1 April 2008
Successful Intentions Newsletter
Hi ,
Teams - can't live with them, can't live without them!
Teams are now the most common unit of economic production. A team is defined as two or more people working together, or "one or more animals in harness with a vehicle" depending on your point of view!
The trouble with teams is that working in them can be either a pain or a joy! what makes the difference?
It all starts the moment you meet your new team mates. Who are they? can I communicate with them? Can I trust them? This is even more important if you can't actually see them. If they're in different towns, or even different continents. And what if they don't speak or understand your language very well?
The two most critical dimensions in forming a new team are Trust and Communication. This gives rise to four potential team states:
- In the beginning, when trust is not yet established and communication abilities are not fully tested, you're likely to feel ambiguous about whether this will be a good team or not.
- If the capacity to communicate increases (due to common language or understanding) yet trust is tenuous, you will feel a sense of uncertainty about continuing.
- On the other hand, if trust between you is high but communication is slow or difficult (because of poor comprehension or faulty telecommunications), there will be a growing feeling of frustration.
- Only when a high level of communication clarity has been achieved and a high level of mutual trust has been generated will you be able to reap the rewards of working in a team that inspires!
So next time , before you plunge headlong into task with your new team, spend time exploring communication abilities with each other and engaging in activities which foster trust. The extra investment of time is sure to build a winning team!
Keep your intentions clear,
Peter Webb
Home
| Manage subscription (Unsubscribe, change e-mail, text only)
