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Casual Articles - Managing Your Team (Part 1) - Is It Struggling?
With the development of an integrated global economy, marked by free trade and free flow of capital, now is the time to pursue a cutting-edge international business career.Around the WorldIn case you hadn't noticed, U.S. firms are expanding abroad. This requires organizations to form effective strategies for entering the international business market. They need to be aware of legal matters pertaining to specific countries, and they need to be concerned with organizational and administrative issues, especially if they are involved in a partnership with a foreign firm. As international business markets become more competitive, U.S. firms are learning to use resources more efficiently by reducing costs, streamlining operations, and developing marketing strategies. That's why today's professionals need comprehensive knowledge of
On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fa
Did you know that Bird Flu Pandemic could in fact put your company out of business? Think about it? Employees cannot come to work if they are sick, as they could infect the rest of your team. Meanwhile some can work from home, but not all; do you have a plan? Why not; are you simply going to wait until it is too late?Worse off what about your Suppliers are they ready? Without them you cannot do business anyway? Can you imagine the headaches and your business being shut down completely? We have come up with a supplier questionnaire and here is a sample to survey your suppliers to see if they are ready?Your company name:Address:Contact name:Phone number:e-mail address:Supplier name:Address:Products/services purchased/planned to purchase:e-mail address:General Bird Flu Pandemic P
The singular most effective way to deal with team problems is to talk about them.
BUT, how do we talk about them? What do we talk about?
It is not uncommon that teams struggle. It could be...
If the team is newly formed and team members are still at the stage of getting to know each other "as part of this unique team", I would like to suggest that article
Understanding Group Dynamics - Stages of Team Growth [2005-10-26], Article ID: 87167
should also be read to understand better the different (and sometimes difficult) stages that a new team will definitely go through.
Suggested Causes Why The Team Is Struggling
Lack of Clear, Specific Objectives
The team or, at least, certain members may feel a little overwhelmed or uncertain as to their responsibilities, their key objectives and especially how they will be measured and held accountable. Moreover, there will be no real sense of Purpose or Direction.
Left unmanaged, this can lead to wasted discussions and activities, no sense of working together, and objectives not being met.
Too Early
Teams can also struggle if the individual members are still unsure of their fellow team members. Some may feel that they still don't know others well enough to discuss issues or engage in real decision making. Some members may be reluctant to view their opinions, make suggestions especially if they are new to the team and are not (or feel they are not) encouraged to do so.
Lack of Consensus
Struggling to make decisions as a group may suggest a lack of consensus and, again, some members are reluctant, a little unsure to indicate that they don't agree and cannot support the team's decisions or conclusions.
Unable To Close
Different thoughts, feelings, fears may be at play here. At the end of a specific project, team members may be reluctant to 'officially' close the project. Maybe they are looking for something more, maybe the feel they are not ready to complete. This can result in decisions / conclusions being left open and the project being delayed.
This can also be the case when moving on from one phase to another. It may also be that team members are reluctant to move on because they feel unsure of what is required of them, there may a lack of a clear plan or, again, objectives are not specific enough.
On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fal
If something disastrous were to happen to you tomorrow, what plans do you have in place to make sure your business continues to operate? The motto “Be Prepared” may be used by the Boy Scouts, but it is just as important in our daily lives as it is in our businesses. Should a disaster occur, by creating contingency plans for your business, you eliminate the worry and stress caused by trying to come up with a solution in the thick of the situation.Before a business owner can truly figure out how they would handle an obstacle thrown in their path, it is important to take a step back and think about what possible disasters could occur. This is a very unsettling task for many business owners, but for those who have taken the time to map out how an emergency would be handled; the success rate of overcoming that emergency relatively unscathed is much h
Understanding Group Dynamics - Stages of Team Growth [2005-10-26], Article ID: 87167
should also be read to understand better the different (and sometimes difficult) stages that a new team will definitely go through.
Suggested Causes Why The Team Is Struggling
Lack of Clear, Specific Objectives
The team or, at least, certain members may feel a little overwhelmed or uncertain as to their responsibilities, their key objectives and especially how they will be measured and held accountable. Moreover, there will be no real sense of Purpose or Direction.
Left unmanaged, this can lead to wasted discussions and activities, no sense of working together, and objectives not being met.
Too Early
Teams can also struggle if the individual members are still unsure of their fellow team members. Some may feel that they still don't know others well enough to discuss issues or engage in real decision making. Some members may be reluctant to view their opinions, make suggestions especially if they are new to the team and are not (or feel they are not) encouraged to do so.
Lack of Consensus
Struggling to make decisions as a group may suggest a lack of consensus and, again, some members are reluctant, a little unsure to indicate that they don't agree and cannot support the team's decisions or conclusions.
Unable To Close
Different thoughts, feelings, fears may be at play here. At the end of a specific project, team members may be reluctant to 'officially' close the project. Maybe they are looking for something more, maybe the feel they are not ready to complete. This can result in decisions / conclusions being left open and the project being delayed.
This can also be the case when moving on from one phase to another. It may also be that team members are reluctant to move on because they feel unsure of what is required of them, there may a lack of a clear plan or, again, objectives are not specific enough.
On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fa
As a commercial cleaning services company employing cleaners to carry out the work then Health and Safety plays an essential part in ensuring that you are successful and remain so. The cleaning industry is rated second behind the construction industry for work related accidents. As an employer you have a duty of care to discharge and a legal obligation to enact all the relevant legislation.For Cleaning Companies in the early stages of business this can be a daunting task. By reading the following advice you can start to think about ways in which you can manage your cleaning contracts and staff in an effective way.When visiting a new site on quoting for a contract ask yourself – Is the site a safe place to work? Do you have any concerns about access, ventilation, and storage? Premises that are cluttered with obstacles will not only affe
Left unmanaged, this can lead to wasted discussions and activities, no sense of working together, and objectives not being met.
Too Early
Teams can also struggle if the individual members are still unsure of their fellow team members. Some may feel that they still don't know others well enough to discuss issues or engage in real decision making. Some members may be reluctant to view their opinions, make suggestions especially if they are new to the team and are not (or feel they are not) encouraged to do so.
Lack of Consensus
Struggling to make decisions as a group may suggest a lack of consensus and, again, some members are reluctant, a little unsure to indicate that they don't agree and cannot support the team's decisions or conclusions.
Unable To Close
Different thoughts, feelings, fears may be at play here. At the end of a specific project, team members may be reluctant to 'officially' close the project. Maybe they are looking for something more, maybe the feel they are not ready to complete. This can result in decisions / conclusions being left open and the project being delayed.
This can also be the case when moving on from one phase to another. It may also be that team members are reluctant to move on because they feel unsure of what is required of them, there may a lack of a clear plan or, again, objectives are not specific enough.
On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fa
Using an online registration system to register attendees for your next event can significantly diminish your workload and increase attendance, but automated follow-up by email is essential for the success of your event. In fact, there are two different (yet still very important) ways to use it:1. To send out automatic confirmations to newly registered attendees.2. To send out reminder emails to registrants as the date of the event approaches.Automated confirmation emails will build confidence with your registrants. They'll know instantly that they are “IN” and confirmed for the event. It’s one less thing for them to have to think about. What's more, you won't have to deal with pesky questions like: "Did my registration go through?"Unfortunately, there will always be no-shows at every event. In fact, some meeting planners r
Unable To Close
Different thoughts, feelings, fears may be at play here. At the end of a specific project, team members may be reluctant to 'officially' close the project. Maybe they are looking for something more, maybe the feel they are not ready to complete. This can result in decisions / conclusions being left open and the project being delayed.
This can also be the case when moving on from one phase to another. It may also be that team members are reluctant to move on because they feel unsure of what is required of them, there may a lack of a clear plan or, again, objectives are not specific enough.
On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fa
During my many years of reviewing and analyzing inventions, new products and service offerings I have been amazed by the innate fear of selling expressed by so many otherwise capable entrepreneurs. There exists a palpable fear of selling that mimics vertigo, arachnophobia or a fear of snakes. This fear should never stop a project from successfully entering the marketplace.Ponder the daily aspects of life virtually all of us experience. We seek out, and interview, for jobs. We seek out, then court, and marry our mate. We compete in sports, lobby for promotions, seek support for church and charities, and support causes. Each of these, and so many other activities, require us to utilize some portion of a sales experience.In reality, sales are nothing more that asking for a preferred result. The seller wants to receive consideration in return
On a different slant, if the team has been together for some time, bonded well and achieved some significant results or improvements,closing can prove to be a tough time for the team members. In busy organizations, where mutiple deadlines have to be met, this transition may be overlooked or not seen as all that important. Believe me, just as it takes individuals time to become a successful, cohesive unit, it also takes time for that team to separate. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. Sorry, no it doesn't fall into the 'Touchy Feely' category!!!
Fear of Failure
This relates to either the inability to close the project off or even move from one phase to the next. It may be that presentations or reviews have to be made to senior management or groups outside the team and there is a reluctance to share the team's conclusions in case the results are not appreciated or are open to criticism, fair or unfair.
All of these causes can be dealt with and, indeed, avoided. Much of this falls upon the shoulders of team leader but that is not to say that individual team members should not take their share of responsibility in making the team a successful one.
Team Problems and How We Should Talk About Them
Before highlighting some clues for dealing with the above causes, I would like to talk about Feedback. Giving and Receiving Feedback / Constructive Criticism is not easy and we shouldn't kid ourselves that it is.
The ONLY objective has to be successful problem resolution measured by the team making significant progress and moving forward as a cohesive unit.
If anyone uses 'feedback' as a means of delaying progress, revenge, upsetting people or any other less than positive motive, I suggest that the team would be more productive and a lot happier without that individual (no matter how successful that individual is).
Most of us understand the value of team building and interpersonal skills as well as technical skills especially in a leadership or team role. There are some excellent courses on Giving and Receiving Feedback and well worth the investment.
I will cover the basics in a later article.
Let's Not Struggle Any More
Although these clues are aimed at the team leader, again, individual team members have a key role to play in moving the team forward.
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