LO3. Work as a Team Member

Information Sheet 3.1: Communication Process

Communication Process

Effective communication is important so that

• Team members understand and agree with team goals
• Goals and tasks can be clarified
• Team members understand how their tasks fit in with other people’s tasks
• Problems can be sorted out before they become too serious
• Information that affects team goals can be shared
• The team can evaluate their progress and discuss ways to improve their work.

Communication may either be oral or written.

• Oral communication methods may include
  • discussion: to share ideas to facilitate a job being completed on time
  • debate: when two people do not agree so put forward their point of view in order to convince the other person
  • negotiation: when people discuss their differences of opinion but are willing to compromise with each other in order to get a job done
  • Speeches: for example, in a training session.

• Written communication methods may include
  • instructions: to explain how a task must be completed in order to limit misunderstanding
  • schedules: to priorities tasks so that the most important is completed first
  • Reports: often used as feedback or when evaluating a task/procedure.

There are many facets to effective communication. It is a complex process that involves a:

• Sender: the person creating the message
• Receiver: the person that gets the message
• Channel: the medium used to transmit the message
• Message: the information that is to be shared
• Feedback: the receiver’s response to the message
• Noise: any interference that could distort the message or feedback.

In addition to the elements of the communication process, you must also consider each person’s:

✔ Self-concept
✔ Family and/or cultural background
✔ Language skills and physical abilities
✔ Attitudes and values
✔ Status or relationship to the other people in the communication.

Any or all of these elements have the potential to influence the effectiveness of the communication. Each party to the communication has a responsibility to ensure that a “shared or common meaning is achieved”.

In addition to sound communication skills, your attitude is a major influencing factor on your effectiveness as a communicator. Attitudes influence your communication in three ways.

1. Your attitude towards yourself influences how you conduct yourself when you communicate. A positive attitude towards yourself will be seen by others as self- confidence while, a less than positive attitude may be interpreted as being uncertain or nervous. This will impact on the quality of the message and/or the receiver’s attention to it.
2. Your attitude towards the receiver will influence the tone, structure and/or content of the message being sent. For example, you are likely to communicate differently to a person in a high position compared to someone in a similar position as you or a lower one.
3. Your attitude towards the subject matter will influence how you word your message and/or present it. If you have a positive attitude you may tend to „gloss‟ over any negatives or focus only on positive aspects while, a negative attitude may have the opposite influence on how you present the information.

Another important aspect of your communication is the faith that your team has in your message. As with any relationship, trust is a critical factor. A frequent mistake made by inexperienced leaders is to not follow through on their statements. Some leaders promise to do something and never actually do it. This tends to devalue the communication and the relationship as a whole. Generally, your communications have maximum impact when the receiver sees you as credible, objective and knowledgeable.

It is important that feedback is a two way process. People with poor communication skills tend to make similar mistakes. One of the best ways to encourage feedback is to allow the other person the opportunity to ask questions and comment on the information you have provided. This will assist them to develop an understanding of your message and you have the opportunity to clarify if they understand the true intention of your message.

Information Sheet 3.2: Workplace Communication Protocol

A communication protocol is a formal process that outlines the types of information to be communicated to an organization, as well as identifying the person(s) responsible for communicating particular topics. The protocol also outlines the audience, frequency, and suggested communication vehicles.

A communication protocol, which should be displayed in all common areas such as lobbies and conference rooms and distributed to all new hires, ensures that communications align with the company’s key strategic priorities, whether they be related to engagement or some other initiative. As importantly, the protocol represents a set of company commitments to employees. These include the following:

• Leaders will be held accountable for fulfilling their communication responsibilities, and will be assessed on the effectiveness and timeliness of their communication.
• Employees will receive regular updates about the progress, initiatives, and changes that affect them.
• Most important from an engagement perspective, each communication milestone provides opportunities for employees to ask questions, contribute ideas, and give or receive feedback.

In turn, the expectations for employees are clear. All employees are responsible for sharing information and giving feedback to help the company reach its goals, thereby reinforcing the desire for employees to communicate “up” and bolstering the mutual commitment shared by employer and employee.

There are several benefits to implementing a communication protocol. A communication protocol does all the following:

• Defines communication expectations for both employees and leaders.
• Builds consistency in communicating the firm’s mission, vision, values, and strategy.
• Creates alignment with employees at all levels.
• Builds in circular communication. Circular communication includes communication between those in a traditional hierarchy, such as the boss and subordinate, as well as communication between business units and departments and communication that leverages task teams and focus groups. In a healthy circular communication culture, you’re also including 360 feedback assessments, customer feedback, and feedback within the matrix relationship.
• Ensures shared accountability, from top to bottom.
• Helps ensure that messages are communicated 13 times, which is the number of times some experts believe an employee needs to hear something to absorb it.
• Helps to leverage different communication venues and tools — for example, town hall meetings, e-mails, vlogs (video blogs), department meetings, and so on. (You can find out more about these venues and tools later in this chapter.)
• Helps connect all levels of your organization with your brand.

Information Sheet 3.3: Team Planning and Decision Making

Planning is the process of thinking about the activities required to achieve a desired goal. It is the first and foremost activity to achieve desired results. It involves the creation and maintenance of a plan, such as psychological aspects that require conceptual skills. There are even a couple of tests to measure someone’s capability of planning well. As such, planning is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior. An important further meaning, often just called “planning” is the legal context of permitted building developments.

Also, planning has a specific process and is necessary for multiple occupations (particularly in fields such as management, business, etc.). In each field there are different types of plans that help companies achieve efficiency and effectiveness. An important, albeit often ignored aspect of planning, is the relationship it holds to forecasting. Forecasting can be described as predicting what the future will look like, whereas planning predicts what the future should look like for multiple scenarios. Planning combines forecasting with preparation of scenarios and how to react to them. Planning is one of the most important project management and time management techniques. Planning is preparing a sequence of action steps to achieve some specific goal. If a person does it effectively, they can reduce much the necessary time and effort of achieving the goal. A plan is like a map. When following a plan, a person can see how much they have progressed towards their project goal and how far they are from their destination.

The planning process is the steps a company takes to develop budgets to guide its future activities. The documents developed may include:

• Strategic plans (long-range, high-level company goals)
• Tactical plans (shorter-term, specific plans to work toward goals in the strategic plan)
• Operating plans (detailed plans for a specific department to implement)
• Project plans (plans to implement projects such as launching new products or building a new plant)

Although the specific steps differ slightly from company to company and depend on which type of plan you’re developing, there are general steps that should be taken in order to ensure a good result. The steps in the planning process are:

• Develop objectives
• Develop tasks to meet those objectives
• Determine resources needed to implement tasks
• Create a timeline
• Determine tracking and assessment method
• Finalize plan
• Distribute to all involved in the process

Information Sheet 3.4: Team Thinking

While it is up to the team leaders to initiate the process of goal setting, they should also share the responsibility with their teams. Of course, there are many instances where goal setting is a one-man show, but these projects are often less successful than ones where the team members are directly involved in the process. The reason for this is simple: buy-in or gaining your team’s interest and commitment to a project.

Team members want to feel that their thoughts, ideas, and perspectives matter. They want to feel vested and have a sense of ownership over the project. When team members are involved in the process, they tend to be more passionate about achieving project goals, and we all know the power of a motivated employee.

Here are some ways you can involve your team members within the goal-setting process:

• Probe team members for potential solutions to the problem.
• Ask team members to share past experiences of when they participated in successful teams to offer best practices.
• Find out what skills and knowledge areas your team members want to develop and create stretch goals based on them. Stretch goals may seem unattainable at first, but are meant to challenge team members to be innovative in their thought process and decision-making.
• Find out what motivates your team members and align rewards based on their preferences.
• Ask team members to choose which parts of the project they would like to work on.
• Form partnerships within the team when assigning tasks based on team member requests.
• Request feedback on final goals to determine if team members believe them to be realistic and attainable.
• Communicate openly throughout the goal-setting process with team members to ensure they understand what is expected of them.

Setting Smart Team Objectives and Goals

One of the most widely recognized methods of goal setting is to use SMART goals. SMART goals stand for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Each step within the SMART process is used to help leaders and their teams write focused goals across a wide array of industries.

• Specific — SMART objectives have a high level of concreteness with real metrics and deadlines that need to be tracked. For example, “Generate 50 leads from the UK before 30 Oct” is more specific than “increase the international customer base.”
• Measurable — Measure what matters. Make sure that you can track your objective. What’s the key result — the measurable goal — that you’re going to track?
• Attainable — Objectives are challenging but possible. “Helping 10 million international businesses to be more productive” is an admirable goal but not an achievable goal if you have 100 customers. Don’t try to conquer the world overnight.
• Relevant — is the objective related to your long-term goal, and does it align with your company vision? Creating relevant goals is a must.
• Time-bound — your objective needs to have a concrete deadline, which creates time constraints and a sense of urgency. “Someday” is not a day of the week.

Information Sheet 3.5: Team Roles

When managers assign people to a team to work on a group project, all the people on the team adopt specific roles. This is significant because the roles members of the team adopt influence how team members interact. People can take on specific roles by volunteering. Sometimes others within the group appoint one team member to serve a specific role. In some situations, managers may assign the roles to the team members.

Various models exist regarding the specific roles that emerge in groups and what responsibilities each role has. For example, a five major roles model is one. These include team leaders, facilitators, recorders, timekeepers and team members. Under this model, team leaders move others to accomplish tasks, while facilitators show group members how they can logistically meet objectives. Recorders keep documentation about the group’s work, while timekeepers monitor how much time the group spends on specific tasks and helps develop a schedule. Team members are everyone else, contributing based on specific skills and fulfilling duties as assigned.

In a model by Dr. Meredith Belbin, there are nine distinct roles in a team. Shapers challenge the group to improve, while implementers turn ideas into practical plans. Completer- finishers check that everything actually is done as desired, reviewing the work of others. Coordinators are the equivalent of the team leader. Team workers support each other and keep everyone working together, while resource investigators look into the options the group has. Plants provide ideas, monitors analyze ideas from plants, and specialists contribute advanced knowledge.

Knowing the roles present in a team and how each role functions within the group is significant because it allows managers to balance out the team. For example, if a manager has three very extrovert workers who all like to lead, he can assign those three individuals to three separate groups so that the leaders do not compete with each other and create conflict in one group. When roles are clear, task assignment also becomes easier, and ultimately, the group becomes more efficient.

People are multifaceted. They have multiple talents and even different sides of their personalities. Additionally, individual dynamics can vary in each group. Subsequently, workers can take on different roles in different groups, and managers should not assume that the same worker will behave the same way for every project.

As a leader, there are a number of elements that you must help to create in a team. Teams learn and demonstrate behaviors that are not exhibited by mere groups. These characteristics represent the essential elements of an effective team.

Information Sheet 3.6: Process of Team Development

What are the stages of team development?

1. Forming

The first stage of team development is the forming stage. During this stage, teammates are excited to join the team and eager to begin new tasks and projects. At stage one, employees have high expectations for themselves and their colleagues. They are driven to succeed, which may cause some anxiety as they get to know their peers and settle into the team’s culture. Employees at this stage are curious and may outwardly showcase their enthusiasm and ask plenty of questions. As individuals become acclimated to their new environment, leaders should work to create a clear team structure so everyone has a good understanding of their roles. Managers should also set expectations for team communication at this time. 

2. Storming

Stage two is the storming stage. Once employees are accustomed to the dynamics of their new team, early excitement shifts to action. Some team members may realize that the team can’t live up to their initial expectations and shift their focus to things they can change. As individuals become comfortable with their peers, some employees may express concerns or frustration with team processes. At this stage, it’s common for members to push buttons to view how peers and leaders will handle conflict. Individuals may even question the goals developed during stage one. At this stage, leaders should aim to refocus the team’s long-term vision, break down goals into smaller action items, and help employees work through any disappointment they’re experiencing. 

3. Norming

At the norming stage, teams set norms and expectations for the group based on the team’s true potential identified in stages one and two. Team members might feel more relaxed now that they understand their colleagues and their day-to-day work, and may be more willing to share their true thoughts and feelings. The norming stage is also when team members resolve any issues that surfaced in phase two. Leaders can capitalize on this new camaraderie within the team and use this stage to refocus on previously established priorities and processes. This is the ideal stage to set great team habits and deliver meaningful feedback so that everyone feels prepared to maximize their efficiency in stage four. 

4. Performing

Stage four is the performing stage. At this stage, teams solve pressing challenges, work through projects, and begin making significant strides towards their goals. Individuals may demonstrate a “can do” attitude and feel in sync with their peers the most during this time. The group should feel confident, determined, and productive. Employees should also have a good understanding of how their individual knowledge and skills can contribute to the group’s overall success. Leaders can motivate employees in stage four by celebrating their accomplishments and tracking team progress. 

5. Adjourning

The final stage of team development is the adjourning stage. Not all teams stay together in the long run. Groups who were brought together to complete specific projects may begin to think about their next steps in stage five. Individuals may experience sadness or a sense of loss as their journey as a member of the team comes to an end. At the same time, stage five is a time for deep reflection. Employees should feel satisfied and accomplished but may find it difficult to concentrate as they transition into new roles or onto new teams. Managers should acknowledge the upcoming transitional phase facing their team and strive to keep the group motivated as they complete final tasks. 

How to help your team through the stages of team development

1. Meet to brainstorm, discuss, and establish team goals

At stage one, leaders should aim to set a mission or project goal and establish clear team roles and responsibilities. Create a mission statement with established ground rules that list the group’s core values and explain what the team is striving to achieve.

2. Take personality tests to learn about each other

Tensions may run high at stage two, so leaders can guide their team through this time by scheduling exciting team-building activities that foster understanding. During the storming stage, have employees take personality tests that recognize skills and identify shortcomings.

3. Delegate responsibilities based on individual strengths 

At stage three, leaders should delegate responsibilities based on each team member’s strengths and encourage individuals to improve upon weaknesses. During the norming stage, leaders should have a solid understanding of who on their team are natural leaders and who have strong ideas and work ethics. Leaders can use this knowledge to assign tasks at which they know each employee will excel. 

4. Schedule regular one-on-ones

The performing stage offers the perfect opportunity to check in with each employee to work through roadblocks, give feedback, and discuss individual growth. At this stage, leaders should communicate regularly with each team member to ensure expectations are clear and to avoid slowing down their progress. During one-on-one meetings, determine what resources employees need to work efficiently and equip them with the necessary tools. 

5. Schedule a quarterly feedback meeting

Whether team members are transitioning out of their roles or into a different project, leaders can use the adjourning stage to gather feedback. Schedule team meetings every quarter or each time the group completes a major project. During these meetings, review the last weeks or months to celebrate team wins and take an honest look at what didn’t go to plan. Pinpoint where the group can advance moving forward and create a plan of action to help employees improve in the future.

Information Sheet 3.7: Workplace Context

What has been shaping the workplaces of the past and what are the major drivers which determine today’s workplace models? A viable approach for a framework, defining the shaping of demands, expectations and restrictions, are the afore mentioned Building Performance Evaluation and Performance Based Building with the respective methodologies involved.

Vitruvius’ three enduring values or design goals – firmitas, utilitas and venustas – might serve here as a starting point. “These values were modified somewhat by Sir Henry Wotton in the seventeenth century as “firmness, commodity, and delight”, and reassessed by several authors in the twentieth century including Talbot Hamlin and Christian Norberg-Schulz. These values are now sometimes addressed in terms of their effect on people, rather than as qualities of a building, and as such can be seen to parallel the categories of the value pyramid (Figure 2-9) originated by the psychologist Abraham Maslow” (Hershberger, 1999).

But, however enduring these values are, “it is difficult to use them to describe the whole range of values that are important in contemporary architecture and also in contemporary workplaces” (Hershberger, 1999).

Most predesign programming methodologies are based on a set of values or issues, which generally reflect Maslow’s values, but are further detailed. They are meant to structure information and help to ensure that all necessary aspects are included. Robert Hershberger notes that various programmers have attempted to develop comprehensive lists. Among other things, he mentions CRS (Function, Form, Economy and Time), Mickey Palmer (Human Factors, Physical Factors, External Factors) and Barton Myers (Context, Space/environment, Climate, Technology, Social Implication, Tradition). His own list includes eight values (Human, Environmental, Cultural, Technological, Temporal, Economic, Aesthetic and Safety).

Taking the various lists into consideration and adapting the architectural issues to workplace performance issues, the analysis of the workplace context should include following issues.

• User and Society – Aspects concerning the people, who are using the workplaces and their expectations, within the culture and society they live in

• Corporation and Economy – Aspects concerning the corporation, its strategic business needs as well as its requirements originating in its organization and processes (context analysis of corporate workplace models)

• Infrastructure and Technology – Opportunities and restrictions due to local or corporate environment, infrastructure and availability of tools and technologies (context analysis of local and of corporate workplace models)

These are differentiated in relation to the analysis of local or of corporate workplace context, as depicted in Figure 2-10.

Based on the three issues, six categories were defined which were further subdivided into aspects. The following diagram (Figure 2-11) provides an overview of aspects which are assessed in course of the workplace context analysis. The aspects were reviewed, refined and, where necessary, adapted in the course of the project, the interviews and the analysis.

• Categories relating to the issue User and Society
  • Employees’ expectations
  • Culture and values
• Categories relating to the issue Corporation and Economy
  • Business needs
  • Work and organization
• Categories relating to the issue Infrastructure and Technology
  • Tools and technology
  • Local conditions

The categories Employees’ expectations and Culture and values contain aspects of local particularities of the respective society. The categories Business needs and Work and organization refer to the corporate needs and requirements on a strategic and operational level. The category Tools and technology refers to the corporate IT infrastructure and the respective corporate approach. The category Local conditions sums up aspects concerning the local macro- and microstructure as well as economic and legal.

The first issue (User and Society) could be, as a matter of principle, applied to the context analysis of corporate workplaces as well. However, as corporate workplaces are driven by business goals and needs and developed towards global standards, many aspects will not fit or will be redundant conditions. All aspects and categories are described in detail in the following subchapters.