Teamwork - How To Be A Better Team Contributor
By Robert Bacal, M.A.
More and more often, employees are expected to contribute to the performance and success of their work teams. While it sounds great on paper, it isn't all that easy to work in a team, since often team members are different in style, attitude, commitment and work ethic. If you are a work team member, supervise, manage or lead a team, take a good look at these tips and hints which will make it easier for team members to contribute more productively to their teams, and decrease friction among team members. Stay tuned to the Teamwork File, though, because we have more suggestions on this topic!
Stop The Blaming Cycle
Often teams get bogged down in blaming members when things go wrong. As a team member you can do two things to stop this wasteful and destructive team behavior. First, eliminate blaming language you may use. Replace blaming and finger-pointing coments or questions with a focus on solving problems, or preventing problems. Second, if other team members get into the blaming cycle, step in and "turn" the conversation back to a constructive approach. For example, here's a good phrase: "Ok, maybe we could save some time here by trying to ensure that the problem doesn't happen again, so what can we do to prevent it next time?"
Focus On The Present And Future
This is related to the blaming cycle. Don't dwell on the past. Use the past (successes and team failures) to help the team determine where they need to go to improve. You can't change the past -- you can only use it to learn from.
Stop Back Channel Talk
Talking about a team member in private with another team members usually involves a blaming process. While sometimes it's good to vent frustration about a fellow team mate, you shouldn't be doing it within the team. It's counter productive, and harmful. Stop doing it unless you have a specific, constructive reason for doing so.
Personal Responsibility
Take responsibility for your behavior and the results that your team produces, but NOT the behavior of your team mates. When you take responsibility for another member's actions, you will tend to want to change your team mate, something that often creates dissension.
Finally, focus on YOUR contributions. Don't spend your time thinking about or telling team mates what THEY should be doing for the team. Think about what you can contribute, and how you can contribute more effectively. Then do it. For example, if you have a great suggestion, don't dump it in the group with the expectation that someone else will implement it. You offer to do it...after all it's your suggestion.
Warm regards
Sujeet Kumar
From India, Pune
5By Robert Bacal, M.A.
More and more often, employees are expected to contribute to the performance and success of their work teams. While it sounds great on paper, it isn't all that easy to work in a team, since often team members are different in style, attitude, commitment and work ethic. If you are a work team member, supervise, manage or lead a team, take a good look at these tips and hints which will make it easier for team members to contribute more productively to their teams, and decrease friction among team members. Stay tuned to the Teamwork File, though, because we have more suggestions on this topic!
Stop The Blaming Cycle
Often teams get bogged down in blaming members when things go wrong. As a team member you can do two things to stop this wasteful and destructive team behavior. First, eliminate blaming language you may use. Replace blaming and finger-pointing coments or questions with a focus on solving problems, or preventing problems. Second, if other team members get into the blaming cycle, step in and "turn" the conversation back to a constructive approach. For example, here's a good phrase: "Ok, maybe we could save some time here by trying to ensure that the problem doesn't happen again, so what can we do to prevent it next time?"
Focus On The Present And Future
This is related to the blaming cycle. Don't dwell on the past. Use the past (successes and team failures) to help the team determine where they need to go to improve. You can't change the past -- you can only use it to learn from.
Stop Back Channel Talk
Talking about a team member in private with another team members usually involves a blaming process. While sometimes it's good to vent frustration about a fellow team mate, you shouldn't be doing it within the team. It's counter productive, and harmful. Stop doing it unless you have a specific, constructive reason for doing so.
Personal Responsibility
Take responsibility for your behavior and the results that your team produces, but NOT the behavior of your team mates. When you take responsibility for another member's actions, you will tend to want to change your team mate, something that often creates dissension.
Finally, focus on YOUR contributions. Don't spend your time thinking about or telling team mates what THEY should be doing for the team. Think about what you can contribute, and how you can contribute more effectively. Then do it. For example, if you have a great suggestion, don't dump it in the group with the expectation that someone else will implement it. You offer to do it...after all it's your suggestion.
Warm regards
Sujeet Kumar
From India, Pune
Good Article...
To include... one more point....
Always keep the ultimate goal in mind...
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea"
From India, Ahmadabad
To include... one more point....
Always keep the ultimate goal in mind...
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea"
From India, Ahmadabad
Hi Surjeeth,
Your article on 'Team Building' is quiet good. But, so much is said about building teams .. theoretically, but in practice, the commitment to build a constructive and progressive team is rarelyseen.
Being a Government employee, I used to think that the failure to build good teams happens only in Government and Private Sector corporates are good in building teams... But, some of the people frm the Corporate sector also feel the same pinch and tell that the Professional ego of each individual becomes the hurdle in building a team n achieving its objectives.
Hence, as Ajmal said, before entrusting each of the member the respective specialised task, we have to make sure that all of them are clear about the objectives of the team so that they can work towards achieving the final objective removing the compartmentalisation.
srinivas
From India, Hyderabad
Your article on 'Team Building' is quiet good. But, so much is said about building teams .. theoretically, but in practice, the commitment to build a constructive and progressive team is rarelyseen.
Being a Government employee, I used to think that the failure to build good teams happens only in Government and Private Sector corporates are good in building teams... But, some of the people frm the Corporate sector also feel the same pinch and tell that the Professional ego of each individual becomes the hurdle in building a team n achieving its objectives.
Hence, as Ajmal said, before entrusting each of the member the respective specialised task, we have to make sure that all of them are clear about the objectives of the team so that they can work towards achieving the final objective removing the compartmentalisation.
srinivas
From India, Hyderabad
Dear all HR friends,
with reference to the topic i would like to tell something interesting:
1 Indian = 10 Japanese
10 Indians= 1 Japanese.
As we have a story that Only one indian knowledge is equal to 10 Japanese knowledge and 10 Indians knowledge is equal to 1 Japanese knowledge. This is how we prove in team work. Good example we can take is Indian cricket team. Tendulkar can prove himself but coming to group he cant.
swathi
From India, Hyderabad
with reference to the topic i would like to tell something interesting:
1 Indian = 10 Japanese
10 Indians= 1 Japanese.
As we have a story that Only one indian knowledge is equal to 10 Japanese knowledge and 10 Indians knowledge is equal to 1 Japanese knowledge. This is how we prove in team work. Good example we can take is Indian cricket team. Tendulkar can prove himself but coming to group he cant.
swathi
From India, Hyderabad
Hi Sujeet
Really god article on team work.
I require help that d you have TEAM WRK GAMES r any idea n team work games. as I am working as manager - hrd in automobile industry and my main dealing is with sales team so i want to have team building games so taht i can motivate them with such games and as well as they will learn also with all such games
Hopeful for reply from your side.
Thanks
Regards
Jyoti
From India, Ludhiana
Really god article on team work.
I require help that d you have TEAM WRK GAMES r any idea n team work games. as I am working as manager - hrd in automobile industry and my main dealing is with sales team so i want to have team building games so taht i can motivate them with such games and as well as they will learn also with all such games
Hopeful for reply from your side.
Thanks
Regards
Jyoti
From India, Ludhiana
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TEAMWORK.PPS
A good PPT for Teamwork.zip