What do you mean by ‘Team’?

What do you mean by ‘Team’?
A team is a group of individuals who depend on one another to accomplish a common objective. Teams are often superior to individuals because they can accomplish more work, are more creative, have more information available to them and offer more interpersonal communication dynamics. However, teams can waste time, accomplish little task and can be conflict prone. There is also always a danger of social loafing; the psychological term for avoiding individual responsibility in a group setting.

Meaning of Work-Team Communication:
Communication within a group for mutual acceptance and understanding. Good communication empowers the team members and increases efficiency; and reduces confusion. Proper and appropriate communication affects group’s productivity positively.

The Variables of Group Communication:
Three factors greatly affect the efficiency and productivity of a team: Conflict Conformity Consensus (Ability to Listen, Non-verbal comm., Cultural differences)

Conflict: Conflict is inevitable.
Conflict should be used in a productive way. Competent communicators use conflict as a means to determine what is and what is not an acceptable idea or solution. Conflict should be about issues and not about personalities.

Conformity: Conformity is agreement with ideas, rules and principles.
It should be established in some fundamental issues. Though cohesiveness is necessary but too much of it can result in groupthink that is considered as a barrier to communication.

Consensus: It means reaching a decision that best reflects the thinking of all the team members. Consensus is not necessarily a unanimous vote, or even a majority vote as it is an acceptable solution to the majority. It is a solution that is acceptable enough that no member actively opposes it. In some matters it is necessary to push for consensus.

Goals of Work-Team Comm:
To disseminate ideas To avoid duplicate work To eliminate confusion To monitor progress To provide feedback To take efficient action To encourage input To encourage dynamic change To create understanding

Building a Team: Teams pass through many stages of development popularly known as ‘forming, storming, norming and performing’. At every stage communication plays crucial role. The ideal size of a work-team is 5 to 7. If a team is very big then people generally work in sub-teams of 4 to 6 people.

Organizing the Project Comm.: (Tools for work-team comm.)
In a team to successfully achieve the goal, productive communication is required at every step. A team should use clear, concise and effective communication of all the types: verbal and non-verbal, formal and informal etc. All the steps and standards envisioned by each team member should be shared and confirmed in a feedback process so that team can work collaboratively and productively.

1. Get acquainted A sense of team identity and cohesiveness among team members is a key factor in group satisfaction. Since work teams are supposed to focus on productivity; it might seem like a waste of time but keep in your mind that in any interpersonal relationship getting off ‘on the right foot’ makes all the difference between success and failure. A lot of conflict in the ‘storming’ stage can be saved if the stage of ‘forming’ is handled well.

Get acquainted A few points should be taken care of at this stage:
Get acquainted in a completely social atmosphere. Be sure that all the members of the team are present. Discuss your personal goals. Talk about your work related skills and preferences.

2. Know the Exact Task Team’s assignment should be translated into a specific work plan that should include a few key elements: A list of tasks A project calendar Assignment of resources – time, expertise, money, etc. Team productivity depends on three types of members: Members with great Technical skills Members with great Administrative skills Members with great Interpersonal skills

3. DECIDE KEY COMMUNICATION ROLES:
Meeting Facilitator Information Manager Social Director Documentation Coordinator

4. DEFINE SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Time frame Cost Quantity required Quality desired

5. Prepare the Team Charge
Team Charge is the official statement of the team’s task. It can be a memo from the boss or a letter from a client or a statement of purpose created by the team itself. It is not a complete description and every member of the team should be able to summarize it in one sentence. It is generally provided as the first line of the team’s mission and the first paragraph of the memo of understanding.

6. TEAM CHARTER OR MISSION:
When a team is formed with a complicated or politically sensitive charge or its goal is somewhat open-ended, the charge is expanded into a complete team-vision, charter or mission statement. Ideally it is a team’s statement of its goals which have been decided in cooperation with the management. Sometimes self-organized or self-managed teams create their mission independently.

6. TEAM CHARTER OR MISSION continues………
The purpose of the charter is to restate the goal in members’ own words while paying attention to the following points: The teams purpose in terms of how its task fits in the larger or longer term organizational goals or the business’ strategic mission. Immediate goals in terms of what the team is supposed to accomplish, including time commitments and major deadlines. How the goals will be met in terms of delivering specific, measurable accomplishments or products. How success or completion of the task will be measured.

6. TEAM CHARTER OR MISSION continues………
Any constraints such as budget limitations, delivery schedules, quality standards, legal restrictions, technical requirements should be clarified in the document. The areas in which the team has autonomy should also be clarified. As a finished document a team charter can take many forms. Sometimes as a part of informal notes that will be used in the formal form later. Sometimes it is engraved on plaques, pens or mouse pads of the team members as a method of increasing team-identity and motivation.

7. Memo of Understanding:
As soon as the team has defined its task, a document called Memo of Understanding is usually sent to the client, supervisor and major stakeholders to verify that everyone understands the task in the same way. It can be thought of an expansion of the team-charter.

7. Memo of Understanding: continues……….
It should be designed in such a way that several key points should be summarized and verified: Team identity: Contact information of every member. Sometimes additional information regarding each member’s affiliation, his supervisor or his team responsibilities is also given. Task parameters: A brief but complete description of the project is the main body of the memo. It includes the following information:

Task parameters: Client: generally memo is addressed to the client. Organizational goals and context. Contingent choices. Deliverables. Standards.

3. Resources: Specify if any additional resources can be required over the course of the project including people, equipment or funds. 4. Documentation: Specify the communication that will occur in the team and between the team and the client. Dates, formats and where they are to be sent or stored.

Communication Plan: Though effective communication is needed at every step yet before starting the real task a Communication Plan is required to locate the points at which team members will need to communicate with each other, with the client, with the supervisor and with anyone else who wants to know about the team.

Communication Plan: continues….
Productive teams communicate about all the key topics like: Scheduling and coordination of task elements. Review of team and individual performance. Total review. Do not think that all the communication can be done at meetings in an unplanned way. It would be rather a wastage of time and resources.

Communication Plan: continues………
You must decide how you are going to share information, make decisions and deal with changes as they occur over the course of the project. This coordination of knowledge is not a process that happens automatically or magically. In a complicated, long-term business project, team communication might be a full time job for one of the team members. Success requires that a team should agree on what needs to be communicated at every stage of the project, how that communication should happen, and who will be responsible for participating in the various communication events.

Communication Plan: continues……….
Follow the following points: Create a communication calendar Create communication processes Select optimal communication channels Specify communication responsibilities. Anticipate Communication Topics Discover Communication Norms.

Managing Team Communication:
Productive management of team communication involves monitoring, evaluating and correcting processes over the course of the project, which is a process that involves every member of the team. Every member of the team must be in a position to know what needs to be done, what the next step is supposed to be, and whether any problems are looming on the horizon.

Managing Team Communication: continues….
To meet this challenge, productive teams do effective project documentation. Documentation can take various forms. Whatever the format, a number of key communications need to be recorded and made accessible to everyone involved in the project. Any communication event is a meeting. Most important any meeting, large or small, face-to-face or electronically mediated, should be managed with the same key steps: planning, facilitation and documentation.

Managing Team Communication: continues…. PROJECT DOCUMENTAION:
A team should create some kind of central depository of information. Each and everything done during the project should be kept in the central depository as record. A team should have documents in a format that would allow a supervisor or new group member to read through them and understand, locate, find and use whatever information he desires.

Managing Team Communication: continues…. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION:
Typical project documents will include: Team Charge: The organizational context, task definition, and expected deliverables. Memo of Understanding: The agreements that have been made with respect to deliverables, due dates, and resources. Project Plan: The task list, calendar and team responsibilities for this project. Project Records: The materials, instructions, and resources needed to do the project again. Communication records: Meeting minutes, contact logs, status reports and time sheets required by supervisor or client.

Many teams are charged with the creation of a product, service or procedure that will be used by other employees or a client. The deliverable (product), in these cases, also includes the instructions, explanations or procedures required to allow someone to use the new product.

Quality documentation in this scenario requires more than simply recording the team’s decision in the project records. The format and content must take into account the accessibility, readability, and usability issues that affect the ability of the user to actually perform the desired behaviours or use the team’s output. User documentation will often require extensive editing and reorganization of material so that it provides a context for understanding the process, clear functional expectations, and clear instructions for behaviour.

In addition to whatever documentation goes to the users of a team’s outcome, there is often an additional transfer document of the team’s work responsibility. Transfer documents are used to reframe and revise project documentation so that another person or team can effectively extend or replicate the work that has been done.

Often the transfer documents are created for an unknown audience so care should be taken in preparing it. It is not a data dump. The transfer document is therefore a relatively comprehensive document that summarizes the team’s aims and goals reports specific results provides complete instructions for completing the project in an optimum way lists any anticipated future work steps to complete or extend the project provides complete information on resources needed to conduct a similar project

The exact format of the transfer documents will depend on the project documents created by the team. In a project with minimal written documentation, the transfer document might be formatted as a report, including resources and project records as appendices. If the team has created a large set of binders to house the project records, the transfer document might be a short memo inserted as a first page in the first binder. Teams that use an intranet or electronic communication technology might create a transfer document in html, which is then uploaded as a permanent home page for the project, with links to resources, records and appropriate background materials.

Evaluating Team Communication Procedures:
Some kind of calendar, schedule or feedback loop should be maintained to ensure that scheduled phone calls, meetings or reports have actually been done satisfactorily. Team can designate one member to be responsible for systematic process of reminders and follow-ups. Moreover, if a member comes to know about any kind of communication failure he can bring it to the notice of others and corrections can be done. After every communication members should make sure that there should be no communication gap. After every meeting every member should summarize his message and feedback also should be given and taken.

Evaluating Team Communication Procedures: continues………
Special sessions for special reasons like: Task redefinition session to talk about any changes in project direction or scope Get acquainted session to introduce a new team member . How are we doing? session at every meeting of the entire group. should be arranged.

Team writing: Due to increased complexity of the workplace it is not possible for any one person to have either the time or the expertise to be able to identify and solve problems and prepare written responses. That is why, the differing talents, skills and perspectives of various individuals are often needed as a joint effort to analyze a given situation and generate proposals and recommendations. This collaborative effort is called Team Writing.

Team writing: continues……….
In addition to general team-building guidelines, writing teams should follow the following ones also: Assign tasks and develop schedules. Meet regularly Draft the document. Provide helpful Feedback on Team Writing Revise the draft

Assign tasks and Develop a Schedule: Start by determining the goals of the project and identifying the reader. Determine the components of the project, the research needed, and the dates when each aspect needs to be completed. Divide the tasks fairly according to each member's needs, interests, expertise and commitment to the project as far as possible.

Meet regularly: Schedule regular meetings through out the project to pool ideas, to keep track of new developments, to assess progress, and for resolving any other problem during the project. Prepare an outline that should show the sequence of major and subordinate topics in the document. Beware of making the final document a ‘datadump’ because all the collected information is not needed in the final report.

Draft the Document: The goal at this stage is not to produce the finished document but to draft all the content. It can be done in two ways: Assign parts to different members according to their area of expertise. In this way work will be done quickly. However, all should agree on the style issues. Assign the best writer to draft the entire document. In this way the writing style will be more consistent and the risks of omissions or duplication will be much less. However, this way the work will require much more time. Ensure that the final document should achieve a single voice.

Provide Helpful Feedback on team Writing: Commenting on the writing of peers can do god to both persons, the writer as well as the reviewer. Give the feedback in a proper way.

Revise the Draft (Editing): Allow enough time for editing the draft. Editing can be done in group but decide who will be responsible for making the changes to each section. Decide about the format. Of the document. Decide who will be responsible for proofreading the final document.

You are working for an automobile company. Your team is responsible for a testing a new airbag design. Your company is eager to install the new airbags in the next year’s models (cars). However your tests with airbag are not that successful. Your supervisor is not ready to give you more time. All the airbags inflated on impact but ten out of hundred did not inflate completely. Write a note that should be submitted along with the test results.

Conflict resolution in Teams:
Conflict arises from differences. Conflict is inevitable in teams, the focus needs to be on how it is managed. Conflict that is poorly handled creates an environment of fear and avoidance of the subject. On the other hand, if properly managed, it can lead to learning, creativity, and growth.

Conflict resolution: continues……….
Conflict can arise in a team for numerous reasons but we can categorize these reasons in the following categories: Communication Factors Structural Factors Personal Factors

Communication Factors: Poor Listening Skills Insufficient sharing of information Differences in Interpretation and Perception Non-Verbal Cues being Ignored or Missed.

Structural Factors: Size of the Organization Levels of Participation Reward Systems Levels of interdependence amongst Employees

Personal Factors: Individual’s Self-Esteem Personal Goals Personal Values Personal Needs

Stages of Resolving Conflict in Work-Team Communication: Be Prepared for the Resolution Understand the Situation Reach Agreement

Be prepared for resolution: Acknowledge the Conflict Discuss the Impact Agree to a Cooperative Process Agree to Communicate

Understand the Situation: Clarify the Positions List Facts, Assumptions and beliefs underlying each position Analyze in smaller groups Convene back as a Team

Reach Agreement: First try to reach an agreement by considering all the facts and assumptions. If further analysis or evaluation is required decide by when and by whom it would be done. If required use methods like Win-Win Negotiation, Nominal Group Technique or Multi Voting.

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION:
What do you mean by Culture ? Importance of Understanding Culture Cross Cultural Communication Factors affecting cross cultural business communication Culture and Non Verbal Communication Communicating Across Diversity Obstacles to Effective Cross Cultural Communication

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION: continues…………
Culture: A way of life of a group of people; a shared pattern of behaviour , attitudes and values passed from one generation to the next. A way of viewing human relationships Something we acquire as a part of socialization process from birth through all our life Overt associations: language , tradition, customs, food and dress etc. Covert associations: Values, attitudes, beliefs and perceptions etc.

Importance of Understanding Culture: With increasing globalization it is the need of the hour that cultural differences should be understood properly. Lack of understanding can lead to serious problems. Cross-cultural expertise is needed for the MNCs if they want to survive and excel.

It is also known as Intercultural communication. It simply means communicating with people from different cultures.

Factors affecting cross cultural business communication: Language Environment and technology Social Organization and History Conceptions of Authority Non-Verbal Communication

Culture and Non Verbal Communication: Body Language Eye Contact Gestures Space Touch Space Arrangements Time

Communicating Across Diversity: While communicating cross-culturally take the following Precautionary Measures: Acceptance of Unique Existence Learning about A Culture Be careful with different Gestures Deal with Language Carefully Be Careful about Non-Verbal part of Communication

Obstacles to Effective Cross Cultural Communication: Communication Gap Wrong Language Foreign Languages Culture Different attitudes towards Conflict Different Approaches to Complete Tasks Different Decision-Making styles Different Attitudes towards Disclosure Different Approaches to Knowing (Epistemology)

In today’s Globalized World, Cross-Cultural Communication can not be avoided. So problems should be taken head on. Appropriate resources and training should be provided to the employees to minimize the obstacles as the hurdles in this field can be easily eradicated with proper training and assistance.

Business Meetings A meeting is an assembly where people meet to discuss the issues and problems, and try to find solutions and take decisions.

Business Meetings: continues………
Objectives of business meetings: To convey information To gather information To exchange ideas and experiences To discuss problems and resolve issues To persuade members to accept change

Types of Business Meetings: Formal meetings Annual General meeting Statutory meetings Board meetings Informal meetings Departmental meetings

Stages of Business Meetings: Planning Meeting Leading Meetings Conducting and Participating in Meetings

Planning A Meeting: While planning for a meeting the following points should be considered: Objective Participants Timings and Venue Materials, equipment, refreshments and room layouts (sitting arrangement)

Leading A Meeting: While leading a meeting the following guidelines would help to meet the objectives: Starting on Time Opening Remarks Getting to the Business Participation Agenda closing

Conducting and Participating in A Meeting: Conducting Successful Meetings: Plan the Agenda Follow the Agenda Move the Discussion Further Control those Who Talk Too Much Encourage Participation from those Who Speak Less Control Time Summarize at Appropriate Intervals

Conducting and Participating in A Meeting: Participating in A Meeting: Follow the Agenda Participate actively Avoid Talking Too Much Co-operate Be Courteous

Preparing a Notice and Agenda:

Minutes of Meeting: The official records of discussions held and decisions taken in a meeting are called ‘Minutes’. Kinds of Minutes: Minutes of Resolutions Minutes of Narration Verbatim Minutes

Business Etiquettes: ‘Etiquettes’ means conventional rules of social behaviour. ‘Business Etiquettes’ means certain unwritten rules and norms for appropriate professional conduct. Business etiquettes require much more than just being nice and courteous.

Business Etiquettes: continues………
Some basic points where appropriate care should be taken as far as etiquettes are concerned: Integrity Manners Personality Appearance Tactfulness

Scope of Business Etiquettes: In every organization some basic etiquettes are followed for the following things: Introductions Business Dining Interactions with Foreign Clients Interpersonal Business Etiquettes Business-to-Business Etiquettes Telephone Etiquettes

1. Introductions: Be positive and confident but beware of being over enthusiastic. If meeting the person for the first time tell the person carefully and clearly who you are and why you are there. If you are meeting the person after a gap of a few weeks or months, reintroduce yourself on your own.

2. Business Dining: Keep in mind that it is just another way of doing business and you are still working while attending lunch or dinners with your colleagues or clients. There is always a set of cultural and organizational protocol that you should know and follow as a host as well as a guest.

2. Business Dining: Some common rules: Be on time and be well-dressed Follow the Agenda As a host decide yourself where to take your guests. Do not ask for their choice. Put your mobile on silent mode and keep track of time The guests wait until the host unfolds the napkin and places it in lap they take the first bite only after the host. Signal the waiter quietly and place the order. A host eats slower than the guests. Do not order the next course till the starters are over. Do not drink too much

Business Etiquettes: continues………2. Business Dining
Keep in mind that starters give time to discuss issues. If you leave in between the meal, keep the napkin on your chair. At the end of the meal place the napkin on the table unfolded. While using silverware, start from the outside. Remember: glass to the right, pass to the right. Don’t put your elbows on the table while eating though you can do so between courses. Place the knife across the top edge of the plate with the cutting edge towards you when not in use. To signal the waiter that you are through with your plate, place your knife and fork diagonally across the middle of the plate. While paying the bill keep in mind that generally the tip for the service is 10% to 20% of the bill and 10% of the bar-bill. Send a thank-you note afterwards. A guest generally sends a cordial comment with the thank-you note about the décor or food or the business discussed.

3. Interaction with Foreign Clients: Language Business Card Etiquettes Etiquette of Personal Space Etiquette of Communication

4. Interpersonal Business Etiquettes: They are also called face-to-face or dyadic communication etiquettes. Start the communication with a topic in which both of you are interested. Be courteous and take genuine interest in the other person’s talks Address the person by name a few times. Avoid being dogmatic and argumentative. Avoid using pet, superfluous and wrong words of other languages.

5. Business-to-Business Etiquettes: Each individual is the company’s image builder so take special care when as a representative of your company to the people from other companies: Respect Hierarchies Be loyal to your Organization Be careful about the Confidential Matters Handle Negotiations Politely and Firmly Handle Customers Carefully and Fairly

6. Telephone Etiquettes: While answering the Call: Sit Straight and Smile Keep a pen and paper nearby Answer by the third Ring Identify Yourself Immediately Be Courteous Pay attention Transfer Calls only when Necessary React to the other Person’s Conversation Reduce the Background Noise as much as Possible End the Call with A Positive Note

B.) While Making and Returning Calls: Make your Own Calls Return Phone Calls within Forty Eight Hours Call only When you Have a Good reason to call Plan your calls Carefully Greet the Person you are calling, Identify yourself Immediately and Announce the Purpose for calling Be Brief Call Back if You are disconnected from a call you Placed Hang up Gently

For smoking or drinking coffee: Do it in the designated areas only. Never do these while talking over the phone. While Using Copier or Fax Machine: Take care about the needs of others. Refill the paper holder and reset the machine for the use of the next person.

What do you mean by ‘Team’?

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