1. Communicating in Teams
Lina Melkonian
SJSU Career Center

2. Top Skills Sought By Recruiters
Communication—
Oral/Written
Interpersonal/Social
Critical Thinking
Leadership
Teamwork
Business Communications Quarterly, Volume 65, March 2002, pages 21-36

3. Teambuilding Lessons From Geese
Why do geese fly in a V formation?
What happens when a goose falls out of
formation?
What happens when the lead goose gets tired?
Why do geese in formation honk from behind?
What happens when a goose gets sick or
wounded?

4. Communicating in Teams
What is a Team?
A team is a unit of two or more people who work together to achieve a goal. Team members share a mission and the responsibility to achieve it.
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

5. Types of Workplace Teams
Communicating in Teams
Types of Workplace Teams
Problem Solving
Taskforces
Committees
Virtual Teams
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

6. Overview of Teams Advantages Disadvantages Information & knowledge
Communicating in Teams
Overview of Teams
Advantages
Disadvantages
Information & knowledge
Diversity of views
Acceptance of solutions
Performance
Groupthink
Hidden agendas
Free riders
High costs
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

7. Rules Norms Identity Group Dynamics Communicating in Teams
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

8. Team Decision Making Orientation Conflict Brainstorming Emergence
Communicating in Teams
Team Decision Making
Orientation
Conflict
Brainstorming
Emergence
Reinforcement
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

9. Roles People Play in Groups
Communicating in Teams
Roles People Play in Groups
Self-
Oriented
Group-
Maintenance
Task-
Facilitating
Controlling
Withdrawing
Attention Seeking
Diverting
Encouraging
Harmonizing
Compromising
Initiating
Information Seeking
Coordinating
Procedure Setting
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

10. Being a Facilitator is like being a Referee
Communicating in Teams
Being a Facilitator is like being a Referee
Facilitators focus on the process the team is using to get results. On effective teams, every member feels responsible for the process, not just the leader.
A facilitator like a referee, makes sure the team operates in an organized manner. A referee does not supervise team strategies, but rather makes sure that the teams are observing the rules of the game.
Making sure that the team is operating in a fair, organized and respectful manner is called facilitation, and it is the responsibility of all team members.

11. Communicating in Teams
Team Leadership
As employers reduce their layers of management and as companies become flatter, individual contributors are increasingly asked to lead teams.
Leaders Lead, Don’t Rule!
Successful team leaders demonstrate the ability to listen to other team members first, then share their points of view.
Team Leaders Are Great Facilitators
Facilitation is a vital communication tool for effective team leaders.

12. Effective Teams Clear Purpose Collaborative Relationships Open
Communicating in Teams
Clear
Purpose
Effective
Teams
Collaborative
Relationships
Open
Communication
Creative
Thinking
Consensus
Decision
Making
Focused
Efforts
Conflict
Resolution
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

13. Task Responsibilities
Communicating in Teams
Conflict in Teams
Scarce Resources
Task Responsibilities
Poor Communication
Attitudes and Values
Power Struggles
Conflicting Goals
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

14. Resolving Conflict Proaction Fairness Research Communication Alliance
Communicating in Teams
Resolving Conflict
Proaction
Fairness
Research
Communication
Alliance
Flexibility
Openness
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

15. Overcoming Resistance
Communicating in Teams
Overcoming Resistance
Express understanding
Raise awareness
Evaluate objections
Withhold arguments
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

16. Purpose Participants PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS Agenda Location
Communicating in Teams
Purpose
Participants
PRODUCTIVE
MEETINGS
Agenda
Location
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

17. Effective Meetings Focus Procedures Participation Closing Follow-Up
Communicating in Teams
Focus
Effective
Meetings
Procedures
Participation
Closing
Follow-Up
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

18. Three Types Of Listening Content Critical Listening Empathetic
Communicating in Teams
Critical
Listening
Content
Empathetic
Three Types
Of Listening
Purpose and Feedback
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

19. Barriers to Listening Self- Prejudgment Centeredness Selective
Communicating in Teams
Barriers to Listening
Self-
Centeredness
Prejudgment
Selective
Listening
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

20. Check Points for Meeting Facilitators
Communicating in Teams
Check Points for Meeting Facilitators
Is this discussion being productive?
Are agreements being reached?
Are new ideas being generated?
Are people understanding each other?
What is being committed to?
What is the best use of the group’s time now?
Are we meeting the objectives of the meeting?
Bruce Withrow, Conversation Types, Affinity Consulting

21. Nonverbal Communication
Communicating in Teams
Nonverbal Communication
Honesty
Reliability
Efficiency
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

22. Types of Nonverbal Communication
Communicating in Teams
Facial
Expressions
Gestures
and Posture
Touching
Behavior
Personal
Appearance
Use of
Time and Space
Vocal
Characteristics
Types of Nonverbal Communication
From Business Communication Today, Prentice Hall, 2003

23. Commitment Communication Contribution Cooperation Change Management
Communicating in Teams
Commitment
Communication
Contribution
Cooperation
Change
Management
Conflict
Management
Connections
Suzanne Willis Zoglio, 7 Keys to Building Great Workteams