Communicating Effectively in Teams
A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the
responsibility for working to achieve a common goal. Problem-solving teams and
task force assemble to resolve specific issues and then disband when their
goals have been accomplished.
Committees are formal teams have usually have a long life span and can
become a permanent part of the organizational structure. Committees typically
deal with regularly recurring tasks, such as an executive committee that meets
monthly to plan strategies and review results.
Whatever the purpose and function of a team, you and your fellow team
members must be able to communicate effectively with each other and with people
outside the team.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Teams
When teams are successful, they can improve productivity, creativity,
employee involvement, and even job security. Teams are often at the core of
participative management, the effort to involve employees in the company’s
decision making.
Advantages
-Increased information knowledge
-Increased diversity of views
-Increased acceptance of a solution
-Higher performance levels
Disadvantages
-Groupthink occurs when peer pressure cause individual team members to
withhold contrary or unpopular opinions.
-Some members may have a hidden agendas—private, counter-productive
motives.
-Costs.
Characteristics of Effective Teams
Effective teams have a clear sense of purpose, open, and honest
communications, consensus-based decision making, creativity, and effective
conflict resolution.
Collaborative Communication
Collaborating on teams messages requires special effort; the following
offers a number of helpful guidelines.
Guidelines for Collaborative Writing
1.
Select collaborators carefully.
2.
Agree on project goals before you start.
3.
Give your team time to bond before diving in.
4.
Clarify individual responsibilities.
5.
Establish clear processes.
6.
Avoid writing as a group.
7.
Make sure tools and techniques are ready and
compatible across the team.
8.
Check to see how things are going along the way.
Group Dynamics
The interactions and processes that take place among the members of a
team are called group dynamics. Productive teams tend to develop rules of
interaction that are conductive to business.
Assuming Team Roles
Members of a team can play various roles, which fall into three
categories. Members who assume self-oriented roles are motivated mainly to
fulfill personal needs, so they tend to be less productive than other members.
Far more likely to contribute team goals are members who assume
team-maintenance roles to help everyone work well together and those who assume
task-oriented roles to help reach its goals.
Team Roles—Functioning and Dysfunctional
DYSFUNCTIONAL: SELF-ORIENTED ROLES
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FUNCTIONAL: TEAM-MAINTENANCE ROLES
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FUNCTIONAL: TASK FACILITATING ROLES
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Controlling: Dominating others by exhibiting superiority or authority
Withdrawing: Retiring from the team either by becoming silent or by
refusing to deal with a particular aspect of the team’s work
Attention seeking: Calling attention to oneself and demanding
recognition from others
Diverting: Focusing the team’s discussion on topics of interest to the
individual rather than on those relevant to the task
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Encouraging: Drawing
out other members by showing verbal and nonverbal support, praise, or agreement
Harmonizing:
Reconciling differences among team members through meditation or by using
humor to relieve tension
Compromising: Offering
to yield on point in the interest of reaching a mutually acceptable decision
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Initiating: Getting
the team started on a line of inquiry
Information giving or
seeking: Offering (or seeking) information relevant to question facing the
team
Coordinating: Showing
relationships among ideas, clarifying issues, summarizing what the team has done
Procedure setting: Suggesting
decision-making procedures that will move the team toward a goal
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Phases of Group Development
Orientation
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Conflict
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Brainstorming
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Emergence
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Reinforcement
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Team members get to know each other and establish roles.
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Different opinions and
perspectives begin to emerge.
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Team members explore
their options and evaluate alternatives.
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The team reaches a
consensus on the chosen decision.
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Team harmony is
reestablished and plans are made to put the decisions into action.
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Making Your Meetings More Productive
Well-run meetings can help you solve problems, develop ideas, and
identify opportunities. Much of your workplace communication is likely to occur
in small-group meetings; therefore, your ability to contribute to the company
and to be recognized for those contributions will depend on your meeting
skills.
Preparing for Meetings
1.
Identify your purpose. Informational meetings
involve sharing information and answering audience questions. Decision-making
meetings involve persuasion, analysis, problem solving, and planning.
2.
Select participants for the meeting.
3.
Choose the time and prepare the facility.
4.
Set the agenda. The success of a meeting depends
on the preparation of the participants. Distribute carefully written agenda to
participants, giving them enough time to prepare as needed. A productive agenda
answers three key questions; (1) What do we need to do in this meeting to
accomplish goals? (2) What issues will be of greatest importance to all
participants? (3) What information must be available in order to discuss these
issues?
Conducting and Contributing to Efficient Message
Everyone in a meeting shares the responsibility for making the meeting
productive. If you’re the designated leader of a meeting; however, you have an
extra degree of responsibility and accountability.
1.
Keep the discussion on track.
2.
Followed agreed-upon rules.
3.
Encourage participation.
4.
Participate actively.
5.
Close actively. At the conclusion of the
meeting, verify that the objectives have been met or arrange for follow-up
work, if needed. Summarize either the general conclusion of the discussion or
the actions to be taken.
Using Meeting Technologies
1.
Virtual meetings.
2.
Teleconferencing
3.
Videoconferencing
4.
Web-based meetings systems
Minutes of the Meeting
Improving your Listening Skills
Successful business people and top executives consider listening is the
important skill needed to get things done in the workplace. Effective listening
strengthens organizational relationships, enhances product delivery, alerts an
organization to opportunities for innovation, and allows an organization to
manage diversity both in the workforce and in the customers it serves.
Recognizing Various Types of Listening
To be a good listener, adapt the way you listen to suit the situation.
1.
The primary goal of content is to understand and
retain the speaker’s message.
2.
The goal of critical listening is to understand
and evaluate the meaning of the speaker’s message on several levels: the logic
of the argument, the strength of the evidence, the validity of the conclusions,
the implications of the message, and the omission of any important or relevant
points.
3.
The goal of empathic listening is to understand
the speaker’s feelings, needs, and wants so that you can appreciate his or her
point of view, regardless of whether you share that perspective.
4.
No matter what mode they are using at any given
time, effective listeners try to engage in active listening.
Understanding the Listening Process
1.
Receiving.
2.
Decoding.
3.
Remembering.
4.
Evaluating.
5.
Responding.
What Makes an Effective Listener?
EFFECTIVE LISTENERS
|
INEFFECTIVE LISTENERS
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Listen
actively
Take
careful and complete notes
Make
frequently eye contact with the speaker (depending on the culture)
Stay
focused on the speaker and the content
Mentally
paraphrase key points to maintain attention level and ensure comprehension
Adjust
listening style to the situation
Give the
speaker nonverbal cues (such as nodding to show agreement or raising eyebrows
to show surprise or skepticism)
Save
questions or points of disagreement until an appropriate time
Overlook
stylistic differences and focus on the speaker’s message
Make
distinctions between main points and supporting details
Look for
opportunities to learn
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Listen passively
Take no notes or ineffective notes
Make little or no eye contact
Allow their minds to wander; are
easily distracted
Fail to paraphrase
Listen with the same style,
regardless of the situation
Fail to give the speaker nonverbal
feedback
Interrupt whenever they disagree or
don’t understand
Are distracted by or unduly
influenced by stylistic differences: are judgmental
Are unable to distinguish main
points from details
Assume that they already know
everything that’s important to know
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Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills
Nonverbal communication is the interpersonal process of sending and
receiving information, both intentionally and unintentionally, without using
written or spoken language.
Recognizing Nonverbal Communication
1.
Facial expression
2.
Gesture and posture
3.
Vocal characteristics
4.
Personal appearance
5.
Touch
6.
Time and space
Using Nonverbal Communication Effectively
Paying attention to nonverbal cues will make you both a better speaker
and a better listener. When you’re talking, be more conscious of the nonverbal
cues you could be sending. Also consider the nonverbal signals you send when you
‘re not talking, such as the clothes you wear, the way you sit, or the way you
walk.
Assembling a Business Wardrobe
SMOOTH AND FINISHED
(START WITH THIS)
|
ELEGANT AND REFINED
(T OCOLUMN 1,
ADD THIS)
|
CRISP AND STARCHY
(TO COLUMN 2, ADD THIS)
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UP-TO-THE-MINUTE TRENDY
(TO COLUMN 3, ADD THIS)
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1.
Choose well-tailored clothing that fits well; it doesn’t have to be
expensive, but it does have to fit and be appropriate for business.
2.
Keep buttons, zippers, and hemlines in good repair.
3.
Select shoes that are comfortable enough for long days but neither too
casual nor too dressy for the office; keep shoes clean and in good condition.
4.
Make sure the fabrics you wear are clean, are carefully pressed, and do
not wrinkle easily.
5.
Choose colors that flatter your height, weight, skin tone, and styles;
sales advisors in good clothing stores can help you choose.
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1.
Choose
form-fitting (but not skin-tight) clothing—not swinging or flowing fabric,
frills, or fussy trimmings.
2.
Choose muted
tones and soft colors or classics, such as a dark blue suit or a basic black
dress.
3.
If possible,
select a few classic pieces of jewelry (such as a string of pearls or diamond
cuff links) for formal occasions.
4.
Wear jackets
that complement an outfit and lend an air of formality to your appearance.
Avoid jacket with more than tow tones; one color should dominate.
|
1.
Wear blouses or
shirts that are or appear starched.
2.
Choose closed
top-button shirts or button-down shirt collars, higher neckline blouses, or
long sleeves with French cuffs and cuff links.
3.
Wear creased
trousers or a longer skirt hemline.
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1.
Supplement your
foundation with pieces that reflects the latest styles.
2.
Add a few pieces
in bold colors but wear them sparingly to avoid a garish appearance.
3.
Embellish your
look with the latest jewelry and hairstyles but keep the overall effect
looking professional.
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Business Etiquette in the Workplace
Workplace etiquette includes a variety of behaviors, habits, and
aspects of nonverbal communication. Although it isn’t always thought of an as
element of etiquette, your personal appearance in the workplace sends a strong
signal to managers, colleagues, and customers. Pay attention to the style of
dress where you work and adjust your style to match.
Grooming is as important as attire. Pay close attention to cleanliness
and avoid using products with powerful scents.
Personal demeanor is a vital element of workplace harmony. No one
expects you to be artificially upbeat but every person has responsibility to
contribute to a positive, energetic work environment.
Phone skills are essential in most professions.
Quick Tips for Improving Your Phone Skills
GENERAL TIPS
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PLACING CALLS
|
RECEIVING
CALLS
|
USING VOICE
MAIL
|
Use frequent verbal responses that show you’re
listening (“Oh yes,” “I see,” “That’s right”).
Increase your volume just slightly to convey
your confidence.
Don’t speak in a monotone; vary your pitch and
inflections so people know you’re interested.
Slow down when you’re conversing with people
whose native language isn’t the same as yours.
Stay focused on the call throughout; others
can easily tell when you are not paying attention.
|
Be ready before you call so that you don’t waste time.
Minimize distractions and avoid making noise that could annoy the
other party.
Identify yourself and your organization, briefly describe why you are
calling, and verify that you’ve called at a good time.
Don’t take up too much time. Speak quickly and clearly and get right
to the point of the call.
Close in a friendly, positive manner and double-check all vital
information, such as meeting times and dates.
|
Answer promptly and with a smile so that you sound friendly and
positive.
Identify yourself and your company.
Establish the needs of your caller by asking, “How may I help you?” If
you know the caller’s name, use it.
If you can answer questions promptly and efficiently; if you can’t
help, tell the caller what you can do for him or her.
If you must forward a call or put someone on hold, explain what you
are doing before you do it.
If you forward a call to someone else, try to speak with that person
first to verify that he or she is available and to introduce the caller.
If you take a message for someone else, be complete and accurate,
including the caller’s name, number, and organization.
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When recording your outgoing message, make it brief and professional.
If you can, record temporary greetings on days when you are
unavailable all day so that callers will know you’re gone for the day.
Check your voice-mail messages regularly and return all necessary calls
within 24 hours.
Leave simple, clear messages, with your name, number, purpose for
calling, and times when you can be reached.
State your name and telephone number slowly so that the other person
can easily write them down; repeat both if the other person doesn’t know you.
Be careful what you say; most voice-mail systems allow users to
forward messages to anyone else in the system.
Replay your message before leaving the system to make sure it is clear
and complete.
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Business Etiquette in Social Settings
From business lunches to industry conferences, you may represent your
company when you’re out in public. Make sure your appearance and actions are
appropriate to the situation. Get know the customs of the culture when you meet
new people.
When introducing yourself, include a brief description of your role in
the company. When introducing two other people, speak their first and last name
clearly and then try to offer some information to help the people ease into a
conversation. Generally, the lower-ranking person is introduced to the
senior-ranking person.
Business is often conducted over meals, and knowing the basics of
dining etiquette will make you more effective in these situations. Always
remember that business meals are a forum for business. Don’t about topics that
cause an emotional reaction.
When you use your mobile phone in public, you send the message that
people around aren’t important as your call and you don’t respect that caller’s
privacy. If it is not a matter of life and death or at least an urgent request
by your boss or a customer, wait until you’re back in the office.
Business Etiquette Online
The anonymous and instantaneous nature of online communities can cause
even level-headed people to lash out in online social media sites.
Sending or posting a file that contains a computer virus is rude.
Watch your language and keep your emotions under control.
Never assume privacy.
Don’t use “reply all” in email unless everyone can benefit from your
reply.
Don’t waste other’s time with sloppy, confusing, or incomplete
messages.
Source: Thill, John V., and Courland L. Bovee. Excellence in Business Communication, 9th edition. USA: Pearson, 2011.
