providing the intended results. This shifts the attention away from achievement
and disrupts the workplace flow. To get your team on track, you will need to provide direction and
momentum which is best found through a positive approach.

Use feedback to improve competence within available opportunities

When assessing work results, you should focus your use of feedback on worker competency levels of
the person and not the personality. Be careful not to get overwhelmed by personality traits which
invariably contain qualities of an individual that are almost impossible to change and certainly not
through workplace training or competency improvements.

Your objective should be to ascertain whether additional skills or knowledge will assist individual or
team performance levels. It may be necessary to provide additional or further training in areas that are
underperforming or require new skillsets. This is a part of your role to support your team’s work
performance and to assist in attaining your team’s goals.

Two-way communication
In your communications with the team, using an open door policy will help to encourage better team
discussions and interactions. This lets your team know that it is acceptable for them to raise issues or
provide comments and opinions on work activities on an ad hoc basis. It also assists you in following the
progress of work and in addressing needs or problems as they arise.

Team two-way communication includes:

 Providing information to the team

 Asking for feedback and opinions

 Listening to the team

 Allowing the team to respond and provide

comments

 Encouraging the team to discuss work issues

when it is required

 Allowing questions and answers.

A two-way communication process in the workplace should be

concerned with professional requirements and need to be conducted constructively. Always discourage
team members from using this process as a way to be detrimental about others or situations from a
personal viewpoint which holds no merit. If a team member has cause to complain about another, then
this should be handled in a manner that follows human resource policies and procedures for employee
issue/conflict resolution.
Activity 2C
2.4 – Develop processes to ensure that issues, concerns and problems identified
by team members are recognised and addressed
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Develop a process to address team issues

 Understand that individuals have different values and beliefs

 Know how to address employee differences in decision-making.

Dealing with employee issues

To deal with any issues, concerns or problems with your team, you should always follow a fair process
that seeks to find a resolution. Your organisation’s policies and procedures will need to include issue
resolution which all employees should be aware of. When seeking to resolve issues directly with the
team, you will need to adopt a system that reflects this so that you also treat employees equitably and
with respect to the issue at hand.

A process to deal with team issues may include:

 Identifying the issue

 Assessing the cause and factors that may

be influencing this

 Gathering information relevant and

analysing the facts of the situation

 Determining a course of action with the

team member to resolve the issue

 Implementing the agreed actions and

monitoring the situation

 Reviewing the situation at a later date to

evaluate the actions and measures taken.

Issues may be raised by an individual (or individuals) in the team, or you may have cause to raise an
issue. If you need to address an issue you have recognised, follow your process and be sure to
communicate the situation and outcomes to any relevant others and to the team. Always treat matters
that have been raised in a confidential manner that befits the situation and ensures an individual’s
privacy is maintained.

Personal values and beliefs

When dealing with employee issues, it is useful to remember that all individuals are different and have
their own values and beliefs. An individual’s personal values and beliefs are developed throughout their
lifetime and are affected by many things; they help to guide the way an individual lives their life and
makes their decisions. This will impact on how an individual works and interacts within an organisation.
 Values and beliefs can be influenced and
affected by:
 Friends
 Family
 Community
 Experiences
 Religion
 Culture
 Technology
 Media
 Workplace.
Values are:
 Standards that are considered important
 Qualities that are held in high regard
 Things that are considered to be of worth
 Formed by a belief that is related to the worth of an idea or behaviour
 Influential.
Beliefs:
 Are often thought to be related to real experiences
 Actually direct experiences
 Are made up of thoughts
 Drive behaviour
 Can be related to stereotypes
 Are an important part of our identity
 May be religious, cultural, or moral.

The development of relationships

Every employee within the organisation should be respected regardless of their values or beliefs.
Respect with regards to personal differences in values and beliefs will increase the prospects of
developing good workplace relationships.

In order to respect the differences between personal values and beliefs, an individual
should:
 Learn about other people’s values and beliefs

 Ask appropriate questions

 Demonstrate respect and empathy

  Recognise an individual’s uniqueness

 Treat everyone fairly and with dignity

 Raise and discuss ideas constructively

 Deal with other points of view sensitively

 Ensure that other people’s beliefs aren’t misrepresented

 Avoid imposing own values and beliefs on others

 Respect the rights of others to disagree

 Be cooperative

 Not cause offence.

An individual’s personal values and beliefs should not affect their work, workgroup or workplace.
Individuals should not allow their own personal values and beliefs to affect the quality of their work or
their relationships with other employees. An awareness of values and beliefs is important for the
development of partnerships and resolution of workplace conflicts.

Employees should work according to a set of professional values and beliefs. Personal beliefs and
perspectives may need to be set aside.

Anti-discrimination legislation
When dealing with any team issues, you will need to consider any factors that may involve
discrimination. This should be prevented at all costs, for example, if an opportunity arises within your
team for taking on new tasks that require additional skills training, you should not discriminate against
any team members who are older and nearer retirement age. You should ensure that the best team
member for the task is picked regardless of their age or any other circumstances.

Discrimination may occur on the basis of an individual’s:

 Race

 Age

 Religion

 Nationality

 Criminal record

 Medical record

 Marital status

 Disability

 Sex.
Every organisation will have procedures and policies that take anti-discrimination legislation into
account. You should be aware of these policies.

Anti-discrimination laws include:

 Age Discrimination Act 2004

 Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986

 Disability Discrimination Act 1992

 Racial Discrimination Act 1975

 Sex Discrimination Act 1984.

A workplace should be free from discrimination and each employee should be treated fairly and equally
in all matters.

The consequences of discrimination may include:

 Fines

 Penalties

 Loss of job

 Loss of income

 Legal action

 Conflict

 Damage to the whole organisation.

Activity 2D
3. Facilitate teamwork
3.1. Encourage team members and individuals to participate in and to take responsibility for team
activities, including communication processes

3.2. Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems

3.3. Ensure own contribution to work team serves as a role model for others and enhances the
organisation’s image for all stakeholders
3.1 – Encourage team members and individuals to participate in and to take
responsibility for team activities, including communication processes
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Encourage team participation and togetherness

 Delegate roles and responsibilities

 Form good team communication processes.

Team participation
To enable your team to take an active role in the work that they do together, you should provide the
structure and resources to allow this. The structure should include a process for team interaction and
communication. Resources should support team work, for example, an environment and work area that
is set up specific for the team and which promotes unity.

Being a manager involves knowing when to work on tasks and when these should be delegated, along
with any associated responsibilities. If your team are prevented from taking an active role in the work
that they do, they will not work to their strengths or develop skills and competencies. They may even
switch off from objectives and become bored; giving your team some autonomy will help boost morale
and performance.

Assess your team’s capabilities when

assigning roles and tasks, such as:
 Skills and experience

 Workplace knowledge

 Suitability for tasks

 Likes and preferences within work

activities.

You need to be clear on your requirements for your team

and also on what your team’s requirements are of themselves. If you are giving certain responsibilities
to members within your team, let them, and all of your team, know. By giving part-ownership of the
roles and responsibilities to your team, you will involve them in everyday work activities and decision-
making.

Your team needs to:

 Develop a clear working approach to achieve work goals and tasks

 Agree on shared team tasks

 Work together cohesively, as well as on their own individual tasks

 Be able to use their preferred working styles to achieve team goals.

Use strategies that help achieve consensus within the team. For example when needing to formulate
work plans for the team, include your team in a meeting to discuss and agree work tasks for the coming
work period. Strategies and actions that are inclusive will help to bring your team together and assist in
team cohesion.

Strategies for teamwork may include:

 Partnering team members together on tasks

 Asking the team to assess their team work processes

 Assessing work achievements and setting team targets with the team

 Recognising and celebrating team successes.

Team communication
A communication process for your team should incorporate understanding of individual duties and roles
within the team. It should allow all team members to show consideration of each other’s workload and
have an appreciation of how each team member contributes to achieving the team’s objectives.

A team communication process should include:

 How team members approach and address each other

 Openness on work roles and work tasks

 Sharing information on work activities

 Knowing and working to schedules and available work times of team members

 Assisting team members in achieving work goals.

Communications should be encouraged to further work and to support it. For example, when a team
member relies on information to be passed to them from another team member, to carry out certain
tasks, ensure that a process exists so that the information is clearly communicated as being ready,
rather than it just being left in a work tray on another desk.

Communication with the team may

include:
 Verbal discussion and meetings

 Email notifications and messages

 Hand written notes

 Work records and logs

 Work reports.

Your team should be encouraged to discuss work matters between themselves, as and when needed.
You should facilitate an environment that welcomes workplace interactions and good working
relationships.
Activity 3A
3.2 –Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Assessing performance problems and determining root causes

 Understanding the importance of contingency planning

 Look at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the team.

Assessing performance problems

When a problem in work performance occurs, you should assist your team in finding the cause and a
subsequent solution.

Performance problems can arise through a variety of

reasons, they may be temporary, such as experiencing a
one-off problem with a customer order, or they can be
indicators of a much more endemic problem. All
occurrences of poor performance should be noted down
for further analysis; assessing commonly experienced
problems will help determine whether the problem
needs to be addressed, and how.

Examples of performance problems

include:
 Differences or frictions within the team

 A process or system that does not support work needs

 Competing work demands

 Low team morale or motivation

 Lack of resources and materials

 A team member absence (e.g. holiday or long-term sickness)

 Machinery or equipment faults

 An unsafe working environment.

Root cause analysis

A root cause analysis is a process that can help you to identify the underlying reason (root cause) as to
why a problem is likely to occur. If the identified problem is indeed the root cause, removing it from the
equation would mean that the problem will not happen again. This analysis method focuses on asking
the right questions to determine where the problem is originating from, so that future actions can be
taken to prevent this.
 A root analysis can be aided by using:
 Mind maps

 Flow charts

 Cause and effect diagram (also known as a fish bone or Ishikawa diagram).

Using a table, chart or diagram can greatly help your understanding of a problem, this allows you to
write down the problem and provide a physical means to work logically through questions to find the
answers you need. Seeing the problem on paper and by linking questions and answers, you can build a
better understanding of the particular issue.

For example, a team member who avoids communicating with the team:
 First write down the problem – ‘Paul, does not participate in team communications
which prevents information from being shared’

 Secondly ask how this manifests – ‘Paul avoids attending meetings or participating in
verbal discussions’

 Thirdly ask why this is may be happening – ‘Paul is new to the team and may not yet
feel that he knows people well or is comfortable with entering into the group dynamic’

 Lastly, seek a solution to tackle this – ‘Discuss the situation with Paul and ask why he is
not communicating with the team, address the reason and seek ways for Paul to get to
know and work with the team, e.g. collaborate in pair tasks and meet individually with
team members to discuss work that is being done by each member’.

Contingency planning
Contingency planning is carried out by organisations to manage unexpected or emergency situations
which may arise, e.g. having an alternative work premises in the event that the normal workplace
cannot be accessed, as a result of fire or storm damage. This type of planning can also be used to
manage other workplace situations or problems as it helps you to plan ahead on dealing with difficulties
before they occur. An example of this type of situation is where a member of staff is trained to cover
another person’s workload in the event that they become sick or need to take long-term absence (e.g. if
caring for an elderly relative).

Working with a contingency plan is similar to

identifying risk:
 Contingency planning is not just about the major
risks or emergencies that can occur, but also
those that happen on a smaller level, such as
managing team performance.

 It should be regarded as important to make

contingency planning a standard part of your
everyday business operations.
  Contingency planning is not a procedure or policy but more a systematic approach to
identifying what can go wrong in a variety of situations.

 Contingency planning does not allow for thinking it will sort itself out or that if left
alone everything will turn out okay.

Contingency planning will include options to identify likelihood and consequence of actions or ignoring
those actions.

This can be seen in the following graphic illustration:

Contingency

Contingency plan
 Contingency planning looks at the:
 Likelihood – this represents the chance that something will happen

 Consequence – this represents the impact that a particular factor may have and is
measured in degrees of severity, or impact on your work plans

 Contingency – this is the planning you undertake to address the consequence.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses

In both the context of individual and group requirements, lack of knowledge, interest or skills are some
of the reasons for not getting the job done or for producing inferior work.

Identify your team’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (a S.W.O.T analysis), so that you
find a solution and make the appropriate decisions to improve work performance.

Construct appropriate questions under each category and apply these to your findings. Your answers
will provide you with a deeper understanding.

Questions for your S.W.O.T. analysis may include:

 Strengths:

o What are your team’s advantages over others?

o Do team successes outweigh the failures?

o What do other people see as your strengths?

 Weaknesses:

o What tasks do your team take longest over?

o What negative traits prevent team members from performing?

o Which skills do the team lack?

 Opportunities:

o What else can you provide clients and customer with?

o Which technologies can you use to help your team’s

processes?

o Is there potential to bring in new team members to fill

skills gaps?

 Threats:

o What are the main obstacles that your team experience?

o Are team members competing against each other?

o Are roles in the team changing?

Overcoming work challenges
When a problem is recognised seek a solution that is safe and manageable for your team to follow. You
may need to look at work plans to incorporate new work requirements to manage the problem. It may
be a case of organising for equipment to be fixed or expanding on technologies used, or you may have
to work with team members to address any issues of a more personal nature.

Your responses to performance problems can also incorporate creative approaches. This is useful for
seeking new work methods or for improving performance figures. For example, if sales for a product are
flagging, look at ways that you can advertise or market the product; it may be that your team is not
achieving their sales targets because of a competing product, not poor performance.

Creative approaches to performance problems include:

 Looking at the bigger picture so that an objective
understanding can be made

 Brainstorming ideas with your team

 Taking a different approach to work problems, e.g.

try working through a problem backwards (in the
reverse order), this can help you to see things from
a new perspective

 Collaborating with others outside of the team to

gain a fresh understanding or approach to a
problem

 Looking at the factors you can change within the

team to improve work output, such as swapping
roles and responsibilities within the team.
Activity 3B
3.3 – Ensure own contribution to work team serves as a role model for others
and enhances the organisation’s image for all stakeholders
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Know the value of being a role model for your team

 Motivate your team and create a good working environment

 See the value in creating a positive organisational image.

Be a positive role model for your team

As mentioned in section 2.1 of this unit, modelling appropriate behaviours to the team is essential for
creating good habits and an effective team culture. Your team will follow your lead; this will include how
you speak with others, what you expect from customers or clients and even your attitudes and thoughts
about work and the organisation. Influences on your team may even be experienced through every-day
occurrences such as time-keeping and personal appearance.

Contribute to the work team

By greeting team members warmly each day you can help create a pleasant and social atmosphere; this
type of example goes a long way in bolstering team members who may be feeling subdued or are
experiencing work issues. This helps to foster a friendlier environment and shows that employees are
valued as people as well as workers. Allow your team a social catch-up on a Monday morning for ten
minutes or encourage lunch time breaks together. This will help your team to feel that they are part of a
team and that they can be supported in times of need.

Conduct work with your team and in the workplace; if you are a manager that spends a lot of time in
meetings or visiting others, ensure the time you do spend with your team is spent together. You should
let your team know that the additional management work that you may do is real and helps reach team
and organisational goals. Involve your team as much as possible and be present with those around you.

Motivation techniques
Motivating your team may mean different things to each team
member. Some team members may be motivated by incentive
schemes or through achieving goals, while others may find a
happy work environment is more of a motivation to working
well. You should assess your team’s personalities and habits
and determine which techniques you can use to provide team
and individual motivation. This doesn’t mean offering rewards
or incentives if none exist, but it can mean showing your team
appreciation and also celebrating your team successes within
the organisation as a whole.
 Techniques to motivate include:
 Offering rewards/incentive for success

 Coaching and/or mentoring opportunities for the team

 Offering progression and opportunities to learn new skills

 Trusting team members with important or higher-level

tasks and responsibilities

 Taking the time to speak to the team and individuals to

help arrange work requirements and to provide them with
progress

 Disseminating organisational news and information to

your team when appropriate

 Setting short-term goals

 Taking the team out for a work lunch to show appreciation

of their work achievements

 Organising a monthly/bi-monthly social event outside of

work hours.

Adding to the organisation’s image

Your team’s work should be communicated to show your value within the organisation. Let others know
when targets have been reached or when a particular customer is pleased with the service you or
yourteam provides. It is not a case of continually validating you and your team’s place within the
organisation it is a matter of communicating meaningful gains and initiatives.

You should:
 Inform management of your team’s work achievements in meetings

 Communicate the work that your team does to other departments and relevant
stakeholders

 Show how team objectives are helping the organisation’s objectives.

Activity 3C
4. Liaise with stakeholders
4.1. Establish and maintain open communication processes with all stakeholders

4.2. Communicate information from line manager/management to the team

4.3. Communicate unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by team members and
follow-up with line manager/management and other relevant stakeholders

4.4. Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding unresolved issues, concerns and
problems raised by internal or external stakeholders
4.1 – Establish and maintain open communication processes with all
stakeholders
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 See value in a communication process that is accessible to stakeholders

 Choose suitable methods for your communications

 Adapt communications to suit the audience type.

Use open communication processes

Using a system of open communications with your stakeholders will show that you/your organisation
have good lines of communication. It lets others know your organisation values the sharing of
information and a level of transparency appropriate to the situation.

An open communication process means giving, receiving and sharing information when it is needed or
available. It provides stakeholders with understanding and assurance that information is current and
communicated.

Communication objectives may be to:

 Share information

 Reach consensus

 Contribute to policy

 Represent the team’s position/interests in

management meetings

 Resolve differences

 Negotiate a joint position/compromise

 Build on reputation (of self and/or the team).

Communication methods
Determine the best method for the delivery of your communication; you may need to use a
combination of methods with stakeholders to ensure communications are delivered to all of the
intended recipients.

Communication methods include:

 Telephone

 Teleconference

 Video conference

 Internet (e.g. online forums, intranet or email)

  Letter

 Facsimile

 Memo

 Face-to-face

 One-on-one, or in a group

 Notice boards

 Forum, seminar or conference.

You may need to use a variety of communication methods and strategies. Strategies
may need to be complex, i.e. made up of different approaches and methods to suit the audience and

Choose the most appropriate way to establish your communications, keeping to organisational
communication protocols; this will help you to build successful working relationships.

Adapting communications to the stakeholder groups

In all your communications, practise your use of words and language structures. Look at which are
responded to more favourably and at how others interpret your words when they are spoken. Be
mindful of the cultural backgrounds of others and of the experiences they have had. As mentioned in
section 1.1 of this unit, use of verbal and non-verbal skills can be used in various measures to ensure
communications are positive and productive.

In your verbal communications, doothers understand what you saying or do you need to elaborate on
information that you give? Check for understanding through facial expressions, body language and
through direct questioning. This will help you to determine the most effective use of language and an
approach that is conducive to positive interactions.

Stakeholder groups may include:

 Other organisational employees

 Managers and supervisors

 Clients and customers

 External suppliers and contacts

 Business peers

 Community members and groups.

 Formal communications
This type of communication will be required in official meetings and gatherings, such as those with
clients/customers, management or business contacts. When representing the needs of your
organisation, a formal style follows set communication protocols which serve to guide and provide a
common understanding with all parties on expectations. They may cover aspects such as how to greet
stakeholders, the agenda and approach to communicating, and supporting documentation. This
communication style will involve a straightforward approach and will tend to be direct and of a more
serious nature, with little room for jokes or anecdotes.

Language and intent will include informing, negotiating, discussing and collaborating. This type of
communication will be documented and recorded to provide evidence and outcomes of the
communication.

Informal communications
This type of communication is used more with stakeholders that you are familiar with, such as work
colleagues, your team and your regular suppliers. This will still need to convey meaning but can be
conducted in a more conversational manner, or with less structure to proceedings. Although following
organisational procedures and ensuring communications maintain professionalism and the needs of the
organisation, this style of communication may be used to relay information and in relationship building.
Language style may be more relaxed and use less industry or business terminology.

Communications may still need to be documented on some level, but not in such a formal manner, for
example, you may need to record the time, date, and subject matter of a conversation with a
stakeholder but not necessarily the outcomes.

Communication conventions
Organisational communication conventions will vary between stakeholder groups. Internal stakeholders
will require certain information, in order to carry out organisational work activities. External
stakeholders may require information for gaining awareness and knowledge of organisational activities.
The level of information that is given may vary and will need to follow appropriate conventions.

Communication conventions include:

 Informal team meetings

 Disciplinary meetings

 Employee appraisals and performance management meetings

 Staff training

 Management and board meetings

 Email notifications and

newsletters

 Seminars and conferences.

Activity 4A
4.2 – Communicate information from line manager/management to the team
4.3 – Communicate unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by team
members and follow-up with line manager/management and other relevant
stakeholders
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 Understand that information should be disseminated to team members appropriately

 Take issues to management for resolution

 Follow a process of conflict resolution.

Management communications to the team

In your management communications, you will act as a conduit for passing information to your team; it
also means representing the needs of your team in the workplace. This can include information on
procedural changes, performance outcomes and new business. Your delivery of information should be
tailored to suit the needs of the team and it should follow the appropriate communication convention.

Your management may only require certain pieces of information to be disseminated to employees and
you will need to maintain organisational wishes and adherence to confidentiality requirements. Your
position of knowledge should never be abused and information should be carefully considered and
relayed, to organisational requirements.

Resolving team member issues

Any work or team issues that cannot be resolved through a first approach directly with the teamwill
need to be addressed to ensure a resolution is reached. It is important to tackle issues to ensure a team
harmony and balance is maintained, and work objectives can be met.

Team discussions and feedback is essential for the management of performance within your
organisation. It is a useful means of indicating when work is progressing well. However, it can also help
in the identification and resolution of problems.

Feedback should be:

 Straightforward

 Sincere

 Encouraging

 Supportive

 Useful

 Meaningful

 Respectful

 Informal
  Verbal.

Feedback may include:

 Formal/informal performance appraisals

 Comments made by clients

 Appraisals given by supervisors and colleagues

 Personal and reflective behaviour strategies

 Routine organisational methods for monitoring service delivery.

Issues that need to be resolved with the help of management (and human resources) will take a more
formal process of issue resolution. Always make sure that you have a true understanding of the issue
and have compiled information which describes the situation accurately. This may include dates,
instances and outcomes. You will need to work with management and your team to eliminate work
issues; you may also be required to work with external stakeholders, who may be involved or who have
raised their own problem.

Dealing with issues and problems within the workplace

Issues in the workplace can be directly concerned with the practicalities of fulfilling work tasks, such as a
lack of resources, or can be related to personalities and employee issues.

Issues and problems that may occur in the workplace include:

 Stress, e.g. too much work/deadlines that are not
realistic

 Bullying, e.g. employees that may use

bullying tactics to complete their work
tasks

 Violence, e.g. employees who disagree

and clash over personal issues

 Safety issues, e.g. machinery that is faulty

 Third party problems with external stakeholders, e.g. a supplier who continually is late
with their deliveries

 Discrimination, e.g. employees who are continually not chosen for promotion

 Poor resources, e.g. a lack of staff with the correct skills

 Work processes, e.g. too many procedures in tasks which cause delays.

Problems and issues should not be allowed to linger. They should be addressed at the earliest
opportunity. The involvement of other workgroup members may be required when issues, problems,
and conflict occurs across teams.
 Issue resolution should concentrate on:
 Identifying the problem

 Assessing the factors causing the problem

 Taking action to resolve the problem to the mutual agreement of all involved.

Conflict resolution techniques

Your organisation should have a grievance procedure for employees who experience a problem in the
workplace. Conflict can have a negative effect on both individuals and the workplace; this can be
addressed in a number of ways.

These include:
 Avoiding the conflict in the hope it will go away

 Working together to find a solution that benefits everyone

 Compromising and finding the middle ground

 Competing against each other until someone wins

 Surrendering your needs to please others.

Resolving conflict is the ultimate goal. Conflict should be approached with an open mind and diversity
should be respected.

Five steps to conflict resolution:

 Set the scene

 Gather information

 Agree the problem

 Discuss possible solutions

 Negotiate a solution.

Setting the scene

Everyone involved in the resolution of a workplace conflict should be aware that the issue may be
mutual. Everyone must understand that discussion and negotiation are the best conflict resolution
tools. Arguments are likely to make conflicts worse. However, an assertive approach should be adopted
speaking. You should also use active listening skills. This combined approach should result in effective
communication among the team.
 Gathering information
You should consider different viewpoints when attempting to resolve conflict. It is important to
understand other people’s concerns, needs, and interests. Other people’s opinions should be respected.
Cooperation will be required in order to solve problems. You should develop an understanding of the
employee’s motivations and goals. Then consider the effects of your actions. Personalities should be left
out of the discussion and work issues should be addressed. You should aim to be clear, concise, and
flexible. Make sure that feelings are clarified.

Agreeing the problem

People may perceive problems differently, depending on their goals, needs,
and interests. There should be agreement regarding the resolution of
problems prior to the discussion of solutions. If a mutual agreement can’t be
achieved then you will need to consider how each person perceives the
problem.

Discussing possible solutions

Everyone should be given the opportunity to propose solutions to the
problem. There should be a shared agreement regarding the consideration
of ideas. It may be appropriate to brainstorm possible solutions.

Negotiating a solution
Everyone should have an understanding of perceptions regarding the problem at this point. It should be
possible to establish mutual agreement about an appropriate solution.

Successful conflict resolution may result in:

 An increased level of understanding

 Improved self-knowledge

 Increased group cohesion.

To ensure conflict can be managed and resolved in the workplace, people should:
 Expect conflict to happen

 Handle conflict sooner rather than later

 Be open to compromise

 Avoid gossiping

 Let everyone speak

 Listen carefully

 Take other people’s opinions into account.

Activity 4B
4.4 – Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding unresolved issues,
concerns and problems raised by internal or external stakeholders
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
 See the importance of performing a fair evaluation of the issue

 Understand the need to take corrective action to resolve issues.

Evaluating workplace concerns and problems

In your evaluations to assess the correct course of action to take, you should take a logical approach in
finding a solution. Team and work problems can be resolved with careful management and planning; it
requires an impartial position which, as manager, you are best placed to do. If working with
management, other departments or external stakeholders, ensure a fair process is followed and
includes the contributions of those relevant to the situation.Ensure meetings and communications are
documented and that agreements are reached to the benefit of all parties.

Evaluations may include:

 Determining ownership or responsibility for managing
certain tasks or external stakeholder relationships

 Setting a date for the problem/issue to be resolved by

 Performing a review on work activities

 Deciding a process to monitor work activities.

Corrective action for workplace issues

Corrective action in the resolution of issues and concerns can be straightforward or complex, depending
on the situation. After issues have been fully discussed and investigated within the team and/or with
management, action should be taken in a timely manner to complete the process.This will apply to both
internal and external stakeholder problems.

Corrective action may include:

 Making ergonomic changes to the work area

 Requesting new equipment, or repairs to fix faults

 Ensuring that health and safety practices are enforced to protect the welfare of your
team

 Training team members to fill skills gaps

 Working more closely with external stakeholders

 Changing team members to resolve worker difficulties or clashes

 Re-prioritising work or changing work objectives

 Following the organisation’s grievance process to resolver worker disputes.
Activity 4C
Summative Assessments
At the end of your Learner Workbook, you will find the Summative Assessments.

This includes:

 Skills assessment

 Knowledge assessment

 Performance assessment.

This holistically assesses your understanding and application of the skills, knowledge and performance
requirements for this unit. Once this is completed, you will have finished this unit and be ready to move
onto the next one – well done!
 References

These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the contents of
this unit.

Websites

Information on Dr Bruce W. Tuckman can be found at the following website:

http://www.toolshero.com/toolsheroes/bruce-tuckman/

Information on work health and safety can be found at Safe Work Australia:
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA

Information on Australian discrimination laws can be found at the Australian Human Rights Commission
website: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/employers/good-practice-good-business-factsheets/quick-
guide-australian-discrimination-laws

All references accessed on and correct as of 23.09.2016, unless other otherwise stated.