Young and Overworked: Reflections on Team Dynamics - Essay Sample

Introduction

In modern organizations, teams are established and assigned different tasks that they are supposed to deliver. Previously I have been part of a group of 4, where I was the youngest. In this group, a lot was expected from me as the team members believed that I had the energy and the speed to deliver the desired outcome due to my young age. As a result, I did not feel like I was part of the group or the family. Over time, I have been thinking about how I would have performed differently if I were in an effective team. Therefore, I will research an effective team's characteristics, how it is formed, and how it is sustained.

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Characteristics of an Effective Team

Common Goal

Team formation in an organization aims to help it achieve different goals by assigning distinct roles to each group (Bridgeman, 2019). A common goal gives a sense of purpose and indicates if the goal is being achieved or not. For a team to effectively accomplish its tasks, the group's goal must be made clear to each member. An unambiguous objective aids the team members to work towards achieving a common goal. A clear plan acts as a motivational factor for the members as they know what is expected of them. The goal unifies team members as they understand why they are in the same group and what is expected of them. The common goal helps the members to devise a common approach to achieve the goals. This helps them have a common way of tackling any hindrance in achieving the set goal (Bridgeman, 2019).

A well-defined goal description enables the team to achieve satisfactory results. When the goal is not clear for team members, each member devises their working way, which makes it hard to achieve a common goal. Different approaches create arguments in the group, as each member will try to prove that their method is superior (Bridgeman, 2019). The arguments create discord and a lack of trust among the team members. Hence, achieving the group's objective will be difficult due to a lack of unity among the members. When the goal is not clear to all the members, the devised approach of achieving it does not make sense for those who do not understand the objective (Bridgeman, 2019). Therefore, during the implementation period, they will be unmotivated, and they may give up on trying to achieve a goal that they do not comprehend. Thus, an effective team is characterized by a clear plan that is understood by all the members. The team also has a precise approach that the members follow in achieving the set goal. For this to be completed, team goals and the desired results must be transparently communicated to the team. The approach that is adopted to achieve the goal should be flexible and gives room to make changes.

Open Communication

The success of a team is dependent on the level of communication among the team members. In an effective team, there is open and honest communication among the team members. The team leader encourages team members to communicate to him freely and reduce the challenges of top-down structures of the organization. The team leader always asks for the team member's opinions and thoughts as often as possible. The leader makes it possible for the team members to comfortably in sharing their concepts and perceptions. This creates a sense of belonging among the team members, and they also feel that their opinions matter(Bridgeman, 2019). Thus, they are encouraged to share their thoughts regarding how the team's objectives can be met efficiently. Therefore, they own up the purpose of the group, and consequently, achieving the goals is made easier.

In an effective team, the goal is well communicated to all the members. The members are free to ask for clarification regarding the group's objective—this aids in the timely delivery of the expected result. Communication prevents duplication of roles among the members, executes unnecessary duties, and confusion in terms of the group's purpose (Kukhnavets, 2020). Effective communication encourages accurate communication of new information about the team’s goals. It allows team members to build trust as any team issues are solved through face-to-face communication. Members do not talk about others behind their backs. (Bridgeman, 2019).

Balanced Roles

An effective team has the role of each team member outlined. Each member knows their contributions to the team. In these teams' functions are not duplicated, and each member contributes a fair share for the group's success. This helps in avoiding the overburdening of one member in performing all the required tasks (Bridgeman, 2019). Role description ensures that the members do not take advantage of each other or contribute efficiently to their missions.

Usually, the roles in a team are divided into three workers, strategists, and leaders. An effective team will have a combination of the three functions. However, a member my possess more than one skill and may perform more than one role (Bridgeman, 2019).

The workers are entrusted with focusing on the path that the team has agreed to follow to achieve the goals. During the implementation, the encounter obstacles that may be a hindrance to achieving the desired results. The strategists evaluate the existing obstacles and develop plans of overcoming them by developing a broader focus on achieving the results. The leaders assess the strategies that the strategist has evolved and decided on the best method to adopt (Bridgeman, 2019). They then delegate the tasks to the workers. The leaders help in keeping the team on track and ensures that they meet their objectives. An effective team will have a combination of these roles and solve the problems they encounter on time. Each member will know their team's roles, and therefore the team will run smoothly without any delay or overlapping of duties. In addition to these roles, the team will have other tasks. Every team member understands their responsibility and where they fit in the team's operations. Balanced role sharing helps create a sense of belonging to the group, and as a result, all the team members remain committed to the success of the group (Bridgeman, 2019).Time Management

Time management is essential for any organization (Bridgeman, 2019). It is properly managed in an effective time, and they meet the goals within the stipulated time. When the team is assigned a new task, the concentrate on delivering it until its completion or up to when it is declared redundant, the decision to complete the task or terminating it is left for the team leader. However, an open and concise debate is held, and a decision is made. Once the decision is made, the discussion ends, and each member concentrates and prioritizes their responsibilities to deliver their duties. Appropriate time management skills characterize an effective team, and it shows the desired results on time (Bridgeman, 2019).

Practical Problem Solving

In the path of achieving a goal, a team encounters a problem. In solving them, a significant first identifies the problem and identifies possible practical ways to solve them. The significant component in their problem-solving structure is the proper identification of the problem. Once the problem is identified, appropriate means are devised, and it becomes easier to overcome the obstacles(Bridgeman, 2019). An effective team recognizes and embraces issues as they arise. The team does not postpone solving the existing problems in the hope that they will disappear. The team view problems as a new opportunity for learning. The come up with practical means of overcoming the issues and ensuring that all the members can comfortably solve the issues if they encounter an equivalent problem in the future (Bridgeman, 2019).

Bonding

Continuous work can lead to burning out among the employees who would consequently lead to low productivity. An effective team will have fun sessions where team members enjoy each other's company outside their working environment. Bonding helps establish positive relationships in the workplace and create a relaxed working environment (Bridgeman, 2019). Bonding also aids in reducing conflicts and arguments among the team members. It helps in creating unity among the team members. They trust each other to perform in their delegated duties, and they got each other's back even when they fail. Bonding helps teams to thrive in mutual achievements. A win is a team win, while a failure represents a team failure. Thus an effective team finds time for its members to have fun and socialize with each other.

Collaboration Spirit

Effective teams encourage collaboration and cooperation among the team members. The team members' ability to agree and follow what is expected has a direct impact on the team's ability to achieve its goals. Effective teams acknowledge that a single person cannot mee the results that the team can meet. Thus the value and emphasize the need for collaboration among the members. Team members communicate openly, which helps in establishing the collaboration spirit. The team leader is mandated to ensure that all the team members are on the same page, and those with strong personalities do not overshadow the rest of the members (Kukhnavets, 2020).

Abiding by the Rules

An effective have an established set of rules that regulates the behavior of the members. In a team, all the team members engage in the process of making the rules. This ensures that all the members understand all the set regulations (Kukhnavets, 2020). This helps the group to function without ambiguity as each member understand the regulations that govern them. In an effective group, each member observers the set rules, which aids in reducing conflict among the members.

Encouraging Diverse Opinions

The strength of each team depends on each member. The team members must agree on the way of doing things in the team. However, the team should be ready to welcome diverse opinions and different ideologies (Kukhnavets, 2020). Accepting diversity in the team creates an enabling environment for the team members to show and share their other ideas and opinions. This encourages innovation among the team members. Diverse opinions help in improving the performance of the team. Therefore, an effective team accepts different opinions and encourages team members to air their different ideologies (Kukhnavets, 2020).

Mutual Accountability

An effective team accepts responsibility individually and as a group. Team members do not blame each other for the mistakes that occur. Instead, they focus on identifying the error and correcting each other but own up for the team's errors. The person who makes a mistake does not justify themselves, but they try and learn from their mistakes. When a group makes an achievement, the glory does not go to an individual. All the success is celebrated, and credit is given to the whole team(Kukhnavets, 2020).

Team Trust

In an effective team, the members trust each other. Members trust their colleagues always to have their back. Since the team is faced with obstacles and problems that need to be overcome in operation before the team's goal is achieved, there has to be trusted among the team members to communicate their views freely (Decuyper et al., 2010). The team members must also trust the group's goals and the group's approach in conducting its procedures. Lack of trust can make it hard for the team to carry out its functions, and it would be challenging for the team to achieve the desired goals.

Decision Making

An effective team establishes its decision-making system—this aids in having a quick and effective mechanism for making decisions. In the process of decision making, each member's opinions are respected (Kukhnavets, 2020). The team leader asks for the opinions of the members in most of the group's operations.