The Importance of Teamwork in a Close Protection Environment - Essay Example

The importance of teamwork in a close protection environment Teamwork is conjoint action by a group of people, in which personal interests are subjected to group unanimity and efficiency, it is a concerted effort. Teamwork is the conception of people working jointly as a team. The conception has spread from the field of sports where it is universally known and common, to business, to such an extent, that it is in danger of being thought of by some only a buzz term, or a kind of corporate-speak. In the 21st century, while people are becoming more refined and society is becoming more advanced technically, working as a team facilitates the accomplishment of goals. Teamwork projects feature clearly determined and individually evaluated responsibilities for each member of a team as well as a specific and valuable result. Team members are appreciated at the quality of the product and their contributions to the team joint operation as well as the quality of the completion of their personally assigned tasks. Groups are specifically good at combining together talents and providing novel solutions to possible unusual problems; in cases where there is no established approach or procedure, the extended knowledge and skills set of the group possess a distinct advantage over those of the individual. The group constitutes an environment where the individuals self-apprehended level of authority and responsibility is expanded, in an environment where responsibility is shared: consequently providing a perfect motivation through improved self-esteem and low stress. There are various examples of teams: choirs, production-lines, football or hockey teams, political parties, committees, business companies, etc. As Blair claims all of them incorporate definite formation stages (Blair 219-223). Forming is the stage when the group initially comes together. Everybody is polite and dull and considers how he can get into the plan. Conflicts are seldom directly voiced; they are predominantly personal and certainly destructive. Since the group is new, the individuals will be locked in their own opinions and commonly reserved. This is particularly true in terms of the more subordinate and/or nervous members of the group who may never recover. The group tends to submit largely to those who appear as leaders. This stage features formation of an atmosphere of acceptance and safety, avoiding debate, and is filled with guidance from the manager or project team leader. The next stage is storming, when all breaks loose and the leaders are lynched. Factions are formed, personalities collide, no-one acknowledges a single point without fighting first. Most importantly, little communication takes place since no one is willing to listen and some are still reluctant to talk openly. True, this battle may seem a little excessive for the groups you belong to - but if you look deeper beneath the curtain of politeness at the boiling sarcasm, attacks and insinuation, perhaps the overall picture comes more into focus. In this environment behaviour of staff varies from domination to silence and a manager or project leader needs to demonstrate coaching in order to pass through this stage successfully. The third stage is norming, when the subgroups begin to acknowledge the benefits of working together and the fighting abates. Since a new feel of co-operation is obvious, every member acquires a secure feeling in expressing his/her own point of view and these are discussed unreservedly with the whole group. The most important improvement is that each person starts to listen to each other. Working methods are established and recognized by members of the group as a whole. This stage of group forming includes unanimity, trust building and sharing, creativity and acquisition of skills. During this stage the program manager or project leader demonstrates support. And final stage: performing. The culmination, when the group has established a system which allows frank and free exchange of views and an elevated degree of support by the group for each member and its decisions. This stage is the most highly productive. Leadership from the program manager or project leader is delivered in the form of delegation. The team possesses all the skills, talent and resources required to complete the objective. The concluding stage of group formation is the other end of the initial forming stage. The stage of transforming allows the group to reorganize itself, thank its participants and proceed with the completion of the project or task. This stage is characterized by recognition by the leader of the project, conclusion and disjunction by the team members. Main concepts of the teamwork are one aim, synergy, flexibility, co-operation, reporting to one boss, serving one customer. The optimal form of team formation and developing of the above-mentioned features of team participants is the process of enabling the group of people to reach their goal, the form of management consultancy, rather than as pure training. In its simplest terms, the stages involved in team building are: 1) To clarify the team goals; 2) To identify those issues which hinder the team from reaching their goals; 3) To address those issues, remove the inhibitors and enable the goals to be achieved. Close protection is all about safeguarding people; with operators keeping their clients safe from the unwanted attentions of anyone - from criminals, terrorists, and the insane to demonstrators, autograph hunters and those who are simply intent to cause trouble. Much of this work involves planning and threat assessment. Teams deploy to protect people from high-risk danger during business trips overseas, lesser threats at sports events, riots and book signings, and low-risk situations such as the shopping expeditions of VIPs and their families or company annual general meetings. Common goal of body guard team is “to support the principal, team and company to the best of your ability.” Many close protection operators are self-employed and form teams on contract basis, when most of the contracts are developed and negotiated by close protection operations companies. Here networking and teamwork are vital, and individuals’ experience and reputation are critical to their chances of getting work and progressing to the more profitable contracts. This job has tasks requiring not only high professionalism but teamwork abilities, for example threat and risk assessment, operational planning, and reconnaissance. It needs development of interpersonal skills, communication and conflict management skills. When people work in groups, there are two quite separate issues involved. The first is the task and the problems involved in getting the job done. The second is the process of the teamwork itself. The team process is a series of changes which befall as a group of individuals form into a cohesive and effective operating unity. If the process is comprehended, it can be accelerated. As a collection of people, a team needs to relearn some basic people-management skills and manners. In close protection it is vital. The long term success of a team depends upon how it deals with failure. Any failure should be investigated by the team. This is not to attribute blame (for that is shared by the whole team as an individual only acts with entrusted responsibility), but rather to study the causes and to contrive a mechanism which either monitors against or prevents reiteration. This allows the team to demonstrate the penitent to make amends and its continuing trust. Most importantly, the team must monitor the outcome, schedule a review and be prepared to alter the plan. Members of the team must communicate, both speaker and listener must be certain that the ideas have been correctly reported perhaps by the listener summarizing what was said in a different way. Self-serving, unprofessional, a show-off, or acting in manner embarrassing to the principal or the company team player is negatively affecting the effectiveness and morale of the team. A body guard must work on and develop diplomatic and interpersonal skills, learn how to interact with the staff as it is extremely important because they are those who support you. When working within the international community, one may team with employees from different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and religious beliefs, and potential animosity is possible. A body guard has not to alienate himself from others. One needs support assistance and information that could be vital to the job and success, impossible with unapproachable and standoffish attitude or disposition. Resources and time must be rationally allocated by the team and by management, and the teamwork must be planned, supervised and reviewed just like any other managed process. Works cited Blair, G.M. "Groups that work." IEE Engineering Management Journal vol. 1, no. 5 (October 1991): 219-223. Read More