Team working is an essential tool, when there is a goal or a handful of targets at hand that need to be achieved in a set period. It is essential for every team player to work co-operatively in order for the team to hold success.
There have been a number of times in which I have worked as a part of a successful team, where everyone in the group has contributed equally in order for the goal at hand to be achieved. The most recent team that I have worked as part of and that was extremely successful team is last year during the Christmas period, at my part time job. Working as part of a helpful and successful team enabled me to exceed my Christmas targets and goals as an individual. My monthly target for a month was to ensure that I get £600 product care on products, and 8 Argos cards, being one of the smallest stores on the region this was a very high target but my Customer Service Manager who was my line manager, had faith and trust that I had the ability to do this, from help from other team members in my store we met the target as a store also.
Over viewing Dr.M.Belbin’s proposed team working roles model, I can see that all the designated roles within the proposed model were actually being fulfilled by one or more members of staff in my store.
· Co- ordinators: This individual normally works out the teams targets and then delegates them to all the people with the correct skills.
· Implementers: turn ideas into action to get a job done
· Completer: individual that adds all the finishing touches to things polishes up the task at hand.
· Specialist: an individual who specialises in certain aspect.
· Monitor- evaluator: a logical and analytical individual, that makes clear judgements at the team’s best interests
· Planter: a creative individual who also has the ability to problem solve.
· Team worker: aid the team in sticking together and binding in an appropriate manner
Majority of the above roles were covered on the day, the co-ordinating role was being implemented by my line manager who held the title of Customer service Manager in the store, he ensured that all members of staff were aware of what they need to be doing, and everyone had set duties which they were all carrying out. So the manager had ensured that all team members have jobs to be doing and everyone was working together as a team to ensure we all met our targets. In order for the manager to do this, it was essential for him to remain on the shop floor and be observant and make sure no one’s standing around doing nothing.
The supervisor in my store was implementing the role of monitoring and evaluating, this individual spent majority of the day lurking over the sales team to ensure that were all ok, and if we need a break to take time out and all paperwork is set we have all the correct documentation and stationary to be completing the argos card applications and all the correct flyers to be issuing customers with for details on their insurance.
The specialists in my store was the 2 individuals that were specialised in jewellery and were fully trained in the department, as it was only them that had the ability to give full details of what they were selling to customers, what material the jewellery is made out of what purity it has of gold etc. this role was being carried out by myself and another team member who at all times was ensuring that I was doing well to exceed my targets and vice verse!
The implementers and completers/finishers were all the remaining sales team in the store, these individuals were ensuring that all customers on the main till and collection point were being served and all customers inquiries were being dealt with. Advising customers with further information on the product the customer was purchasing making sure that the consumer is comfortable with their purchase.
All the stated roles above had to work together and help one another in order for the team to be successful and meet our set goal as we all were working towards the some goals but some with higher expectations others with lower.
Referring back to my first group assignment, and reviewing it against Tuckman’s proposed model, which consists of 4 stages that influence the progress of the team getting to know each other and forming a working relationship and having the ability to tackle the task at hand. Tuckmans theory consists of the following four stages:
· Forming
· Storming
· Norming
· Performing
The first stage forming which consists, of an individual taking on the role to be a leader and ensuring that everyone is doing what they need to be doing all individuals are of what to do, and tasks are delegated to individuals ensuring they have the ability to complete them within a time constraint if there is one. My team for the first assignment went through this stage also, I , myself took on the leader role and ensured that the other two members of the team, understood what was required of them and that they did the delegated tasks within the time limit we had.
The second stage of this model consists of storming which involves, the team members at this stage are trying to establish themselves so they can fulfil the task at hand to their best of ability and knowledge. The team went through this stage also, in which we all were getting to know one another and trying to tackle the task at hand to the best of ability. The clarity of what needs to be done is all cleared at this stage.
The third stage in this model consists of Norming, roles and leaders are clear and established at this stage there is acceptance of the leader, the team in some cases may begin to involve themselves in social activities also, so a form of friendship is formed in some occasions. The team that i worked as part of in my first assignment went through this also, in which two of us were already friends and we befriended the third member of the group/team.
The fourth and last stage of this model is performance, which is highly focused on the group performing what they have done to their best of ability, the task at hand is completed to the best of every individual’s ability and all members of the team are happy with the completed work. We performed this stage also, in which we all presented a high quality piece of coursework gaining us all a 1st in the assignment overall.
In regards to Tuckman’s theory we established to be a very successful team, with a number of things in common, that enabled us to hold a good relationship between us, and use that within the time we were working from which we then achieved a great mark.
Looking into the 100 best companies within the UK it comes to attention that Nandos is amongst this list, and one of their strong beliefs is teamwork. A survey had been carried in which it was found that over 80% of the workers enjoy working for Nandos and over 80% of their workers also stated, that they thought their work force team as a close knit family.
‘Employees say they love working for Nando's, giving an 80% positive score, they agree that there is a strong sense of family in their teams (81%) and not only feel that managers care about them as individuals (79%), but say they also talk openly and honestly with them (82%), all top scores.’
This is enabling them to become successful as the employees are enjoying their work, because they feel valued and they have friendship running across the store, which leads to them enjoying their work and being highly motivated, which a good factor as there is high productivity, low levels of absenteeism, which is profitable for the business.
Another company whose success is due to team work is ‘Big yellow group’ , over 80% of their staff across over 50 different stores say that the staff members genuinely care about one another and there is recognition etc in the store, as the staff care about one another, they willingly help one another achieve goals and targets. Teamwork has aided them in being part of the 100 top companies to work for as they appreciate and value all their staff.
‘Employees, who work at its 61 different sites, say staff care about each other (83%), that their team is fun to work with (82%) and that managers share important information (78%, a top 10 result). Senior bosses are good listeners too (71%).’
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/article7030277.ece
over all it is found that teamwork is essential for any organisation, as it is difficult to achieve the set goal for organisations if there is no communication, initially every individual that is employed by the same organisation has the same goal they all work towards the same target so help from one another and support is important so individuals don’t feel isolated and as if they are the only ones that cares about the organisation doing well.
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