Contribute to workplace improvements

In a Team Environment with Sue Cameron

Agenda Session 6

• Revision on Last week (Session 5 PPP)• Guiding and supporting colleagues• Establishing an innovative team• Activity in being creative• Group dynamics• Types of teams and their roles• Discuss ideas with others

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Revision

• What does motivation mean?• What are some of the things you can do to

create innovation?• What sort of things do you ask new members

of a team to find out their needs and wants?• How many people are ideal for a innovative

team?

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Support & Guide Colleagues• Remember to model behaviour that supports

innovation as per Session 6• Establish an innovative team by:

Leading by example Motivating everyone in the team

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Establish an Innovative Team Checking out the team potential and

current skills Defining what the team wants to achieve Perhaps bringing outside people to the

team Acknowledge and respect what everyone is

bringing to the team

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Establish an Innovative Team

Agree on the rules and responsibilities Using techniques such as brain storming to

come up with some new ideas Work together as a team by sharing and

resolving problems on the way through the process

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Establish an Innovative Team

Challenge and test ideas openly and clearly Celebrate the success of the team when the

project is completed

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Exploring new Ideas

• Activity

A group brainstorming session on new ways to make SBTA more effective and a great place to learn and have fun

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Activity Part 1

• Using the White Board any ideas at all (it doesn’t matter if you think they are silly or stupid just say them)

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Activity Continued

• Part 2: Challenge and question these ideas and

concepts to test them• Part 3:

We want to end up with the best 3 ideas• Part 4:

How can we make these ideas work?

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Why have an innovative team?

• Because companies that have introduced team-based organisations have reported up to 40% gains in productivity and design and manufacturing flaws (mistakes) cut by half

• Other organisations have reported massive cost savings and increases in profit

(reference ‘Management, Theory and Practise ’by Kris Cole)

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Teams are not always appropriate

• However not all jobs and activities are handled best by teams

• Teams are not needed when the leader really does know best and when people can work independently

• Teams do not work without clear objectives and are given insufficient training & support

(reference ‘Management, Theory and Practise ’by Kris Cole)

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Group Dynamics

• Definition: Refers to the unique forces operating in a group that affects the interactions between people and their relationships with each other, the way people operate together and their behaviour towards each other which influences how they go about achieving the task (job)

(Management – Theory and Practise by Kris Cole)

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Group Dynamics

• Group dynamics is the study of groups, and also a general term for group processes

• Relevant to the fields of psychology, sociology, and communication studies, a group is two or more individuals who are connected to each other by social relationships

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Group Dynamics• Because they interact and influence each

other, groups develop a number of dynamic processes that separate them from a random collection of individuals

• The field of group dynamics is primarily concerned with small group behaviour

(Reference Wikipedia)

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How to write a report• Go to How to write a report on e-learning

under Files• A demonstration on how to set up a report in

MS Word using Print Preview, insert ‘Page Break’, insert a Footer, how to set the document on 1 ½ spacing for the document using the paragraph in the tool bar and insert double spacing between headings

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Types of Teams• Quality Circles (TQM) Some of the early types

of teams to identify, analyse & rectify problems

• Multifunctional or cross-functional teams (a team responsible for delivering the entire product or service, including design, marketing, manufacturing, after sales service and delivery

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Types of Teams • Management Teams (managers or leaders

from different functions such as finance, operations, marketing, HR etc to coordinate work and company strategy

• Work Teams (people working together as a team)

• Self Managed Teams (work teams that are empowered to make their own decisions)

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Types of Teams

• Problem Solving Teams (team to solve a specific problem)

• Project Teams (temporary teams brought together to undertake a specific assignment

• Merged Teams (when companies are taken over or merged)

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Types of Teams

• Virtual Teams (teams made of members based in different geographical locations)

• Matrix Teams (teams whose members are members of several types of teams)

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Innovative Team Roles• All team roles depend on the purpose and type of the

teamThere are 4 personality types which are needed on any team: Dominant Directors (sets the direction, pace and focus on results) Interacting Socialisers (adds enthusiasm, spirit and sense of fun, sees big picture, talkative, creative and flexible)

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Innovative Team Roles Steady realtors (easygoing, relaxed, consistent people

who are the glue that binds the team together, good listeners, calm and quiet manner. Their loyalty and helpfulness make them valuable in any team)

Conscientious thinkers (look after the details and check things carefully, systematic, accurate and well organised and good at thinking about things and analysing them

(Management – Theory and Practise by Kris Cole)

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Barriers to Innovation

Lack of support from management Inertia or lack of energy People’s resistance to change Insufficient resources e.g. money, equipment,

outdated or inappropriate policies and procedures

Poor communication styles and systems

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Discuss ideas with others

• Identify people who can contribute to the ideas for improvement to work practices, services or products

• Who do you think these people could be?

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Discuss ideas with others• People who can contribute may include:

colleagues supervisors managers friends and family who work outside the organisation those who can provide technical knowledge on the

viability of the ideas those who can fund or promote the implementation

of the ideas

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Discuss ideas with others

• Select appropriate communication methods for discussing ideas

• What do you think some of these communication methods may be?

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Discuss ideas with others

• Communication methods may be: face-to-face discussions interviews telephone discussions email written correspondence, such as memos, letters

and reports

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Discuss ideas with others

suggestion boxes and suggestion boards surveys and questionnaires newsletter contributions formal or informal meetings

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Discuss ideas with others

• Share and discuss ideas, seek feedback and consider all options

• How would you do this?

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Discuss ideas with others

• Seeking and considering feedback may involve: active listening asking questions clarifying understanding accepting the options and ideas of others,

especially those with cultural or special needs taking into account technical and OHS (WHS)

considerations and restrictions

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Discuss ideas with others

• Review feedback, modify and further develop ideas in response to the feedback

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Next Session• Revision on creating opportunities for

innovation and supporting & guiding colleagues

• Challenging ideas and concepts• Thank you and see you tomorrow evening

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