Coaching: Preaching vs Practicing - Teamwork

Teamwork has a dramatic affect on organizational performance. An effective team can help an organization achieve incredible results. A team that is not working can cause unnecessary disruption, failed delivery and strategic failure. Knowing the importance of teamwork itself is insufficient. Did we practice teamwork?

Nowadays it is almost impossible to avoid being a member of team. If you’re not on an official team at work, chances are you function within one in one way or another. So it's important for your personal and career development to know your team working strengths and weaknesses.

I've come out with a set of assessment that helps you uncover common team working problems that you might be experiencing. Take some time off to try out the assessment. Once you've completed the assessment, wait till next issue (December 8th 2007) where I will show you team tools that will help you to improve and develop these important skills.

There are 15 questions altogether. For questions 1 to 9, please answer as follows:

Marks Representation
1 Not at all
2 Rarely
3 Sometimes
4 A Lot
5 Very Much

Questions
1.My team is knowledgeable about the stages of development teams can be expected to go through.
2.Team members are provided with a great deal of feedback regarding their performance.
3.Team members are encouraged to work for the common good of the organization.
4.People are encouraged to be good team members, and build good relationships.
5.Team members are provided with development opportunities.
6.Team members are encouraged to commit to the team vision, and leaders help them understand how their role fits into the big picture.
7.Team members are often given a chance to work on interesting tasks and stretch their knowledge and capabilities.
8.The team understands what it needs to accomplish and has the resources needed to be successful.
9.Team members balance their individual needs for autonomy with the benefits of mutual interdependence.

For questions 10 to 15, please answer as follows:

Marks Representation
5 Not at all
4 Rarely
3 Sometimes
2 A Lot
1 Very Much

Questions
10.There are many complaints, and morale is low on my team.
11.Team members don’t understand the decisions that are made, or don’t agree with them.
12.Meetings are inefficient and there is a lot of role overlap.
13.Conflict and hostility between members is a pervasive issue that doesn’t seem to get better.
14.People feel that good work is not rewarded and they are not sure what is expected of them.
15.Working relationships across units or functions is poor, and there is a lack of coordination.

Happy trying!