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Team Spirit for Better Organization


1. Effectiveness and efficiency
Effectiveness and efficiency are two key elements in the whole gamut of management. In all management activities whether it be a personal or involving a small group or even the big organization, right things are formulated and then implemented in right way. The first is the effectiveness and the latter one is efficiency. Effectiveness is to do the right things and efficiency is doing the things in right way. The better and optimum result originating from any action or activities relate to these two salient aspects. If right things and approaches are not embarked or selected, the purpose or objective will not be met as per the need. Similarly even if the right things are selected but not done efficiently, the objective may not be realized as per the requirement. Hence, the harmony between the effectiveness and efficiency is paramount in order to meet the objectives or target in most cost effective way in stimulated time. A purchase of mobile hand set can best illustrate these two dimensions. A mobile user had to analyze his requirements (voice, data, and video traffic) and affordability so that he/she gets the best mobile set of a particular brand. This is effectiveness. Once the mobile set is purchased, the care and usage will determine the efficiency.
2. Organization and team
Organization exists to serve its purpose. They, typically, render either the goods or the service, whether it is a business organization or a non- profit organization or social organization. Fundamentally, an organization functions as a team as its name itself suggests. Although the word “team” is used frequently and in various occasions, its key ingredients needs to be understood for creating strong and effective team. The major ingredients are (1) formal or informal group of people (2) complementary skills (3) collaborative attitude and at the apex (4) a common goal or objective. Marketing department of a certain business organization is an example of formal team where the manager acts as the connecting pin between various divisions like sales, advertisement, customer relations, product or service need  etc. Members of different departments or within the same department can form informal group. Culture of informal team formation shall be taken as a healthy indication as it not only acts as a catalyst to co-ordinate the various activities of formal team but also help to maintain and strengthen the norms and values and satisfy the human need for friendship, support and security. The informal group also can help in solving the problems in swiftly manner.
Delivery of service is achieved through various skill related to the service. These skills are complementary in nature possessed by different team members who prescribe the need of collaboration so that the complementary skills are synchronized. Lastly, the common goal which is the objective or the service of the organization itself is the paramount factor as it is the binding or the integrating force to each and all individual member with the complementary skills. Hence, definition of a “team” can easily be spelled or put forward but each member of team shall contemplate on the key elements of team; only then the team can be effective and its objectives can be realized efficiently.
3. Creation of effective team
The word “team” is paradoxical. A team performs but it does not perform by itself. A team is equivalent to virtual body and its members are the one orchestrating the performance inside. Hence, the formation of a team is just not the solution. Only the team with all its elements described above when properly placed only acts as a true team. Many times a team is formed but soon gets disintegrated or performs below margin. Hence the formation of a right team is utmost important. An effective or right team can be made with following considerations.
1.      The purpose or goal of a team formation shall be clearly defined. And each team member must give due consideration to the goal for which he or she has been included with team. Without clear goal setting, there will ever be a chance that team members as per their liking start defining their own goal and a disagreement among the team members will surface. Consequently, the team will cease to function.
2.      A chart with practical time line shall be specified so that the team accomplishes the given assignment in time. Delayed output results is diminishing utility and importance of the output which can be detrimental to organizational growth in present cut throat competitive environment. If the time line is too tight, unnecessary stress to the team members may result in degraded performance where as if the time line is too long, complacency from team members may also result in deteriorated output.
3.      The composition of the team structure shall be optimum and balanced. Team members of appropriate complementary skill and knowledge shall be selected so that the desired goal is achieved in prescribed time frame. If the members in a team exceeds in number, unnecessary debate and discussion may hamper the work environment as consensus and agreement will be difficult and decision may be delayed. Likewise, if the team size is very small, there will be a limited exchange of knowledge and skill adversely affecting the team result. Similarly, members selected in the team shall have complementary skills so that the harmony brings superior result. Care needs to be taken such that many members with same skill are not included or there are members without needed skill. Both these conditions can have negative impact on team environment.
4.      Appropriate selection of team leader is crucial for smooth functioning of a team for best team result. A team leader shall have prolific qualities like authenticity, commitment, vision, open mind, care taking and intervention capability.
4.   Creation of efficient team
Once an effective team is formed to its best, efficiency becomes important to achieve the best team performance. An efficient team can be built by providing due attention to following aspects.
1.      The successful performance of a team, to a large extent, depends on the attitude of the individual member of the team. The productivity of an act is dependent on knowledge, skill and attitude of the concerned person with approximately 15%, 25% and 60% weightage respectively.  Just as stated earlier, the team functions but does not function by itself; a member of the team performs but does not perform solely by oneself as the organizational objective cannot be realized by single skill and the performance to achieve the objective is the function of synergy available among the complementary skills of the individual team member. So, the mantra to be followed by a team member is that” I must perform but only performance is not adequate and my knowledge and skill need collaboration with the knowledge and the skill of other members.” Dialogue and communication are the two key components for harmonizing the individual complementary skills. Dialogue and communication seem to be a daily routine affair but it is never like that. Many times a conversation becomes a mere monologue as the other member is pre occupied with his own thoughts and ideas to be thrown at when his turn to speak comes. Most of the time, the other member may not be listening but only hearing. This sort of situation arises because of “I-it” relationship where one member puts himself in the superior position. Hence open communication, equal participation, no blame game, enthusiasm, dynamism are the key aspects for the team to function efficiently.
2.      A work plan needs to be formulated so that the team result can be achieved in prescribed time line. Team leader together with team members shall devise detail preparation schedule to match with the prescribed time line specified during team formation e.g. basic initial preparation time, meeting schedules with targets, report writing, report finalization, report presentation and delivery. Certain rules and procedures needs to be agreed among team members for smooth team meeting. Punctuality, friendly atmosphere and desire for fulfillment of set target of the meeting are the key elements related with team output.
3.      There is nothing perfect in this world. There may be development of certain instances where individual team member may differ in view, feeling and perception creating an environment of difference and conflict. The occurrence of differences shall be taken as normal and natural as human beings have their own set of liking, choices, concepts, prejudices. Differences do not always act as barriers, if properly handled can lead to a better creative solution. However, care should be taken so that differences do not flare into open conflicts leading to a break up of team or causing damage to team objective. It needs to be always remembered and understood that the goal of team formation is the binding force. In such circumstances, the team leader plays important role by carrying out the necessary intervention so that the team objective is brought in place without hurting the feelings of individual team member.
5.   Team spirit
“Team spirit” is a wonderful combination of two words. Deep understanding of these two words will not only bring happiness and joy to an individual but also brings success and satisfaction in his profession. The word ‘team’ symbolizes unity, integration, harmony, interdependence and interrelationship. A team is a community just like a “sangha”. A “sangha” in Buddhism is a community of wise and conscious individuals living in harmony to find the truth and path of peace and liberation. Similarly, a team is an organization with group of people having appropriate skill, knowledge and attitude to realize organizational objective. The word “spirit” refers to the super consciousness. Thus, “team-spirit” refers to group of people with multi-dimensional complementary skill working in harmony in a state of total awareness. Thus a work carried out with team spirit will have its goal knocking the door enabling the organization to function effectively and efficiently.


Author: Surendra Prasad Thike

Note: This article originally appeared in the print magazine, Management Vision-an opinion based magazine of business and entrepreneurship prepared by the BBA students of People’s Campus. 




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