Personal Reflection: Workplace Teams and Groups Paper
Personal Reflection: Workplace Teams and Groups Paper
Introduction
At any given work place, no one works independent of their colleagues. Organizations are formed by a group or team of individuals with different roles that are all designed to help the organization achieve its common goal. A team or group must focus on their performance by ensuring that every member of the team fulfils their roles appropriately and within the set timelines. Teams or groups require leaders. Leaders or managers provide direction and guidance to the organization. Managers or leaders ensure that the team maintains its pursuit of the pre-set goals without deviating. A team comprises of several individuals who have different backgrounds and personalities. The experience of each group member may differ depending on their mentality and personality. The manager’s attitude, personality and decision makings skills are significant factors that influence how team members perceive their experience at work place. The manager’s influence is also correlated to the performance of every member.
I was a team member of a committee whose task was to ensure community development. The team was to ensure that communal projects such as water supply, road network development and electricity access were accomplished by the relevant authorities. Therefore, the team was mandated to scrutinize and assess development projects to ensure that they were accomplished within the required time. We were also tasked with ensuring that the projects meet the stipulated or expected standards.
My experience on the team was quite good considering that I worked on the committee as treasurer and one of the project appraisal specialists. The team members were all hard working, committed individuals with the spirit of teamwork. We worked 8 hours a day every three days of the week. However, we also met for extra sessions as a team and pursued our individual roles in the team for extra hours whenever need arose.
The team performance was exuberant due to the commitment and professionalism of every member. We also understood one another and often consulted whenever there was a difficult or contentious issue. The team was also under the guidance of able leadership of an experienced manager. The manager had over 25 years’ experience in community development projects. He was elderly and responsible. Every team member respected the manager’s leadership and obeyed his orders. The commitment, good leadership, professionalism and qualifications of team members ensured that the team’s performance was gear.
My individual performance was way above average. I had the support of my colleagues. The often advised and guided me whenever I faced difficult situations. The decision making skills of the manager was also a contributing factor. He often made the most appropriate decisions when the need arose. He was also a motivational figure in the team. This motivated me and other team members to improve and emulate the leader. He was a perfect role model.
Gender differences
The team had a fair gender distribution there were 60 percent males and 40 percent female team members. There was a lot of respect from both genders. Since most members were well educated professionals, gender was never an issue. Everyone seemed to concentrate on their roles as a team member. Another encouraging factor was that responsibilities in the committee were allocated fairly and gender balanced. Women were allocated important posts such as the treasurer, assistant manager, assessment and appraisal leader and coordinator. Therefore, gender differences were not an issue to worry about in the team.
Conflict
Conflicts in teams are unavoidable. However, it is the manner you deal with the conflict that determines the destiny of the relationship between members. The team had conflicts all the time. Members would disagree on their roles. Some felt that their roles were being undermined while others were being overworked. For example, I was involved in a conflict where group members felt that I should be allocated more responsibilities apart from the treasurer post. Secondly, some people felt that, as treasurer, I had to account for every cent. Therefore, I was required to give a financial report every time the committee met. However, the manager and other team members were good at conflict resolution. Conflicts were often resolved amicably and professionally.
Cultural differences
The team was to oversee community development. Therefore, the composition of the committee was deliberately designed in a way that it had a representative from all cultures in the community. There were people of European, Latin and African descent. These individuals were treated as equals in the committee. Their contribution was highly regarded because they were the minority groups whose welfare had to be sustained. Therefore, there were no cultural differences in the team.
Therefore, my team experience was very positive. I learnt how to act professionally in a team of people of different gender, area of specialization, culture and personalities. Every team member was focused on the committee goals.
Group experience
The team members were professionals from different fields of specialization. Their levels of experience were also different because some had been in the field for over 2 decades while some of us were learning and gaining experience. It was a mix of experience and learners to form a determined team that was able to achieve its objectives.
Manager’s decisions
The manager was had experience in community development. His decision making was a key determinant of the success of the team. He often gave his juniors motivation and advice on how to handle their responsibilities. He always ensured that every team member was up to the task before assigning them any duty. Furthermore, his decisions were always made after every team member had been consulted and their opinion taken. This made team members happy, appreciated and supported hence; the good experience.
The manager
The manager was a great leader due to his attributes and contribution to the success of the team. He offered help to his subjects, advised and motivated them to ensure they were comfortable. His leadership qualities were also evident from his authoritative nature whenever there were conflicts. He often resolved conflicts without bias. He also ensured that everyone performed his or her duties correctly.
Type of group
The team could be classified as a top executive team, which has the autonomy to determine objectives and missions. The committee’s main responsibility was to oversee community development. Therefore, its duty was to work autonomously to establish objectives and missions that could help develop the community. The leadership behaviours displayed by the manager included his motivational skills, conflict resolution and accountability. He was also a role model to all members. These behaviours were instrumental in the positive performance of the team.
Conclusion
Therefore, team work is imperative if at all an organization is to achieve its objectives. The experience of team members is dependent on the relationship among members and the influence of their leader. Groups have cultural, gender and professional differences, but all these can be used to the advantage of the team by enhancing its dynamism. Members should also learn how to resolve conflicts when they arise. Leaders must also take responsibility and ensure that their subjects remain professional and focused on the team objectives. The team I worked in was an autonomous top executive team. It was a positive experience because of the good leadership and professionalism of team members.
References
Gill, R. Theory and practice of leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006.
Nahavandi, A. The art and science of leadership. 5th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2009.
Yukl, G. Leadership in organizations. 7th ed. . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2010.
