Developing a Good Teamwork - Essay Example

Ethics Name Institution Date ETHICS Introduction Teamwork is an essential element in any social or business setting. It helps enhance cohesiveness, collaboration, exchange of information and knowledge, commitment and accountability among the team members while working towards a common goal. According to (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993), teamwork entails a small number of individuals with complementary skills and proficiencies who are dedicated to a common purpose, mutual performance goals and objectives and approach for which they hold themselves mutually responsible. Developing good teamwork is easier said than done since the concerned parties have to be committed to working hard and compromise in order to develop sustainable teamwork. Teamwork is an essential component that helps in improving the skills of coordination, communication and the ability for each member to rise above their individualistic goals and visions into collective needs as noted by (Trumbauer, 2000). Importantly, the benefits of good teamwork are not only demonstrated by the wins made by the team but also the growth and development of each individual team member. (Jones, 2007) highlights that good teamwork identifies the unique skills and potential of each team member, encourages active engagement and participation of each team member, positively criticizes in order to improve performance of each member, allows sharing of information and divergent views and opinions. Moreover, fosters respect for each other’s opinions and insights and allow equal contribution from all members irregardless of their social and cultural differences. This forms the basis of this report which is to discuss the elements of good teamwork. Elements of good teamwork According to the social identity theory founded by Henri Tajfel, categorizing individuals into in groups or out groups greatly influence their perceptions, conduct/ behavior and attitudes. For this reason, developing teams should not be a matter of bringing different people together but it should entail developing a framework that supports short term and long term goals of the team and of individual members. Among ways to achieve this is integrating key elements of good teamwork as the basis of a team. Among key elements of good teamwork includes Goal setting/ planning and effective communication; for a team to fully operate seamlessly, it is essential that all the team members are involved in the goal setting process/ planning to not only state the goals they are to achieve, but also evaluating the how and when the goals set will be accomplished as noted by (Mastroianni, et al., 2010). Goal setting rides on effective communication where interpersonal interactions among members are developed and sustained and each member is able to freely and explicitly express their feelings conveys plans and goals, share their ideas and are able to embrace each other’s point of view as supported by (Trumbauer, 2000). Nevertheless, due to fundamental attribution error which is characterized by over valuing or over-emphasis on dispositional or personality traits of a person to explain their behavior instead of examining the underlying situational explanations for the observed behavior, communicating effectively as a team becomes hard. Moreover, due to barriers of communication such as emotional noise, personal criticism, cultural differences, intolerance and lack of flexibility causes dissonance where intended messages are not received. Role allocation and coordination; good teamwork is based on each member understanding their own skills and potential capacities and those of their members, which helps in effective allocation of roles and team coordination. By understanding one’s role in the team, there is less time wasting, enhanced accountability on designated roles and each member is able to contribute towards the team (Jones, 2007). This is essential in fostering self esteem, self efficacy and self confidence among team members since no one dominates the team and each share and contribute equally. Among roles allocated in a team includes the leader, elaborator, recorder, motivator, harmonizer, follower and counselor among others as highlighted by (Trumbauer, 2000). Conflict resolution; conflicts are inevitable when operating in a team (Mastroianni, et al., 2010). However, failure to effectively and efficiently respond to the conflict can damage team spirit and at worse create tension, anger, hatred, prejudice and stereotyping which results in non-accomplishment of set goals. To effectively resolve conflicts it is essential to develop mutually agreed techniques of resolving conflict (Trumbauer, 2000). It is important for each member to voice their concerns with fear of offending others while the leader should foster fairness and impartiality during the process of resolving conflict. Conflict resolution helps foster commitment, trust and creativity of members. Majority of conflicts arise from self-serving bias where members take credit for success of the teams and deny accountability in failure and instead play blame game or refuse to change as highlighted in the self perception theory as noted by (Tajfel, 2010). Self serving bias is good to as far as boosting the confidence and motivating the team member, but it should not be used to victimize those thought to have contributed less or allow members to maintain the status quo. Effective leadership; although all members are equal, having an effective leader is key to good teamwork. Effective leadership provides direction, supports, empowers, communicates and appreciates each member, sustains a positive working environment and promotes ideals as discussed by (Mastroianni, et al., 2010). Among other key variables that are integrated within the above mentioned elements of good teamwork includes tolerance, diversity, commitment to the team, honesty and adaptability. Effective Strategies for promoting positive mental health for people who intend to work in a high stress environment Good health is defined as the state of overall wellbeing of an individual physically, psychologically, socially, emotionally and spiritually, which is impacted by varied interrelated elements. Developing positive mental health is essential in equipping people with the ability to cope with stress thus, enhancing quality of life as a person, as a community and as a society (Kavitha, 2009). Positive mental health is influenced by the ability of an individual to have control in handling situations and the reinforcement they have to help them cope. A strenuous working environment exposes individuals to situations they are not able to effectively and efficiently control, which destroys their positive mental health if they are not adequately prepared as noted by (Kavitha, 2009). Understanding effective strategies which helps enhance positive mental health is fundamental for people working or those intending to work in a high stress environment. Among the effective strategies include Developing resilience; According to (Luthar, et al., 2000), resilience refers to the positive ability of an individual to cope with strenuous situations and face adversities. By developing resilience, an individual is able to see positive results irregardless of the high risk situations, they are able to exercise constant proficiency even when under stress, they are able to effectively pull through trauma and they are able to use challenges as a ladder for personal growth and development, which makes facing future challenges easier to tolerate (Luthar, et al., 2000). Effective development of resilience allows people to successfully adjust in high risk areas/ situations and enhance their positive outlook for life. One can develop resilience by developing skills in solving problems, having a strong social support system such as friends and family, sharing experiences and finding positive meaning in a stressful environment by believing something good will come out of it as suggested by (Luthar, et al., 2000). Set realistic and achievable goals; Human beings have the tendency to underestimate situations and overestimate their abilities, which lead them to set unrealistic goals. In order to effectively function under strenuous environment and ensure sustainable positive mental health, it is important to understand that setting unrealistic goals is setting oneself up for failure which translates to more stress (Seaward, 2006). Fostering a positive mental attitude requires working on one’s expectations. Working in a high stress environment requires an individual to adjust their standards and expectations to reasonable levels. This means setting reasonable standards and expectations for not only one’s self but also others as echoed by (Kavitha, 2009). Developing a positive mental attitude; Negative attitudes draw out energy, hinder motivation and lead to negative mental health. According to (Kavitha, 2009), it is vital to focus all the energy on positive things by thinking positively and patting oneself on the back when no one appreciates the efforts generated. Expecting others to recognize and appreciate you leads to more stress if they do not. How one thinks and perceives issues in a high stress environment has a huge impact not only on the mental health but also on their emotional and physical well being (Seaward, 2006). Thinking failure, not only signals the mind to worry and be anxious but it also signals the body to either tire or exhibit reactionary responses such as anger, resentment and helplessness. Leading a healthy lifestyle and developing emotional intelligence; The worst thing one can do while working in a strenuous job is self neglect. It is crucial to not only give oneself some time off for relaxation and to enjoy one’s hobbies, but also, eat and drink healthily, exercise, have enough sleep and even meditate. In addition, one should incorporate the healthy lifestyle with emotional intelligence where one enhances their self awareness, boost their self confidence and self-worth and learn self control (Kavitha, 2009). By so doing, one is able to sustain their positive mental health irregardless of the stress or pressure they are going through at work. These elements should be integrated as part of one’s daily chore way before they join the strenuous working environment. Regular counseling; Participating in group or individual counseling before joining a strenuous working environment, during and after is crucial to developing a positive mental health. Counseling provides a chance to unwind, share one’s fears, worries and in the process learn one’s strong points and how to capitalize on them, identify one’s weak points and therefore, work on ameliorating them and learn ways of changing to a better behavior, which would help foster positive mental health as discussed by (Seaward, 2006). Through counseling, one is able to effectively and efficiently minimize job ambiguities since one is able to focus more clearly and hence, understand the complexities and dynamics of their jobs. References Katzenbach, J. & Smith, D. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams. Harvard Business School Press, p. 45. Jones, R. (2007). Key Topics in Healthcare Management: Understanding the Big Picture. London: Radcliffe Publishing. Mastroianni, G., Palmer, B., Penetar, D., & Tepe, V. (2010). A Warrior's Guide to Psychology and Performance: What You Should Know about Yourself and Others. Sidney: Potomac Books, Inc. Tajfel, H. (2010). Social Identity and Intergroup Relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Trumbauer, L. (2000). Teamwork. New York: Capstone Press. Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D. & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71 (3): 543–562. Seaward, B.L. (2006). Managing stress: principles and strategies for health and wellbeing. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Kavitha, G. (2009). Occupational Stress and Coping Strategies. London: Discovery Publishing House. Read More

Goal setting rides on effective communication where interpersonal interactions among members are developed and sustained and each member is able to freely and explicitly express their feelings conveys plans and goals, share their ideas and are able to embrace each other’s point of view as supported by (Trumbauer, 2000). Nevertheless, due to fundamental attribution error which is characterized by over valuing or over-emphasis on dispositional or personality traits of a person to explain their behavior instead of examining the underlying situational explanations for the observed behavior, communicating effectively as a team becomes hard.

Moreover, due to barriers of communication such as emotional noise, personal criticism, cultural differences, intolerance and lack of flexibility causes dissonance where intended messages are not received. Role allocation and coordination; good teamwork is based on each member understanding their own skills and potential capacities and those of their members, which helps in effective allocation of roles and team coordination. By understanding one’s role in the team, there is less time wasting, enhanced accountability on designated roles and each member is able to contribute towards the team (Jones, 2007).

This is essential in fostering self esteem, self efficacy and self confidence among team members since no one dominates the team and each share and contribute equally. Among roles allocated in a team includes the leader, elaborator, recorder, motivator, harmonizer, follower and counselor among others as highlighted by (Trumbauer, 2000). Conflict resolution; conflicts are inevitable when operating in a team (Mastroianni, et al., 2010). However, failure to effectively and efficiently respond to the conflict can damage team spirit and at worse create tension, anger, hatred, prejudice and stereotyping which results in non-accomplishment of set goals.

To effectively resolve conflicts it is essential to develop mutually agreed techniques of resolving conflict (Trumbauer, 2000). It is important for each member to voice their concerns with fear of offending others while the leader should foster fairness and impartiality during the process of resolving conflict. Conflict resolution helps foster commitment, trust and creativity of members. Majority of conflicts arise from self-serving bias where members take credit for success of the teams and deny accountability in failure and instead play blame game or refuse to change as highlighted in the self perception theory as noted by (Tajfel, 2010).

Self serving bias is good to as far as boosting the confidence and motivating the team member, but it should not be used to victimize those thought to have contributed less or allow members to maintain the status quo. Effective leadership; although all members are equal, having an effective leader is key to good teamwork. Effective leadership provides direction, supports, empowers, communicates and appreciates each member, sustains a positive working environment and promotes ideals as discussed by (Mastroianni, et al., 2010). Among other key variables that are integrated within the above mentioned elements of good teamwork includes tolerance, diversity, commitment to the team, honesty and adaptability.

Effective Strategies for promoting positive mental health for people who intend to work in a high stress environment Good health is defined as the state of overall wellbeing of an individual physically, psychologically, socially, emotionally and spiritually, which is impacted by varied interrelated elements. Developing positive mental health is essential in equipping people with the ability to cope with stress thus, enhancing quality of life as a person, as a community and as a society (Kavitha, 2009).

Positive mental health is influenced by the ability of an individual to have control in handling situations and the reinforcement they have to help them cope. A strenuous working environment exposes individuals to situations they are not able to effectively and efficiently control, which destroys their positive mental health if they are not adequately prepared as noted by (Kavitha, 2009).

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