Introduction
Teamwork is a collaborated effort by a group of people who have met for a particular purpose in the organization to achieve a given objective in the most effective and efficient way. A team is a group of interdependent individuals who work together with the aim of achieving a common goal in the organization or society. The factors necessary for the success of a team include the efficient size of the team (6-8 members), the guidance of the supervisor and the presence of the resources required by the team to achieve the objectives that have been set by the team as well as setting out clear roles in the organization so that everyone will be aware of the role or roles that he has to play in the team. A team that does not set out clear goals on what the members should do is likely to fail when it comes to the delivery of the mandate which they have in the society. Teamwork is applicable in any context that is made up of individuals who have come together with the intention of achieving a given objective in whatever they have come together to do. The contexts where teamwork applies includes the industries, schools, athletics as well as the healthcare system. The level of interdependence in the teams varies from low to intermediate to high depending on the amount of collaboration, communication, and interaction that are required within the teams. This paper looks at teamwork as a strategy that can help in the success of a company in the production of goods and delivery of services to their vast number of clients throughout the market. Teamwork brings success to a given organization (Mathieu, Maynard, Rapp & Gilson, 2008).
Problem statement
Teamwork is important to any organization because it improves the functions of the organization. The firm is grappling with ensuring effective teamwork that will improve the functionality of the departments and deliver good results to the organization. It is therefore important to come up with several mechanisms that can be used to improve teamwork in the organization. Most of the companies are not able to maintain steady teams that will help them in the achievement of several goals and objectives that they have put in place. One of the major impediment to teamwork is the conflicts among various employees in the workplace. Our company faces regular conflicts among the teams of employees as many people differ on the best way which they can have a given task done in the organization. The conflicts are affecting how the organization serves the clients and the swiftness by which the goals and objectives are being attained in the organization. Effective teamwork will, therefore, play an important role in ensuring that the organization has a competitive edge over the others that provide the same goods and services in the market.
Background literature
Various interventions may be used in the improvement of team effectiveness which includes training, tools and organizational interventions. Training provides the members of the team with the necessary skills that they require to effectively discharge their duties in the team for the benefit of the members and the organization as a whole (Mathieu, Maynard, Rapp & Gilson, 2008). Some of the common skills required by the teams include communication skills that will help them communicate better in the team as well as make strong relationship with the members for effective working collaboration. The other skill that is needed is how to integrate their knowledge and come up with an effective formula that will see all the members contributing their skills and ideas in the team to ensure success in all the work that they do in the organization. Having good working tools is also an intervention that will ensure effective working tools that will ensure the success of the activities that are carried out by a given team in the organization or institution. The tools will depend on the type of work that is supposed to be done by the teams. For instance, the tools required in the football teams are different from the tools that are required in the teams that are formed in the manufacturing industries (Buljac-Samardzic et al., 2010). The organization may also come up with their type of interventions that are aimed at ensuring that the teams work best to achieve the objectives that they have been given in a given organization. For instance, the organization may hire an experienced coach to provide the team with the much-needed skills that will be required in the achievement of the objectives that have been set (West, 2012). The mentor may also provide the much-needed motivation that is needed in the organization. An organization may also increase the number of tasks that are supposed to be conducted by a given team as a way of motivating them to work faster and better to achieve the objectives that have been set. Some organizations also reward the better performing teams as a way of motivating them to be more productive within the organization (Buljac-Samardzic, Dekker-van Doorn, Van Wijngaarden, & Van Wijk, 2010).
Teamwork is a good facilitator with regards to facilitating high-quality healthcare services internationally. One of the shortcomings in teamwork that has been identified by Xyrichis and Ream (2008) is the fact that the basic conceptual understanding of teamwork lacks in various settings something that made the researchers conduct a conceptual analysis that could play an important role in ensuring the better understanding of the concept so that it can be applied in the teams to ensure better achievement of the set objectives. Xyrichis and Ream (2008) proposed teamwork as a dynamic process that is composed of two or more healthcare professionals with complementary backgrounds who share common healthcare goals and have concerted mental and physical effort in the assessment, planning or the evaluation of the patients care. The teamwork process becomes successful through open communication, interdependent collaboration as well as shared decision making that leads to value-added patient care in healthcare institutions. Xyrichis and Ream (2008) note the fact that effective teamwork involves an understanding of what the concept involves in a given society.
The conflicts that occur in various teams, the steps that the taken by the team to deal with the conflicts and the efforts put in place to ensure cohesion among the members of the team can either impede or enhance the teamwork process in the organization. Conflicts affect the communication process in the team hence negatively affecting the delivery of services by the team. Conflict resolution plays an important role in forestalling the communication barriers that have been brought about by the conflicts in the organization to ensure that the team delivers its objectives. Team cohesion plays an important role in the improved performance, team viability and satisfaction of the team (Tekleab, Quigley & Tesluk, 2009). It should be noted that the teamwork processes have a positive relationship with the performance of a given team. The performance of the teams is also dependent on the task to be performed and the size of the team. In the case where the team is too big, there will be overcrowding that will affect the delivery of services in a given team (LePine et al., 2008).
Strategic plan for change
Cultivation of communication will play an important role in fostering teamwork in the organization. There are several strategies that the company will put in place to ensure that there is an improvement in communication that will play an important role in improving the tasks that are performed by the teams in a given organization. The strategies include training the team members on the new and convenient forms of communication. It also involves the procurement of the latest gadgets that will improve communication in society. The other strategy to improve teamwork is to come up with team building activities that will play an important role in fostering relationships that will improve the functionality of the organization. The other strategy is to set defined goals that will give the definite ways of coming with teamwork. Effective monitoring of the teams will ensure that the measures put in place are well implemented.
Strategic plan for implementation of the changes
The strategic plan for the implementation of the changes in teamwork includes engaging the workers in the organization in various activities in the organization to ensure that they work better in the organization. It is important to reward the efforts of the employees as a way of motivating them to perform better in the organization. The company should also remain committed to their employees and make them feel important in the organization as a way of making them committed to the organization and doing their best in the organization. Companies that are committed to their employees are likely to reap from their loyalty which will enhance teamwork in the organization. The management of the company may also seek clarity on various issues that they are not sure about in the organization to ensure that they are sure with regards to what they need to do. The other strategy is to seek cultural cohesiveness that will ensure togetherness among the employees for the benefit of the company.
Final recommendations and possible outcomes
It is recommended that an organization creates emphasis on the role of the leaders in the organization. Having the definite role of the leaders makes them understand what they are supposed to do at a given time for the benefit of the organization. The roles of the leaders as far as teamwork is concerned will improve the performance of the people in the organization. The company can also ensure teamwork in the organization by improving the process of communication. The teams should also establish team rules that will guide the organization. The organization should also clarify the purpose of the organization so that the team members understand what is expected of them.
Summary and conclusions
Teamwork is important to any organization because it improves the functions of the organization. Improvement of teamwork of the organization. Some of the common skills required by the teams include communication skills that will help them communicate better in the team as well as make strong relationship with the members for effective working collaboration. The conflicts that occur in various teams, the steps that the taken by the team to deal with the conflicts and the efforts put in place to ensure cohesion among the members of the team can either impede or enhance the teamwork process in the organization.
Annotated bibliography
Buljac-Samardzic, M., Dekker-van Doorn, C. M., van Wijngaarden, J. D., & van Wijk, K. P. (2010). Interventions to improve team effectiveness: a systematic review. Health policy, 94(3), 183-195.
The paper constitutes a systematic literature review of on the interventions that improve the team effectiveness and identify they’re ‘evidence-based’-level effectiveness. The researchers used PubMed, PsychInfo, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The research showed three categories of interventions namely tools, training, and organizational interventions. Majority of the studies that were included in the study showed a positive correlation between intervention and non-technical team skills. The interventions are therefore important for the improvement of team skills.
LePine, J. A., Piccolo, R. F., Jackson, C. L., Mathieu, J. E., & Saul, J. R. (2008). A meta‐analysis of teamwork processes: tests of a multidimensional model and relationships with team effectiveness criteria. Personnel Psychology, 61(2), 273-307.
The paper is a meta-analysis of the teamwork processes. The results of the research showed a positive relationship between the teamwork processes and the team performance and satisfaction of the group members. The supplemental analysis reveals that there are three intermediate level teamwork processes that are positively and strongly related to the cohesion and potency.
Mathieu, J., Maynard, M. T., Rapp, T., & Gilson, L. (2008). Team effectiveness 1997-2007: A review of recent advancements and a glimpse into the future. Journal of management, 34(3), 410-476.
The paper was a review of the research done within two years addressing the effectiveness of the teamwork. They address the nature of the work teams and the differences between different teams. The paper addresses various lessons that have learned over the years and the directions of the future research. They also address the complexity that affects the modern day teams and the potential solutions.
Tekleab, A. G., Quigley, N. R., & Tesluk, P. E. (2009). A longitudinal study of team conflict, conflict management, cohesion, and team effectiveness. Group & Organization Management, 34(2), 170-205.
The paper addresses the conflicts that are experienced in various teams, how the conflicts can be managed, and how to improve team effectiveness and cohesion. It looks at the relationship between team conflict, conflict management, and cohesion and team effectiveness. The paper showed that a high level of conflict management has a direct positive impact on team cohesion and also alters the negative and positive effect of task conflict as well as relation conflict.
West, M. A. (2012). Effective teamwork: Practical lessons from organizational research. John Wiley & Sons.
The book addresses effective teamwork focusing on the practical lessons from organizational research. It addresses some important sub headlines such as team effectiveness, developing teams, team working and teams in organizations. The information is important in the current research because it shows the essence of developing teamwork and how it can be developed in various places.
Xyrichis, A., & Ream, E. (2008). Teamwork: a concept analysis. Journal of advanced nursing, 61(2), 232-241.
The paper addresses teamwork as a concept for analysis in the society. The paper notes the fact that teamwork helps various people in society to carry out their activities in the best way possible for the benefit of the given organization. They note the fact that teamwork will only be important if its importance is well understood.