Building Effective Teamwork

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Building Effective Teamwork

Teamwork is the deliberate execution of one’s duties in order to facilitate the success of the whole group. Thus, such platforms can only be considered effective when each individual meets his/her targets and does so immediately. Cohesiveness is a vital characteristic of an effective team because it shows the seamless transition of ideas and actions from one member to another. As such, creating an environment that is conducive to open communication is necessary in order to allow the participants to bond and build trust. In addition, discrimination should not be allowed because that affects the self-esteem of the victims leading to a decline in his/her productivity. (West 105) Similarly, the leader has to possess adequate conflict resolution skills to handle such occurrences whenever they arise. Consequently, he should dialogue with the feuding sides in an impartial but decisive way. The final decision will be binding as well.

Furthermore, group members need to avoid emotional outbursts as these tend to fuel tensions. Rather, they need to take some time to reflect on the issue at hand before lashing out at others. With the team leader offering guidance and direction about the integral aspects of the different projects, fellow teammates have to show commitment to the cause and portray diverse personalities necessary in the attainment of the set goals (Levin 49). In some instances, it is advisable to incorporate sessions of banter to enhance the connection to each other. However, focusing on insults and ego-filled tantrums undermines the leadership of the team as well as the presence of a healthy competition among colleagues. This would result in constant wrangles that derail the implementation of the team’s agenda. Thus, as part of a course project team, I would embrace a consultative approach to decision-making to accommodate the views of most team members.

Works Cited

Levin, Peter. Successful Teamwork! Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2004. Print.

West, Michael. Effective Teamwork: Practical Lessons from Organizational Research. Malden, MA: BPS Blackwell, 2004. Print.