GST 224: Leadership Skills

Study Session 4: Teamwork and Communication

Introduction

In the previous study session, you learnt about diversity in the workplace, keys to managing
diversity and how leaders can maximize these diversities for the growth of the organization.
In this study session, however, you will be learning about teamwork and the effects
communication can have on a team and their productivity.

Learning Outcomes for Study Session 4

When you have studied this session, you should be able to:
4.1 Enumerate various benefits of teamwork.
4.2 List essential skills that enhance productivity amidst team members.
4.3 State the benefits of effective communication in a team.
4.4. List simple ways conflicts can be prevented/resolved in a team-oriented environment.

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4.1 Introduction
Teamwork is an activity that many people try to avoid in the workplace, however, there are
lots if benefits attached to working in teams for both the individual and his organisation.
Members of a team need to understand their individual responsibilities to the team's success,
as well as understand how the duties of their team help the company to move forward.

Good communication gets all of the necessary information to each team member on their
responsibilities, and it also keeps the team updated on the company's progress. A broken
communication system can leave team members confused as to what is expected of them, and
unmotivated because they do not understand how their work contributes to the company's
success. As much as teamwork poses a great opportunity for professional development, it is
also a means of making work easier and faster.

4.1.1 Functional roles of team members

The following are various roles based on human behaviours that can be played by one or
more people within a group or team.

 Task roles; move a team toward accomplishing their objectives. These actions
include setting goals, identifying tasks, gathering facts, providing information,
clarifying and summarizing ideas, and building consensus. The possible roles within
this category are those that may be needed to advance a team from the forming to the
performing stage of team development.
 Interactive roles; are directed at the operation of a team or how the team is working
together. These actions include encouraging participation, expressing feelings,
reconciling disagreements, keeping communication open, setting and applying
standards for group performance, and building on each other’s ideas. It is through
these actions that teams function positively and effectively.
 Self-oriented roles; put the needs of the individual ahead of the needs of the team.
They include dominating the discussion, interrupting, wasting time, not listening,
withdrawing from the conversation, and holding side conversations. A team that has
individuals demonstrating these behaviours is in jeopardy of not realizing its
goals/objectives. Well-established teams will be able to manage these behaviours.
Newly formed teams may require leader intervention.

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Knowing the behaviours that can move a team forward or hinder its progress can be
helpful to all team members

4.1.2 Essentials of teamwork

For a group of people to work successfully as a team, all members must demonstrate a sense
of unity/togetherness. Unity emerges as group members exhibit the following skills:

i. Openness: Team members must be willing to get to know one another, particularly
those with different interests and backgrounds. They must be open to new ideas,
diverse viewpoints, and the variety of individuals present within the group. They must
listen to others and elicit their ideas. They must also know how to balance the need
for cohesion within a group with the need for individual expression.
ii. Trust and self-disclosure: Team members trust one another enough to share their own
ideas and feelings. A sense of mutual trust develops only to the extent that everyone is
willing to self-disclose and be honest yet respectful. Trust also grows as members
demonstrate personal accountability for the tasks they have been assigned.
iii. Support: Members must demonstrate support for one another as they accomplish their
goals. They exemplify a sense of team loyalty and both cheer on the group as a whole
and help members who are experiencing difficulties. They view one another not as
competitors (which is common within a typically individualistic system) but as
collaborators.
iv. Respect: Team members must communicate their opinions in a way that respects
others, focusing on “What can we learn?” rather than “Who is to blame?”
v. The ability to help and be helped: Every team member must know when they need
help with a given task or the other and must be willing to ask for help. Also, a team
member should always be ready to be of help to other members of the team when they
need help.
vi. Maximum commitment; Team members must make have in mind that their team will
only be effective when everyone works hard enough by contributing his own quota
before success can be achieved. Because a team is not made up of one person, every
member needs to contribute maximally. Teamwork never fails rather individuals fail
teamwork because of lack of commitment to the team.

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vii. Effective communication; In order to be effective as a team, each member of the team
must be willing to communicate and listen to other team members. Listening is as
important as speaking, members of a team should be sure to know how to do both
effectively.

Members of a team are expected to work together, sharing the same goals, objectives, and
responsibilities, resulting in better results as compared to when the workers are left to work
individually. It is also important to know that being a part of a team gives each member a
responsibility to the team to ensure that they all keep up their end of the deal.

4.1.3 Advantages of Teamwork

A good and efficient team contributes to the success of the organization as better results are
produced when work is carried out in a team-oriented environment

1. Increased efficiency

When working in a team, members are working towards a common goal or set of objectives,
hence the entire work-process becomes more efficient. For example if there is a problem
faced along the way there are more people to help solve the issue. Similarly, having multiple
team members on board allows provides an avenue to get the work done faster with shared
responsibilities. From a management perspective, encouraging teamwork in the workplace
allows the company or department to take on additional work, and in turn generate extra
revenue without having to hire more staff.

2. Idea generation

One of the greatest benefits of working in a team is the inspiration and ideas that can result
from team discussions. When running ideas by one and other, there is a lot more scope for
creativity in comparison to working on a project alone. In an effective team environment,
staff members feel confident in suggesting their ideas. When working autonomously and
having a direct responsibility for ideas, people tend to present the safer option to their
managers. However, when in a team brainstorming environment, the notion of suggesting
creative and unique ideas is welcomed. Teams also bring people together from different
backgrounds and levels of experience which can help in creating optimal solutions.

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3. A learning experience

As mentioned above, teamwork is important in the workplace as it brings people together

from different backgrounds and levels of experience. Consequently, projects which involve
teamwork serve also as an opportunity for professional development and learning. This may
be conscious learning during a meeting, or learning which occurs without you even realizing
whilst listing to others. It is quite possible that you can learn from someone else’s knowledge
which allows your own skills and capabilities to grow. It is usually said that individual team
members serve as educational resources to other employees in a team environment’. It is also
important to note that as employees become more knowledgeable, their confidence increases.
This can help improve their attitude as well as increase their job satisfaction which is a win-
win situation for employers.

4. Enhanced communication

Communication is key to the success of many projects – so why not engage in an activity that
can help enhance your communication skills? Teamwork activities such as meeting together
to discuss ideas or collaborating information to contribute to a project require both verbal and
written communication skills. Working regularly in this capacity will allow you develop both
your own skills as well as those who are in your team. Teamwork also facilitates an open
discussion which allows each team member to be adequately informed about the project.

5. Shared workload

When working in a team towards a common goal, the workload is shared among all team
members. In a perfect scenario, this work should be shared equally and be distributed
according to the strengths of each member. Teamwork also allows for helping another team
member when one member has finished his workload. It is important to remember that
because all members are working towards the same goal, if one finishes his work before
another, such a member should be willing to offer assistance in order to help complete the
project. This results in maximum efficiency and a high quality output.

6. Support network

It is important to remember that support and a sense of belonging in a workplace can

contribute greatly to job satisfaction. A strong team environment can act as a great support
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mechanism for staff members. Team members will help each other, rely on each other and
build trust within the group. During challenging times, support is crucial for the success of
the project; when members are able to look to one and other for guidance or support, focus
can remain on the overall goal however, if a challenge is handled individually there are
chances of becoming overwhelmed and making irrational decisions.

Pilot Question 4.1

1. List and briefly explain why teamwork is of great importance in a workplace.

4.2 Effective communication in a team.

Despite the many benefits working together as a team provides, teamwork also may cause
tension, anxiety and conflict among employees because of poor communication. Effective
communication can eliminate much of the stress and negative feelings sometimes associated
with working closely as a team. Communication is one of the vital aspects of good teamwork
in the workplace i.e. a key element in creating a good team is proper communication. If
members are not communicating well on a team it is virtually impossible to be successful

To develop effective team communication, there is the need to understand how

communication affects teamwork positively and negatively. That understanding will help to
promote good communication habits. Team members should be absolutely clear about
priorities of the various tasks laid out. Established avenues for members to give and receive
feedbacks must be put in place, as clear and honest communication among the team members
will help to do away with unnecessary conflicts.

4.2.1 Benefits of communication in a team

There are a whole lot of benefits that comes with having a good communication system
within a group of people in a team, some of which are listed below;

 Increases Interaction
When communication channels in a team are properly established and information flows
easily between teammates, then that increases the ability of staff members to interact. Team
members learn how to interact more efficiently with each other to perform their job duties,
and they are better able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each teammate.
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 Clarifies responsibilities
Members of a team need to understand their individual responsibilities to the team's success,
and they also need to understand how the duties of their team help the company to move
forward. Good communication gets all of the necessary information to each team member on
their responsibilities, and it also keeps the team updated on the company's progress. A broken
communication system can leave team members confused as to what is expected of them and
unmotivated because they do not understand how their work contributes to the company's
success.
 Enhances training
A team with an effective communication system can be easily trained by the company, or by
the team manager. When communication is not functioning properly within a team, training
information does not get distributed to the entire team. The staff members that received the
information are up to date while other parts of the group still need to be brought up to speed
on new developments. Good team communication helps to maintain employee development
and keeps the entire team updated with new information.
 Eliminates/reduces conflicts
Poor communication within a team can cause misunderstandings that lead to internal conflict.
A team that spends its time misinterpreting information and creating conflicts is not able to
be a productive work unit. Developing a strong system of communication eliminates
misinformation and cuts down on the possibility of conflict. The team can focus on company
tasks as opposed to wasting time sifting through conflict.

4.2.2 Conflict resolution in teamwork

Of the very many effect of poor/lack of communication in a team, conflict has been reported
to be the most prevalent effect. Conflicts in a team as earlier mentioned, is hazardous to the
growth and success of an organization and when they are not resolved in time, it could cost
the organization lot more than bargained for. Following are a few simple ways to prevent and
resolve conflicts:

 Ensure each team member is shouldering an equal share of the work so that no one
feels frustrated or resentful
 Provide a clear set of rules and responsibilities as a necessity for team members to
follow
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 GST 224: Leadership Skills

 Team leader should try as much as possible to effectively resolve all conflicts, by
addressing complaints objectively and offering constructive criticism, rather than
placing/shifting blame.
 If the team leaders are unable to resolve the dispute, the management team leader
should then be informed so that further conflicts resolution steps can be taken.

Pilot Question 4.2

Briefly discuss the importance of communication in a team.

Summary of Study Session 4 Teamwork and communication

In this Study Session, you have learned that:

1. Teamwork is of great essentiality to the growth and success of any company or

organization and this can only be fostered by an effective communication system
amongst members of the team. Communication is a vital aspect of good teamwork in
the workplace and if members are not communicating well on a team it is virtually
impossible to record success.
2. Members of a team work together, sharing the same goals, objectives, and
responsibilities, which helps to obtain better results as compared to when the workers
are left to work individually.
3. The essential skills members are expected to for the success of a team work includes
(but are not excluded to) the following; i. Openness ii.Effective communication
iii.Support iv. Respect v. Maximum commitment vi. Trust and self-disclosure
4. Conflicts usually resulting from poor communication should be effectively resolved
as soon as possible so that the growth and success of the organization will not be
jeopardized.

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Pilot Answers

Pilot Answer 4.1

Explained below are the benefits of working in a team- oriented environment;

1. Increased efficiency

When working in a team, members are working towards a common goal or set of objectives,
hence the entire work-process becomes more efficient; hence if a problem is faced along the
way there are more people to help solve the issue. Similarly, having multiple team members
on board allows provides an avenue to get the work done faster with shared responsibilities.

2. Idea generation

One of the greatest benefits of working in a team is the inspiration and ideas that can result
from team discussions. When working in a team, there is a lot more scope for creativity in
comparison to working on a project alone. In an effective team environment, members feel
confident in suggesting their ideas, when in a team brainstorming environment, the notion of
suggesting creative and unique ideas is welcomed. Teams also bring people together from
different backgrounds and levels of experience which can help in creating optimal solutions.

3. A learning experience

Projects which involve teamwork serve as an opportunity for professional development and
learning, this may be through conscious learning during a meeting, or learning which occurs
without you even realizing whilst listing to others. It is quite possible that you can learn from
someone else’s knowledge which allows your own skills and capabilities to grow. It is
usually said that individual team members serve as educational resources to other employees
in a team environment’. It is also important to note that as employees become more
knowledgeable, their confidence increases.

4. Enhanced communication

Teamwork activities such as meeting together to discuss ideas or collaborating information to

contribute to a project require both verbal and written communication skills. Working
regularly in this capacity will allow members develop both their own skills as well as those of

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 GST 224: Leadership Skills

others in the team. Teamwork also facilitates an open discussion which allows each team
member to be adequately informed about the project.

5. Shared workload

When working in a team towards a common goal, the workload is shared among all team
members. In a perfect scenario, this work should be shared equally and be distributed
according to the strengths of each member. Teamwork also allows for helping another team
member when one member has finished his workload. Since all members are working
towards the same goal, if one finishes his work before another, such a member should be
willing to offer assistance in order to help complete the project. This results in maximum
efficiency and a high quality output.

Pilot Answer 4.2

Communication is the key element in creating a productive in a workplace. If members of a
team are not communicating well, it is virtually impossible for such a team to achieve
success. Effective communication within team members results in the following benefits;

 Increases Interaction; when communication channels in a team are properly

established and information flows easily between teammates, it increases the ability of
staff members to interact. Team members learn how to interact more efficiently with
each other to perform their job duties, and they are better able to understand the
strengths and weaknesses of each teammate.
 Clarifies responsibilities; when information is rightly disseminated, members of a
team understands their individual responsibilities to the team's success, and how the
duties of their team help the company to move forward. Good communication gets all
of the necessary information to each team member on their responsibilities, and it also
keeps the team updated on the company's progress. A broken communication system
can leave team members confused as to what is expected of them and unmotivated
because they do not understand how their work contributes to the company's success.
 Enhances training; a team with an effective communication system can be easily
trained by the company, or by the team manager. When communication is not
functioning properly within a team, training information does not get distributed to

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the entire team. The staff members that received the information are up to date while
other parts of the group still need to be brought up to speed on new developments.
 Eliminates/reduces conflicts; Poor communication within a team can cause
misunderstandings that lead to internal conflict. A team that spends its time
misinterpreting information and creating conflicts is not able to be a productive work
unit. Developing a strong system of communication eliminates misinformation and
cuts down on the possibility of conflict. The team can focus on company tasks as
opposed to wasting time sifting through conflict.

Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs) for Study Session 4

Now that you have completed this study session, you can assess how well you have achieved
its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. You can check your answers with the
Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Module.

i. List the essential skills required for individuals to effectively function in a team
i. Describe the functional roles of members within a team.
ii. Enumerate the steps to conflict prevention/ resolution.

Notes on SAQs for Study Session 4

i. Listed below are the skills every individual involved in teamwork must possess so that the
entire team can record success.

i. Openness
ii. Trust and self-disclosure
iii. Support:
iv. Respect
v. Maximum commitment
vi. The ability to help and be helped
vii. Effective communication

ii. The following are functional roles based on human behaviours that can be played by
individuals within a team.

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 Task roles; move a team toward accomplishing their objectives i.e. they advance a
team from the forming to the performing stage of team development. These actions
include setting goals, identifying tasks, gathering facts, providing information,
clarifying and summarizing ideas, and building consensus.
 Interactive roles; are directed at the operation of a team or how the team is working
together. These actions include encouraging participation, expressing feelings,
reconciling disagreements, keeping communication open, setting and applying
standards for group performance, and building on each other’s ideas.
 Self-oriented roles; put the needs of the individual ahead of the needs of the team and
well-established teams will be able to manage these behaviours with the help of their
leaders, as a team that has individuals demonstrating these behaviours is in jeopardy
of not realizing its goals/objectives. They include dominating the discussion,
interrupting, wasting time, not listening, withdrawing from the conversation, and
holding side conversations.

iii. These are the steps that can be followed to resolve or rather prevent conflict within team
members in a work environment.

i. Ensure each team member is shouldering an equal share of the work so that no
one feels frustrated or resentful
ii. Provide a clear set of rules and responsibilities as a necessity for team
members to follow
iii. Team leader should try as much as possible to effectively resolve all conflicts,
by addressing complaints objectively and offering constructive criticism,
rather than placing/shifting blame.
iv. If the team leaders are unable to resolve the dispute, the management team
leader should then be informed so that further conflicts resolution steps can be
taken.

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