Masonry Magazine July 2002 Page. 38
Art of TEAMWORK
SEVEN STEPS to Teamwork
Rewards
Goals
Techniques
Excluchip
Leader Cation
appiness
Interaction
By Richard G. Ensman
Contributing Editor
BUSINESS LEADERS AND MANAGERS DEFINE "teamwork" in many different ways these days, but one thing is for sure: however "teamwork" is defined, everyone wants it.
Whether we're talking about elaborate quality assurance teams, self-directed planning committees, or just good, old-fashioned team spirit, most business experts agree that people working together on teams can accomplish more than they can as individuals.
But how does a manager foster true teamwork in today's workplace especially when team experience is lacking and money is tight?
The answer lies in the L-I-G-H-T-E-R approach, seven qualities that contribute to a spirit of teamwork almost anywhere: Leadership, Interaction, Goals, Happiness, Techniques, Education, and Rewards.
Leadership
Teams need leaders but leaders don't have to be supervisors and, in many cases, are not. Whether selected by management or elected by peers, the best team leaders are highly respected employees, people who can foster enthusiasm among their co-workers.
At different times, many members of a team may take on leadership roles. One might serve as a timekeeper at meetings. Another might serve as a morale officer. Another might be an information expert or presenter. By rotating leadership tasks, the team becomes unified.
And what's the supervisor's role in all this? To provide training and guidance to team leaders, to help leaders develop their communication and facilitation skills, to offer a constant stream of ideas to team leaders, and to offer decision options to the team when it seems stuck.
Interaction
Successful team leaders foster the three C's: communication, collaboration and consensus. Building open communication means regular team meetings which, unlike traditional staff meetings, might be much more informal. It means sharing information, including traditionally confidential financial data.
Collaboration means that members of the team work on an equal footing with each other. On team-oriented projects, they may even work on an equal footing with supervisors. Team members look at managers as resource people and may consult them frequently about problems and team projects. In many team-oriented workplaces, leaders and supervisors remove doors or partitions, or make other physical changes in the workplace to symbolize a more open, collaborative work environment.
Consensus means that team members can negotiate with each other and with non-team members on schedules, plans and procedures.