Leahcim Semaj, Ph.D. - Change Agent

One of the most powerful concept now being utilized in the world of business is “The Team” . One problem is that many companies in Jamaica have settled for just removing the word “department” and replacing it with “team”. Much more is required if we are to earn the benefits of teams. Teams results in better problem solving, greater productivity and a more efficient use of resources. For example, a multiskilled team at General Motors cut warranty costs on rear-wheel-drive suspension systems 400% in two years. A team drawn from seven departments at Adolph Coors reduced by half the time it took to introduce a new beer. In Jamaica, Apparel Handlers got garment sector works to exceed world standards via team sewing.

The Power of Teams
For the sake of the team, people want to do more than cooperate with one another they collaborate. They willingly invest themselves in the team effort. People who have learned to support and trust one another share what they know freely. They pass on the information that members need to operate more effectively. The result is that information flows freely up and down and sideways. Whenever one member of a team lacks certain knowledge or competence, another is there to fill the gap. Everyone generating and evaluating more options than one person can develop. People make their choices together and not sequentially. Decisions are by consensus. They are usually better than what even the brightest person in the work group could come up with alone.

People who are responsible for decisions and solutions own them. The result of this is that team members also feel a strong commitment to the team itself not to let it down. They are part of a team effort and want to make the team look as good as possible. They ensure that each member gets what he or she needs from the team to turn out the best possible work

Building a Team
Teams develop in a business environment for several reasons and there are various benefits of teams. Teams are developed, rather than chosen, in order to accomplish a team mission - a business goal. In this development it is usually the team leader’s job to focus the team and to develop the characteristics of its members. For a team to be effective, certain functions must be completed. Teambuilding is therefore about the development of individuals and the matching of personalities to functions.

It is vitally important to scientifically separate and identify the functions that the team requires and which individuals fulfill each of these functions. The Team Profile is an instrument designed to indicate the particular direction of individuals towards each of the required functions and will give team leaders and other team members some indication of their strengths and weaknesses.

The 10 Team Roles:

VISIONARY: This person has the overall vision of the team mission as well as where that mission fits into the wider organizational objectives. S/he is able to see beyond the team’s own requirements and “reach for the stars”

PRAGMATIST: The pragmatist complements the visionary by defining the mission in practical terms. S/he is usually the one to remind of budget constraints and other such practicalities. Even though they are often described as skeptics, it is these persons who can also show the team how to make the impossible, possible.

EXPLORER: It is the explorer’s role to seek information, material and support from outside the team environment. S/he will build relationships with other teams or the wider business environment and will be the team’s ambassador. More than anyone they will form relationships that go beyond the interpersonal relationships of the team itself.

CHALLENGER: There will always be someone who challenges the accepted position. This may involve challenging the team mission itself, asking team members to remind themselves of what the mission of the team is and whether it is still relevant. The role is a positive one - the challenger is there in order that the team goals are furthered and that the team mission is being fulfilled rather than delayed or distracted.

REFEREE: The referee is that person who takes as near an independent view of team progress and decisions as is possible. Referees may be outsiders, usually consultants brought in to energize the team especially when they have lost sight of its mission statement. It is this independence from the company culture that inspires the name referee.

PEACEMAKER: The peacemaker is the one who will ensure that there is fair play, who will redress perceived injustices and resolve conflicts. This person also predicts areas of conflict and heads them off before they arise. The role is that of a troubleshooter.

BEAVER: The beaver is the person who does a lot of the ground work for the team. This role is defined by the level of physical and mental effort required and exerted.

COACH: It is the role of the coach to boost morale especially during the times that the team loses its direction or its own focus of its mission. S/he offers praise or encouragement and reminds persons of their own roles and the overall game plan.

LIBRARIAN: The librarian is responsible for recording all information regarding the team’s activities. This involves recording deliberations, decisions, actions and evaluations so that there is always historical data that can be accessed as needed. Librarians house the information bank from which others can draw.

CONFESSOR: Confessors act as a sounding board for the fears and aspirations of the team members who have no other confidant to turn to. Practical teambuilding has shown that this is a much-valued role and there is a tendency for it to be performed by the team leader.

Do you know what role or roles you play on a team? Is you team effective or dysfunctional? Remember, no one is smarter than a team.