Guidelines for Effective Team Building

Management Theory Case Study# 2 This case study paper will consist of my (5) five guidelines for team building.

The criterion suggested below was developed after a review of course materials, online research and of course my own personal experience on this topic. I have endeavored to include with my five guidelines a brief explanation of each along with additional recommendations that will help definite each guideline. 1. Establish a goal and mission statement. Whether your goal is development of a product, service, or improving an existing recess; your team's goal must be clearly outlined.Be as specific as possible about the team's ultimate goal.

Distribute this goal in a "mission statement" along with mission parameters that should include waypoint objectives, scheduled meetings and mission timeliness for goal completion. This mission statement should be presented during a team meeting so that you can answer any questions and concerns. This initial meeting also helps the group to develop consensus on the direction of the project. 2. Establish Team Membership / Define Roles and Structures within the team.

Whenever possible, seek volunteers.People who are required to be on teams often lack commitment to project goals and in the extreme can even act to undermine the team's progress. Develop a master task list. Clarify all processes and plans and specify the roles and responsibilities of each individual in writing. As waypoint objectives are met, rotate roles to take advantage of team members' strengths and increase skill building. This will allow team members to gain an appreciation for the responsibilities of others and learn new skills.

Allocate and definite the use of resources. Set deadlines, each team member must have clear guidelines on when specific tasks are due.Assign a Team Advisor (Harrington- Mackinac, 1994). Their role is to help resolve team conflicts, obtain the support required to achieve team goals and follow the progress of the team's accomplishments to reinforce achievement and help with problem solving when necessary. They will also act as a liaison between the team and external entities to ensure inter-departmental considerations are met during the team's project development.

3. Establish communication parameters and agendas for team meetings. Proper etiquette for communication is important.Listening when other team members speak, open and honest contributions during meetings, and refraining from using offensive or belittling language are common ground rules that should be established in advance.

Decide how to promote increased individual contributions. Team members need to feel that their input is valued and their contributions will be reflected in the team's final product (Mason, Motivation and Personality, 1970). Asking members to prepare a progress report to deliver during scheduled meetings is a good way to formalize this process. Define relevant language and terminology.Develop the use of acronyms to increase efficiency and speed of communications. Reinforce this approach by encouraging the use of your team's Jargon during team meetings to allow newer members to familiarize themselves with this language.

Allow your Team Advisor to co-facilitate team meetings. Their role during meetings should be to ensure the prevention of discussion takeover by individual members, encouraging more passive team members to contribute in discussions and allow participants to voice concerns guarding "roadblocks" to the project's development to allow problem solving at a group level to occur. . Encourage Teamwork and a "Corrupting" Mentality Encourage the formation of task groups within the team; collaboration of workers to encourage problem solving and completion of tasks within a specified deadline. Ask team members who can learn from one another to work together.

Minimize competition by highlighting and rewarding group effort. Reduce individual competition by establishing group incentives for completing a project to increase motivation for teamwork. Planning team-building activities to increase group camaraderie is also recommended. 5.Establish Mechanisms for Problem Solving Conflicts and problems are an opportunity to grow and innovate. Emphasize the overall team goal.

Encourage brainstorming sessions and stimulate debate (Resources. ). Give team members a break when they reach an impasse and encourage them to momentarily step away from the problem. Solutions sometimes occur to people when their minds are distracted by other tasks. While this list is by no meaner all inclusive, I think it incorporates the more important standards in establishing a functional, effective and productive team.