- JELLYBEAN SINGH
"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer
to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the
ultimate champion." This was aptly quoted by Mia Hamm which directly reveals
the motive of why effective team building is required.
An individual alone cannot lead the team to the path of
success. No matter how talented the individuals in a staff may be, unless they
function together efficiently, they will not be able to achieve the required
level of performance. It takes a great deal of coordination and cooperation on
behalf of the entire team to be able to reach the zenith of success. It is
quite evident in today's scenario that a workplace is often an area of conflict
among individuals. A conflict arises when there is a clash of incompatible
interests between workplace participants. In every organisation whatsoever,
people work in teams that have either a leader or a self-driven team member to
lead. While these teams are the building blocks in the office environment and
are used to improve the operations and results, they are also a source of grave
competition. It is this team building scenario that is often seen and noted to
promote the productivity of the employees as well as the organization.
Team Building is a
source of motivation for the employees wherein groups of workers communicate
through a series of planned events that are fun and motivational. These
events can be used to determine strengths in an individual’s personality, such
as leadership skills which can benefit the individuals by giving them greater
job satisfaction and the opportunity to realize their full potential. This is a
circle of reward, with positive feedback following positive action; a far more
efficient way to have efficient workers. Job satisfaction is an important part
of a person's work-life. Feeling worthy, part of a team & having a sense of
achievement within the work environment are essential elements to happiness.
These feelings can motivate the workforce and ensure that their work is the most
productive. Working on the premise that satisfied employees yield more
productivity, companies often find that team-building events positively affect
the outlook and results of individuals, teams and the company as a whole. Team
building also serves to identify and utilize the strengths of team members
thereby increasing team productivity. When people who rarely work together meet
on a common platform to communicate, they might discover that they enjoy the
interaction and continue bond with different people back at the office. Those
who previously may not have been getting along will have to forget their
differences in order to overcome an impediment purposely designed for the same
which would possibly diminish their dislike as they work together for a common
goal.
Management plays an important role in team building as well.
No group of people will become a team without the commitment and support of
executives and managers. The result is greater satisfaction for the employees
and improved performance for the company.
5 things a manager can do to build a team effectively are:
Play to Individual Strengths
Encourage Transparency
Establish Ground Rules
Let Them Know You Stand By Them
Provide an Incentive
Hence, the aspect of team building
should be taken into account by every organisation. After all, creating a team
means bringing together people with different skill sets and varied
personalities to work towards a common goal--a complex undertaking.
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