Diagnosing Teams (Application Journal)
Team behavior dictates the performance of that particular team unlike when one is considered individually. Any form of negativity in the workplace is likely to lead to dysfunction of team members which later affect the productivity of the overall team members. As a team leader, it is important to understand team behavior which starts by understanding individual employee due to their differences. Every team leader dislikes dysfunctional team because they can be challenging to manage and handle.
A team is not a team if it is not functional. When the team members are not participating in any meeting, it is equivalent to a dead team which cannot resolve any problem presented to them. From the reading, a dysfunctional team is the one who only has the leader to direct the rest of the team members. Participation of all team members is crucial in any project or meeting because it keeps the team members active and ensures that all problems affecting the organization are solved in time. In our team, all members are given a chance to express their opinion on any matter concerning team performance and success.
For a team to function appropriately, trust should prevail among all team members since it forms the foundation of real teamwork. With trust, the team is likely to cooperate and support each other in problem-solving. Trust also allows team members to be open to one another which can fasten identification of a problem in an organization. Addressing mistakes is also easy when a group is working as a team. Trust is important for a team as it enables them to achieve ultimate results due to a common focus. Our team is based in trust where all the members are expected to comment and point out the arising concerns for immediate solutions.
Debates are necessary for any teamwork. They support any statement made by the leader and act as prove that the team members operate as one. Since debates require lengthy time, good structure of meetings should be created to accommodate all comments from the team and work towards a common goal. Team members should be engaged and participate fully whenever there is an activity. This can be a sure way that all members are dedicated and present whenever their contribution is required. Some behavior affects the success of a team. When team members are not united, the team can be dysfunctional because each of the members does a thing in his/ her way. In the team I lead, the participation of team members is crucial more so when meetings are held because every view of the members determines the success of the team.
Games and team-building activities help team members to be close to each other and interact with each other at ease. Euphoria is created when a team engages in common activities which help not only during that period but also in future events. Our team creates time for team-building activities and games which help in creating a strong bond between us and making the team free to each other. Such activities allow team members to loosen up and engage in constructive discussions pertaining to the progress and achievement of their goals. This has been the success of our team and has made it possible for the team leader to understand the different cultural aspects of the team members.