Successful Teamwork

Revision as of 20:40, 9 May 2023

Abstract

focusses on team work and less on the leadership of a team!

Importance of Teamwork

Teamwork plays an important role in many aspects of our lives. Research shows that teamwork can improve the performance and the outcomes in a lot of diferent areas, for instance, the workplace, education, and in sports. In the workplace, effective teamwork can improve organizational performance, increase job satisfaction, and reduce employee turnovers. Additionally, teamwork is very important to achieving learning goals and developing the skills that are needed to succeed in the job. Cooperative learning activities in school can increase student engagement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Likewise, teamwork in sports can improve the team performance drastically and even improve individual performance such as communication or the interpersonal performances like better cohesion among the team members.

Teamwork is especially important to organizational success because it increases productivity, quality and innovation, it encourages creativity and it improves problem-solving skills. It refers to individuals working together toward a common goal, putting their resources, skills, knowledges, and experiences together, resulting in greater efficiency and better decision-making.

When it comes to innovative projects, the quality of teamwork is an important indicatior for the success of thr projects. That makes teamwork a vital factor in organizations. Project management success depends on the effectiveness and efficiency of the project team, so teamwork plays a major role in project, portfolio, and program management.

With time teams have become more complex and dynamic, and success requires new and innovative ways to lead, communicate and collaborate: In today's rapidly changing work environment, traditional team research and practice may no longer be sufficient, so teamwork is essential for organizations to adapt and evolve and remain competitive in today's workplace. Therefore, it is very important to create a positive team environment that increases the team performance. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]}

Definition of a "Team"

In order to understand the importance of teamwork it is first necessary to clarify the definition of a team, because not all groups are necessarily a team.

A team is a group of multiple individuals who come together to achieve a common and shared goal. The team members may have complementary and interdependent skills and maybe even hierarchical positions. The team is structured in a task-oriented manner, meaning clear tasks are assigned and it has a clear focus on achieving the shared goals. They work collaboratively and communicate both within and outside the team to accomplish their objectives and goals. Teamwork requires a certain level of team identity, which is different from individual identities, meaning that the members stand for what they are doing. This can be seen as an emotional bond to the team and among the team members and it is often considered as a crucial aspect of a team that distinguishes it from a group. This emotional bond is characterized by strong relationships, a sense of community, and a high level of group cohesion.

Successful team collaboration also involves the distribution of work based on different areas of expertise, a specific role allocation, and an increasing sense of belonging among team members. The motivation to work as a team and the opportunity to combine different ideas and experiences can lead to a higher quality of overall team performance, which can surpass the cumulative individual performances.

The definition of a team and the indicators for successful teamwork often overlap, so a precise definition is difficult to make. Some of these characteristics of a team are also indicators for the success of the team. ^{[14] [15] [16] [17] [18]}

Elements of successful teamwork

When it comes to teamwork it is very important to understand the factors that influence the success of the teamwork. Especially in project management, it is crucial for the manager to understand how to make the team's performance as efficient as possible. Indicators for successful teamwork can be divided into three categories: Individual attributes, Interpersonal attributes, and Team attributes. Individual attributes are characteristics that each team member should have. For a project manager, these could be criteria for choosing people in their group. The interpersonal attributes explain how team members interact with each other, which is of course a crucial part of the performance of a team. If individuals can't work well together the team performance suffers. The team attributes describe the characteristics of the team as a whole and not the individuals and these attributes are very specific for each case.

Individual attributes

Individual willingness

The willingness of individual team members to collaborate, contribute their best efforts, learn and adapt is a critical factor in for the succes of a team. Even with all the necessary skills, knowledge, resources and experiences, a lack of willingness can prevent a team from being efficient. This willingness is vital for creating an environment of trust among each other, openness, and cooperation that encoiurages teamwork. When team members are willing to communicate openly, share knowledge and experience, take on additional responsibilities, and be proactive, they can inspire others to do the same. That leads to a higher level of engagement and especially commitment, and in the end it leads to higher performance. In contrast, a lack of willingness can hinder a team to achieve its goals and undermine its success.^{[1] [16] [6] [8] [9]}

Individual competencies

Individual competencies are essential for a team's success. They can be divided into technical, soft, and leadership competencies. Technical competencies are the skills, experience, and knowledge of each member in their own specification or field. These are necessary to achieve the team's objectives. Soft competencies such as communication or problem-solving are important for successful collaboration. Each team member brings unique competencies that can contribute to the team's overall performance. Strong soft competencies help avoid conflicts, communicate better, and work collaboratively towards a shared goal. Finally the leadership competencies can guide the team towards its objectives, manage conflicts, and create a positive work environment that encourges innovation and creativity.^{[2] [16] [4] [5] [6] [8] [9] [10] [12]}

Positive attitude and mindset

Having a positive attitude and a positive mindset is another factor for a team's success. It can foster trust, communication, collaboration, and creativity among the team members which leads to a more positive work environment. Positive attitudes increase motivation on the one hand and reduce stress on the other hand. Maintaining a positive mindset also means that individuals learn from mistakes, accept a certain vulnerability, and that they are open to constructive criticism. Finally a positive work environment, attitude and mindset can increase productivity, promote innovation, and ultimately help the team achieve its comon goals.^{[3] [5] [6] [8]}

Openness to feedback

Another essential factor for the success of teams is being receptive to feedback. Implementing and especially acknowledging feedback can improve the communication and build up trust among the team members. Through continuous feedback a continuous growth can be achieved. The ability to receive feedback with an open mind and willingness to learn from the feedback can enhance a team's capabilities to solve problems and increase the chances of achieving shared objectives. In contrast, a lack of openness to feedback can lead to conflict, mistrust, and an overall negative work environment. Teams that appreciate feedback and create a safespace for constructive criticism can improve team performance and achieve better outcomes. ^[3]

Accountability

The success of a team is also depended on the accountability of the team members. Each team member should take responsibility for their role in achieving the team's goals. Accountability requires individuals to be reliable, honest, and committed to do their jobs. When team members are accountable, they are willing to acknowledge mistakes and learn from them. They hold themselves accountable for their actions and don't blame others for their own mistakes. For an effective accountability a clear communication and clear expectations are necessary. Ultimately, individual accountability creates an environment of trust and respect which enhances the team's overall performance.^{[8] [12] [5] [11]}

Interpersonal attributes

Relationships

When team members build strong relationships, they are more likely to comunicate better, trust each another more, and collaborate better. Good relationships between team members makes them enjoying the time together which results in a positive work environment and increase job satisfaction, which can then improve team productivity and overall the success. Attributes like trust and respect are correlated to the relationships.

^{[3] [5] [8] [10] [12]}

Communication'

The better the communication, the more successful a teamwork is. The ability to provide ideas and information clearly, listen actively and process the information helps teams work more efficiently and make better decisions. A failure in the communication can cause complete failure of a team. The communication can vary between team members. Some combination of individuals might have a good communication while others can have a bad communication between each other. Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and delays in completing tasks. Therefore, it is important for team members to establish clear communication channels and protocols.

^{[1] [16] [3] [4] [5] [7] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

Trust

Trusting each other helps team members work effectively together, which leads to better results. Trust correlates strongly with the relationship among the team members. Teams which trust each other are more likely to share knowledge, give honest fedback, and work collaboratively towards the same goals. This is very important when it comes to decision making processes, where trust is needed for open and honest communication. Trust is also important in creating a positve team dynamic, where team members have their safe zone and feel secure in their relationships to each other. Without trust, teams might struggle to work effectively and miss their goals. Therefore, trust building strategies should be a priority for any team looking to improve their performance.

^{[1] [16] [3] [4] [5] [6] [8] [9] [13] [10]}

Respect

Respect is like trust, correlated with the relationship among the team members and it is another very important factor for the success of teamwork. It enables the individuals to listen and acknowledge each others ideas and perspectives and fosters a sense of inclusion. Teams that have a culture o respect create an environment where everybody feels safe to express their opinions, to take risks, and to make mistakes without the fear of getting blamed. Such an environment encourages creativity and innovation, which then lead to a higher team performance.

^{[1] [16] [3] [4] [8] [10]}

Collaboration and cooperation

Collaboration and Cooperation are as well essential for successfull teamwork. The collaboration and cooperation can be affected by previous mentioned attributes. Collaboration means workingtogtether to achieve your own goals while collaboration means working together towards the same goal. In terms of teams collaborations is often the right term, but also cooperation within a team can happen, for example if individuals hamve their own goals apart of the common shared goal. Without collaboration or cooperation the team members would work individually and not together, which decreases the productivity.

^{[1] [3] [4] [5] [5] [9] [10] [12]}

Cohesion

Cohesion is the unity and the mutual support among team members. This attribute as well is correlated to the relationship among the team members. HIgher cohesion results in more motivating team members, so its linked to higher levels of team performance, job satisfaction, and commitment. Cohesion can be archieved through different ways, like team-building activities or developing a sense of belongingness among team members. Although it is important to mention, that high cohesion can also be a obstacle in some situations, as it can lead to group thinking and a resistance to change. Therefore, project maangers should try to find a balance between promoting cohesion and encouraging constructive dissent and diverse perspectives.

^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

Team attributes

• Team composition: Diversity ^{[4] [9] [11] [12]}
• Common values and culture ^[4]
• Identification and emotional bond: feelings of attachment, loyalty, and commitment ^{[5] [3] [12] [8] [11]}
• clear roles and work distribution: in areas of expertise ^{[1] [2] [16] [3] [4] [5] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]}
• common goal: clearly defined ^{[3] [5] [13]}

The IPO-Model

^[19]

In der Literatur findet man zahlreiche Input-Prozess-Output-Modelle (Siehe Abbildung 3), die beschreiben, welche Faktoren wie einen Einfluss auf die Leistung eines Teams haben. Sie unterteilen die Teamarbeit in drei Kategorien: Der Input besteht aus Variablen, die die Voraussetzungen für die Teamarbeit sind. Sie begünstigen im besten Fall eine erfolgreiche Teamarbeit, aber können sich auch negativ auf die Teamarbeit auswirken. Auf jeden Fall sind sie ein begrenzender Faktor für den (Team-)Prozess. Der (Team-)Prozess beschreibt den Vorgang, welcher die Input-Variablen zu einem Ergebnis transformiert. Dabei handelt es sich also wie der Name schon sagt, um den Prozess, der im Team stattfindet und zu einem Ergebnis führt. Das Ergebnis der Teamarbeit bildet der Output. Dabei wird sowohl das Ergebnis auf Leis-tungsebene, meistens ein materielles Produkt, als auch die immateriellen Ergebnisse auf Ebene der Gruppenmoral und der persönlichen Entwicklungen betrachtet. Die Grund-idee dieses Modells ist es, dass das Ergebnis der Teamarbeit nicht unmittelbar durch die Input-Variablen bestimmt wird, sondern diese durch den Prozess umgewandelt werden. Einige Modellvarianten heißen daher auch Input-Mediator-Output-Modell. Das IPO-Modell nach Hackmann und Morris (H&M) unterteilt den Input in individuel-le, Gruppen- und Umweltfaktoren. Die individuellen und Gruppenfaktoren sind in dem Modell nach Dick und West (D&W) als Gruppenzusammensetzung, beziehungsweise in dem Modell nach Högl und Gemünden (H&G) als Teambesetzung betitelt. Es handelt sich dabei zum einen um Eigenschaften, welche die einzelnen Mitglieder mit sich bringen, wie zum Beispiel soziale Kompetenz, methodische Kompetenz, Präferenz für Teamarbeit und Ausbildung und Background. Zum anderen sind Eigenschaften der Gruppe gemeint wie Gruppengröße, Homogenität im Wissensstand oder Heterogenität untereinander. Letzteres bezieht sich beispielsweise auf das Alter, auf die Religion oder auf die Bildung, da so unterschiedliche Erfahrungen und unterschiedliches Knowhow zu einer Lösungs-findung beigetragen werden kann. Ein weiterer wichtiger Faktor für die Zusammenset-zung des Teams ist nach H&G die Teamführung und alle damit verbundenen Eigenschaf-ten, auf welche im Rahmen dieser Arbeit allerdings nicht genauer eingegangen wird. Die Umweltfaktoren stellen äußere Einflüsse dar, wie zum Beispiel in dem Modell nach D&W der kulturelle und organisationale Kontext, in dem das Team arbeitet. Der (Team-)Prozess besteht nach H&M aus der Interaktion zwischen den Mitgliedern. Folgende Faktoren sind dafür laut H&G und von D&W von Bedeutung: Kommunikation, Aufgabenkoordination, Ausgewogenheit der Beiträge (bzw. Minderheiteneinfluss), ge-genseitige Unterstützung, Arbeitsnormen, Kohäsion (und Identifikation), Partizipation, Autonomie und Entscheidungsfindung. Als Output bekommt man zum einen leistungsbezogene Ergebnisse, welche sich durch Effektivität, Effizienz und Quantität charakterisieren lassen. Die Effektivität beschreibt, in welchem Maße das Ziel erreicht wurde. Man kann es also mit Qualität gleichsetzen. Zum anderen bekommt man Ergebnisse, die sich auf die Teammoral und auf persönlichen Entwicklungen während der Teamarbeit beziehen: Geht man davon aus, dass die Zusam-menarbeit im Team nicht nur auf einmal beschränkt ist, sind Faktoren, die auf das Poten-zial für zukünftige Zusammenarbeit Auswirkung haben, weitere wichtige, immaterielle Ergebnisse, die im Output zu berücksichtigen sind. Diese sind nach H&G persönlicher Lernerfolg und Zufriedenheit. D&W fügen noch die Team-Lebendigkeit hinzu.

Benefits of successful teamwork

- Improved productivity and efficiency

- Higher job satisfaction

- Increased creativity and innovation

- Stronger relationships and moral

- Better problem-solving and decision-making

^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]}

^{[14] [15] [16] [17] [18]}

Challenges to successful teamwork

- Communication barriers

- Conflict and disagreements

- Lack of trust or respect

- Inadequate resources

- Poor leadership

Strategies for building/maintaining successful teamwork

- Team building activities

- Effective leadership

- Training and development

- Conflict resolution strategies

team coaching!!!!!!

Hackman, J. R., & Wageman, R. (2005). A Theory of Team Coaching. Academy of Management

^[20]

The forming–storming–norming–performing model

tuckmann

15. Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-399

Examples of successful teamwork

- Sports teams

- Business teams

- Educational teams

- Community service teams

- Military teams

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Barkley, E., Major, C., & Cross, P. (2014). Collaborative Learning Techniques (2nd ed.). Wiley. (Accessed: 24.04.2023). https://www.perlego.com/book/999446/collaborative-learning-techniques-a-handbook-for-college-faculty-pdf
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Belbin, R. M. (2010). Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail (3rd edition). Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). http://196.43.128.20/xmlui/handle/20.500.12383/1061?show=full
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12} Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances. Harvard Business Press. (Accessed: 24.04.2023). https://www.perlego.com/book/837329/leading-teams-setting-the-stage-for-great-performances-pdf
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10} Hoegl, G., & Gemuenden, H. G. (2001). Teamwork quality and the success of innovative projects: A theoretical concept and empirical evidence. Organization Science, 12(4), 435-449. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228365985_Teamwork_Quality_and_the_Success_of_Innovative_Projects_A_Theoretical_Concept_and_Empirical_Evidence
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13} Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2005). The discipline of teams. Harvard business review, 83(7/8), 162-171. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5893c76059cc68f6efd5355a/t/58a4f6cb6a4963c71a7f0084/1487206107130/The+Discipline+of+Teams.pdf
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6} Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (1993). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business School Press. (Accessed: April .2023). https://findit.dtu.dk/en/catalog/58945eff8040e5ab45038d77
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management. A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley, 12th edition. (Accessed: 24.04.2023). https://www.perlego.com/book/3236853/project-management-a-systems-approach-to-planning-scheduling-and-controlling-pdf
8. ↑ ^{8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11} Lencioni, P. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Jossey-Bass. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://www.academia.edu/39178542/The_Five_Dysfunctions_of_aTeam_Patrick_Lencioni
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9} Mathieu, J. E., Maynard, M. T., Rapp, T., & Gilson, L. L. (2008). Team effectiveness 1997-2007: A review of recent advancements and a glimpse into the future. Journal of Management, 34(3), 410-476. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/matnat/ifi/INF5181/h15/articles-teamwork/mathieu_etal_2008_team-effectiveness-1997_2007_a_review_of_advancements_and_a_glimpse_into_the_future.pdf
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 10.9} Robbins, S. P. (2001). Organizational behavior (9th ed.). Prentice Hall. (Accessed: April .2023). https://findit.dtu.dk/en/catalog/589460498040e5ab4504b03f
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7} Salas, E., Sims, D. E., & Burke, C. S. (2005). Is there a "big five" in teamwork?. Small group research, 36(5), 555-599. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220041354_Is_there_a_Big_Five_in_Teamwork
12. ↑ ^{12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10} Tannenbaum, S. I., Mathieu, J. E., Salas, E., & Cohen, D. (2012). Teams are changing: Are research and practice evolving fast enough?. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 5(1), 2-24. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/industrial-and-organizational-psychology/article/teams-are-changing-are-research-and-practice-evolving-fast-enough/6D811E1C7B16B12A14C403E720F3C2C3
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4} Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-399. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://sci-hub.se/10.1037/h0022100
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Burba, M. (2018). Erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit in Projektteams. Analyse der Projektmeetings bei einem Automobilhersteller (1. Aufl.). Springer. (Accessed: November 2020). https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-19829-9
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Becker, J. H., Pastoors, S., & Ebert, H. (2017). Praxishandbuch berufliche Schlüsselkompetenzen. 50 Handlungskompetenzen für Ausbildung, Studium und Beruf (1. Aufl.). Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. (Accessed: November 2020). https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-662-54925-4
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7} DuBrin, A. J. (2010). Essentials of Management (10th edition). South-Western Cengage Learning. (Accessed: 5.05.2023). https://studydaddy.com/attachment/137689/epdfpub_essentials-of-management-ninth-edition.pdf
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Bornemann, S. (2012). Kooperation und Kollaboration. Das Kreative Feld als Weg zu innovativer Teamarbeit (1. Aufl.). VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. (Accessed: November 2020). https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-531-19179-9
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Nerdinger, F. W., Blickle, G., & Schaper, N. (2011). Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie (2. Aufl.). Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. (Accessed: November 2020). https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-16972-4
19. ↑ Lippmann, E., Pfister, A., & Urs, J. (2019). Handbuch Angewandte Psychologie für Führungskräfte. Führungskompetenzen und Führungswissen (5. Aufl.). Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. (Accessed: November 2020). https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-662-55810-2
20. ↑ Hackman, J. R., & Wageman, R. (2005). A theory of team coaching. Academy of Management Review, 30(2), 269-287. (Accessed: 24.04.2023). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253963423_A_Theory_of_Team_Coaching