This week, University's first group assignment was addressed in the Marketing Management class. There was a cool feeling that something great gonna happen again: Team-Work! The uni first year presentations were a kick-off and we got to learn quite a good few things about preparing an assignment and "shooting" for a class presentation. But this time, unlike last  year, we wanna give a try to another experiment: that of being lead and adapting with new members in the team which will have a winning spirit. Let's talk a bit about it....

Ref: 

• MGT1201 Organisational Behaviour - Case Study: A Virtual Team at T.A. Stearns
• Groups & Teams

Well, first of all, let me introduce the team (metaphorically):

and tiny little me , forming part of the team! Ya true, 6 girls and 1 boy, snif snif 

This time, we have the great opportunity to have a team consisting of student from both Management with IS and Management with Finance course. 

Who are we?

Robbins (2006) defines a work team as a group whose members work intensely on specific, common goal using their positive synergy, individual and mutual accountability and complementary skills.

As a team,

• We share a common goal - to practise team-work and strive to get a common job done - get the project satisfactorily delivered within the required timeframe
• We enjoy working together
• We communicate effectively - our small mailing list (Marketing Assignment Nov 08) and common formal/ informal meetings
• We have good interpersonal relationships - we have the opportunity to discover and enhance the friendship amongst the members, with whom maybe we did not have time to socialise before
• We have a commitment to achieve goals - we develop and maintain a highly desirable positive attitude during the work
• We have a high team spirit and a very high team morale

Do we have the right blend?

According to Belbin (Team Roles), the success of a group in terms of morale, behaviour & performance, can depend on the balance of individual skills & personality types within the group.

He suggests that there are 8 main character types that a well-balanced group would contain:

 How do we contribute?

Proposing - we put forward suggestions, new concepts or courses of action

Building - we extend/ develop someone else's proposal

Seeking Information - asking for more facts, opinions or clarifications

Giving Information - Offering facts, opinions or clarification

Disagreeing - offering criticisms/ alternate opinions which contradict a person's proposals/ opinions

Attacking - Attempting to undermine another person/ their position

Defending - Arguing for one's own point of view

Blocking/ difficulty starting - putting obstacles in the way of a proposal, without offering any alternatives

Bringing in behaviour - Involving another member; encouraging contribution  - I consider this very important

Shutting out behaviour - Interrupting/ overriding others; taking over - maybe I 've already shed some light on effective communication here.

If you disagree, do not become over assertive. Show that you can see more than one point of view. Show respect to the speaker and show your point of view in a very civilised manner - "b moi mo pense koum sa, to pas croire toi

Testing Behaviour - Checking whether points have been understood - should give a try at this

Summarising - Drawing together or summing up previous discussion

Avoiding blockages "baton dans la roue" 

We also strive to remove obstacles that might preven us  from working effectively and planning how to improve the overall performance of the team. We shall identify 'Blockages' and shall overcome them by using 'Building Blocks'

Concluding words

We acknowledge that not all teams are winners; However, the points mentioned in this post can get us closer to a winning team! Its just the beginning, I shall inform of our progress......Stay connected