It is essential to have an understanding of working in groups for a more effective performance. In order to complete tasks in a faster phase and a better content, team work will be needed. Communications and procedures of the teams in a group will need to be coherent so that it will result to a more successful outcome. A common definition of team work is the course of functioning collaboratively with a cluster of people, with the aim of accomplishing a goal.In this essay, I will be talking about Tuckman’s theory of teamwork and reviews of two accomplished businesses who believes teamwork helped them achieve their success.
The team working that I felt was very successful was when we had to create a dance and singing production to be performed in front of various known visitors. At first, it was difficult to communicate with individuals you do not have worked with before as it is hard to determine in what way each individual can learn better. As to start with as I was positioned to be the leader and choreographer, I asked for a meeting straightaway and spoke about how they want to start off and what ways are they comfortable with such as: terms and conditions and the responsibility that we have taken up. I made sure as the leader that each individual from the group has had a say in every steps that we took. Arguments sometimes occurred but communication sorted this out until we have produced a successful production. In this exercise, I believe that communication really helped and understanding the differences of each individual needs to be kept in mind.
One probable differentiation is established on the development and maturity of the ‘group’. For instance, in relation to Tuckman’s representation, not until a group advances beyond the phases of forming, norming and storming and efficaciously attains the performing step does it develop as a team. The extent of cohesiveness is influenced moreover by the way in which group’s growth through the several steps of development and maturity previous to start concentrating on the actual jobs that have been supplied. Tuckman categorizes five key progressive stages of group development and associations and these are: forming, storming, norming and performing.
· Stage 1 – forming. The preliminary foundation of the group and the getting together mutually with a number of personalities who spots, cautiously, the drive of the group, its configuration and conditions of orientation. At this phase, attention is specified to ranked arrangement of the group, outline of management, discrete parts and accountabilities, and all other principles. There is expected to be significant concern as associate’s effort to generate an impression, to assess one another to launch their own uniqueness in the interior of the group.
· Stage 2 – storming. As affiliates of the group become acquainted with each other well, they will set forth their opinions more acquiescently and convincingly. Disparities will be spoken and trials presented on the disposition of the task and preparations completed in the previous stage of development. This may result to encounter and aggression. The storming stage is vital as, if prosperous; there will be deliberations on improving preparations for the functioning and action of the group, and settlement on more significant organizations and measures.
· Stage 3 – norming. As clash and opposition begins to be measured, members will institute procedures and principles and progress their individual standards of suitable conduct. The norming stage is substantial in launching the requirement for associates to collaborate so that strategy, approve principles of enactment and achieve the drive of the group.
· Stage 4 – performing. When the group has proceeded positively from the previous stages, it will have generated arrangement and cohesiveness to effort efficiently as a team. At this stage the group can focus on the fulfilment of its perseverance and operation of the shared task is possible to be at its maximum efficiency.
· Stage 5 – adjourning. This denotes to the suspending or closure of the group as, for example, ending of the task, members depart from the organisation or moving on to other tasks. Several members may suffer a captivating sense of loss at the end of a very long project and their reappearance to individuality is considered by unhappiness.
I felt that we did not organise the assignment properly, we did not go through the development and maturity of the group, and we were more like four independent individuals that have been joined together. We stopped from stage one which is forming, where everyone just identified each individuals role and the purpose of the group. For instance, when we needed to choose a topic each one prefers, we did not really gave ourselves a chance to discuss which should lead to stage 2 – storming and stage 3 - norming. Another negativity of our group is when at times when we planned to have a meeting to talk about the progress of our individual tasks, most of the time, not all of the members of the group show up. This just shows that lack of communication and interaction can complicate things.
From the times online 100 best companies, I have chosen to talk about two companies who remarks team works as a helping hand in their business . These businesses are Big Yellow Group and Admiral Group.
Denplan have been organisingdental payment plans since 1986 and are known nationwide and receives award-winning constantly. As from The times online their main purpose is to be a upright employer. Even if they reached a down low at recent, employees still recommends Denplan to be one of the best workplace to work in as for the honesty and openness to staff and strong communication which makes employees feedbacks important for them. Employees believe mostly from the leadership skills of their managing director which is very respectable as they seem to be a good listener.
In addition to this, they say the management are team players in or out of the office as they also join in to activities like gym and badminton where they have to work their way up the same as others. Employees enjoy working in Denplan and they give a lending hand towards each other. This employee believes that they can make an impact to the organisation and can contribute to their success without feeling under pressure.
Denplan has a scheme where they give an award to a colleague recognising their good performance within each department each week. Not only has this, Denplan also had the initiative to help others outside the organisation such as community action programme, school partnership, local sponsorship and green initiatives. Denplan makes it clear for the employees that it is the environment needs to be looked upon too.
I believe Denplan gives an outstanding point for its workers as with the management. If the management looks to be respectable and communicates properly where it helps employees in order to do their job properly, this gives a good view to the employees to be more responsibility and to have the innovation to help other colleagues in order to finish the job quickly and properly.
Admiral Group: Admiral was launched in 1993, with the goal of proposing lower premiums to more people. In this company; teamwork is very active and essential for them. Teamwork is the key to a very successful business; it brings out the best of each member, colleague, managers, etc.
Colleagues spend time with each other during work and outside work to increase their friendship, trust, morale and relationship with each other; These brings out the most out of them because they will get to know each other better, they will know each other’s weaknesses and strengths so during work, they can help out each other if they need help, they will treat each other with respect and a better communication with each other will be developed which means a better job will be done.
Managers also participate during the night outs to get to know their employees better and have a enhanced relationship with them. By doing so, they will have an improved communication, understanding on each person; get to know each other better i.e. personalities, hobbies, etc. This will also help them to figure out who are they working with and how to improve their employees to the standard that they wanted them to be. This also helps the colleagues to approach their managers easier because they have a good relationship with each other and restored understanding with each other when it comes to problems.
References:
Times Online.(2010) Denplan: Dental Payment Plans. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/article7030254.ece [Accessed on 13 April 2011]
Times Online.(2010) Admiral Group: Car Insurer. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/article7030252.ece[ Accessed on 13 April 2011]
Denplan Website .(2011) Products and Services. Available from: http://www.denplan.co.uk/companies/companies/products-and-services.aspx[ Accessed on 13 April 2011]
Admiral Group Online.(2007) About Admiral. Available from: http://www.admiral.com/aboutAdmiral/aboutAdmiral.php[ Accessed on 13 April 2011]
West,M.(2004) Effective Teamwork: practical lessons from organisational research: second edition.Oxford: BPS Blackwell Book.
Denplan.(2009)Denplan Call Centre Does it Again.http://www.denplan.co.uk/~/media/Files/pdfs/news/press-release/denplan-call-centre-does-it-again.ashx
Mullins, Laurie J. ( 2010) Management & Organisational Behaviour : ninth edition. London: Person Education Limited.
Business Dictionary (n.d) Definition of Teamwork [online].Available from:http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/teamwork.html.[ Accessed on 06/02/2011]
