Team Management

Team management refers to the various activities which bind a team together by bringing
the team members closer to achieving the set targets. For the team members, their team
must be their priority and everything else should take a back seat. They should be very
focused on their goals. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success-Henry Ford”.
The above proverb by Henry Ford can very well highlight the importance of working
together in teams.
Every employee depends on their co-workers to work together and contribute effectively to
the organization. No employee can work alone; they must use the help of their colleagues to
perform tasks effectively. It has been observed that the result is much better when
employees work in a team rather than individually as each individual can contribute in the
best possible way. In organizations, individuals with similar interests and specializations
come together on a common platform and form a team.
Team Work
Teamwork is actually the collective effort of each team member to achieve a set goal. No
member can afford to sit back and expect another member to speak on his behalf. Team
members must be committed to their team and their organization to avoid conflict. Nothing
productive will come out of unnecessary conflicts and, on the contrary, it will take away the
concentration and focus of the team members. Each member should adopt an adaptable
and flexible approach. One should consider the members of one's team as part of one's
extended family, all working together towards a common goal. Team members must
depend on each other for the best results.
Teamwork is essential in companies for better performance and better connection
between employees.

 Tasks are accomplished at a faster pace when it is done by a team rather than an
individual.
 No organization runs for charity
 There is always healthy competition among the team members.
 Teamwork is also important to improve the relations among the employees
 Team members can also gain from each other
Importance of Team Management
In contemporary organizations, “what were once competitors are now collaborators, what
were once outsiders are now stakeholders, and what were once stark boundaries are now
fuzzy fences. Organizations have now discovered the value of collaboration, both inside and
outside” (Brooks, 2006, p.115).
Team Management Skills
  For effective team management, it is important for the team leader to be a mentor
to his team members rather than just a strict boss.
 Make sure every team member willingly participates in team discussions.
 Every team member should be given the same information and should have easy
access to superiors in case of any query.
 Team members must be regularly motivated.
 Team members may not pass on any information to anyone outside the team.
Types of Teams

 Organization/Workforce These groups are created in organizations where team

members work together under the expert guidance of a leader. A leader or
supervisor is usually appointed from among the members themselves and works
hard together with his team to achieve a common goal.
 Permanent teams- These teams perform on a permanent basis and are not dissolved
once the task is accomplished.
 Temporary teams Unlike permanent teams, temporary teams lose their importance
once the task is completed.
 Committees- Committees are usually formed to work on a specific task either
permanently or temporarily. Individuals with common interests, more or less from
the same background, come together on a common platform to form a committee
and work on any matter.
 Self-managed teams -Self-managed teams consist of individuals who again work
together for a common purpose but without the supervision of any leader. Here, as
the name suggests, each individual is responsible for their individual performance.
 Virtual teams -Virtual teams consist of individuals who are separated by distance and
connected via computer through the internet.
Management of Team Process

 Establish team goals and objectives.

 Assign and facilitate team tasks.
 Explore how to develop trust and build consensus.
 Identify team ground rules
 Identify strategies to manage teams.

Objective

A team needs clear goals that members believe are important and worthwhile. A team is
more likely to be effective if it can participate in developing team objectives and work out
how they are to be achieved, Discussions should lead to action planning, including specific
milestones, timetables, and monitoring activities to keep the team focused and to create an
appropriate sense of urgency. Defining a measurable output gives the team a framework to
work within.
Team Build with Individual Contribution
Based on their prior experience, team members will bring assumptions and ideas about how
teams should operate, what is expected of them and what they can expect from the team‐
working experience.

 How well do the tasks allocate fit with the person’s preferred ‘roles’?
 Who has the skills and experience to handle a particular task competently and
efficiently?
 Who will find the task useful for their development?
 What further training, development or support might an individual need?
Leading and Managing the Team
Team leaders and managers need to make sure that the task is accomplished and that the
team is developing ways that benefit both the task and the experience of individual team
members. illustrates how tasks, teams, and individuals are always connected. For example,
a team member’s satisfaction will depend not only on the performance of tasks but also on
the quality of team relationships, team morale, trust, and team spirit, and the more social
aspects of teamwork.
Different leaders will inevitably have different styles and approaches to leadership. Some
leaders may tend towards a more directive style, wanting to tell team members what to do.
Other leaders may adopt a democratic approach, asking questions and getting people involved.

However, successful and effective team leaders have some common characteristics. These
include:

 listening to team members;

 questioning them to understand their point of view;
 being responsive to feedback.

Qualities of teamwork

 The team leader must take the responsibility of encouraging the team members.
 Avoid conflicts in your team.
 Transparency must be maintained and healthy interaction must be promoted among
the team members.
 Think about your team first.
 Discuss
 Rewards and Recognition
Teamwork is increasingly important in today's organizations and, if formed, managed, and
implemented effectively, teams can provide a source of competitive advantage in terms of
increased employee satisfaction, creativity, and innovation. However, if teams are assigned
inappropriate tasks, are ineffectively managed, or are not given adequate support,
resources, and autonomy to accomplish their tasks, the effect of teamwork can be
counterproductive. Teams are formal groups assigned by management that share common
goals. There is a difference between teams and groups; groups can exist without teams, but
teams cannot exist without groups. Therefore, the impact of group behavior and group
dynamics will have a significant impact on overall team performance. Therefore,
management must be aware of the presence of groups that create their own norms and
personal goals that may deviate from the goals of the team. Teamwork can therefore be a
complex area of management, but if done effectively, the results can be very rewarding.
References

 Bateman, B., Wilson, F.C. and Bingham, D. (2002) ‘Team effectiveness – development of an
audit questionnaire’, Journal of Management Development, vol. 21, issue 3, pp. 215–26.
 Article “Prachi Juneja” and Reviewed By Management Study Guide Content Team. MSG
Content Team comprises experienced Faculty Member, Professionals and Subject Matter
Experts. https://managementstudyguide.com/ Wikipedia.com
 Belbin, R.M.(1981)Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail, London, Butterworth‐
Heinemann. Bennett, R. (1994) Organisational Behaviour (2nd edn), London, Pitman.
 Boddy, D. (2005) Management: an Introduction (3rd edn), London, Financial Times/Prentice
Hall.