Team Building and Motivation ITC/ILO Workshop on Decent Work for Transport Workers Oct Prepared by Victoria Munsey

Definitions of a Team “A group of people united by a common purpose.” “A group of people united by a common purpose.” “An energetic group of people committed to achieving common objectives who work well together and enjoy doing so and who produce high quality results.” (Improving work groups, by Francis and Young.) “An energetic group of people committed to achieving common objectives who work well together and enjoy doing so and who produce high quality results.” (Improving work groups, by Francis and Young.)

Definitions of a Team “A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.” “A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.” (The Wisdom of Teams by Katzenback & Smith)

Why build and use teams? Increasing need to coordinate projects and initiatives which run transversally between departments and sectors; Increasing need to coordinate projects and initiatives which run transversally between departments and sectors; Increasing need to respond quickly and flexibly to complex and rapidly changing situations; Increasing need to respond quickly and flexibly to complex and rapidly changing situations; Increasing need for a combination of skills, experiences and backgrounds. Increasing need for a combination of skills, experiences and backgrounds.

Teams Can: Achieve better results than individuals working alone; Achieve better results than individuals working alone; Be more flexible than larger groups; Be more flexible than larger groups; Generate a wider range of ideas than individuals; Generate a wider range of ideas than individuals; Help each other grow in skill and confidence. Help each other grow in skill and confidence.

Teambuilding & teamworking Teambuilding involves agreeing on a common vision, setting goals, getting to know other members, recognizing skills and abilities, establishing a method of working: Teambuilding involves agreeing on a common vision, setting goals, getting to know other members, recognizing skills and abilities, establishing a method of working: Teamworking skills include sharing ideas, cooperating, being open, staying fixed on objectives. Teamworking skills include sharing ideas, cooperating, being open, staying fixed on objectives.

When do you need a team? When dealing with new problems, answers sought are unknown; When dealing with new problems, answers sought are unknown; When there’s uncertainty about the task; When there’s uncertainty about the task; When you are experiencing rapid change; When you are experiencing rapid change; When there is a need for people to work closely together on real tasks. When there is a need for people to work closely together on real tasks.

Stages in the “life cycle” of a Team Formal stage Formal stage Chaotic stage Chaotic stage Skilful stage- a mature team Skilful stage- a mature team NB Considerable literature is available on this theme. NB Considerable literature is available on this theme.

When do you need to reach the skilful stage? Team faces ambiguous tasks; Team faces ambiguous tasks; Team has little relevant experience; Team has little relevant experience; Team has a constant core of members; Team has a constant core of members; Team is small (6-9 people) Team is small (6-9 people) Team meets frequently (at least every 2 weeks). Team meets frequently (at least every 2 weeks).

When is the formal stage sufficient? Team has specific tasks to face; Team has specific tasks to face; Team has much relevant experience; Team has much relevant experience; Team has a changing membership; Team has a changing membership; Team is fairly large (more than 10 people) Team is fairly large (more than 10 people) Team meets infrequently (once a month or less). Team meets infrequently (once a month or less).

Successful teams Need to identify worthwhile goals; Need to identify worthwhile goals; Understand exactly what they have to achieve; Understand exactly what they have to achieve; Need time to develop as a unit; Need time to develop as a unit; Have developed a appropriate way of working together; Have developed a appropriate way of working together; Review their performance periodically. Review their performance periodically.

Understanding what’s required: Ask those sponsoring the team: Ask those sponsoring the team: 1. What do you want us to do? 2. What’s the deadline? 3. How does this task fit into the bigger picture? 4. Are objectives specific, clear, challenging and measurable? 5. How will you judge our success? 6. What resources will we have?

Motivation Seeking to motivate others does not mean trying to manipulate them. Seeking to motivate others does not mean trying to manipulate them. We can try to understand what motivates others by putting ourselves in their shoes. We can try to understand what motivates others by putting ourselves in their shoes. People are motivated by work which satisfies their psychological needs. People are motivated by work which satisfies their psychological needs. Successful, mature Teams create their own motivation rather than requiring on-going motivational input from you, the Team Leader. Successful, mature Teams create their own motivation rather than requiring on-going motivational input from you, the Team Leader.

Self-Motivation (a brief aside) To ensure your maximum efficiency, efficacy and professional satisfaction as a supervisor and/or Team Leader, it is useful to ask yourself: what really motivates me? To ensure your maximum efficiency, efficacy and professional satisfaction as a supervisor and/or Team Leader, it is useful to ask yourself: what really motivates me? In all probability, your answers today will be different from those of yesterday. In all probability, your answers today will be different from those of yesterday. How can a realistic evaluation of these (new) answers help you in managing your day to day responsibilities? How can a realistic evaluation of these (new) answers help you in managing your day to day responsibilities?

Motivating groups and motivating individuals Motivating groups is one of the key skills required of a Team Leader (see material provided on Teams); Motivating groups is one of the key skills required of a Team Leader (see material provided on Teams); Motivating individual subordinates requires a good practical knowledge their personalities and priorities; Motivating individual subordinates requires a good practical knowledge their personalities and priorities; Both situations require good communication skills. Both situations require good communication skills.

Sources of Motivation for Individuals The need to comply with requests of hierarchical superior; The need to comply with requests of hierarchical superior; The need and desire to work with others to achieve meaningful results; The need and desire to work with others to achieve meaningful results; The need for personal satisfaction in a job well done; The need for personal satisfaction in a job well done; The need for recognition for one’s efforts; The need for recognition for one’s efforts; Other? Other?

Benefits of Effective Motivation Enthusiasm and commitment to achieving the goal; Enthusiasm and commitment to achieving the goal; Creativity is unleashed; Creativity is unleashed; Synergies are found within the working group- more than a sum of the parts; Synergies are found within the working group- more than a sum of the parts; Absenteeism, quarrels, gossip and destructive behaviours are minimised. Absenteeism, quarrels, gossip and destructive behaviours are minimised.

Getting the work done When is it better to use a directive style when assigning tasks to your subordinates and when is it better to take the time to delegate responsibility for a task/project to one of your work group? When is it better to use a directive style when assigning tasks to your subordinates and when is it better to take the time to delegate responsibility for a task/project to one of your work group? What are the advantages and disadvantages of delegation? What are the advantages and disadvantages of delegation?

Delegation Requires handing over both a task and the authority necessary to carry it out. Requires handing over both a task and the authority necessary to carry it out. The task must be clearly defined. The task must be clearly defined. Resources allocated should be adequate. Resources allocated should be adequate. If possible, the person to whom you are delegating should find a personal benefit in accepting the assignment. If possible, the person to whom you are delegating should find a personal benefit in accepting the assignment.

Steps in preparing to delegate Working on your own 1. Define task carefully. 2. Define what would be a successful execution of the task. 3. Define the skills and experience required 4. List the resources required 5. Note the authorisation required 6. Select the person to whom you’ll delegate.

Delegation interview Explain the 6 factors you’ve considered. Explain the 6 factors you’ve considered. Ask for his/her input on all 6 points Ask for his/her input on all 6 points Be willing to adapt to some suggestions given Be willing to adapt to some suggestions given Check for understanding Check for understanding Explain the frequency and detail of periodic reporting required Explain the frequency and detail of periodic reporting required Express confidence that he/she can do the job Express confidence that he/she can do the job

Evaluating the outcome of delegated task Check outcome against the success factors previously identified; Check outcome against the success factors previously identified; Determine the possible existence of unexpected positive/negative outcomes; Determine the possible existence of unexpected positive/negative outcomes; Ask the person to whom the task was delegated his/her evaluation of the outcome and the process Ask the person to whom the task was delegated his/her evaluation of the outcome and the process Together, decide how you could better organize the delegation process/handle the task in the future. Together, decide how you could better organize the delegation process/handle the task in the future.