We’ve all been there. When you’re eight weeks into a project it can feel like all the teamwork coaching in the world could not keep your people motivated. The issue is that we are all prone to lose energy and motivation as projects draw out or become repetitive. We all get tired, and there is nothing wrong with that.
However, when people have something to spur them forward they can stay much more energized for extended periods of time. Team members challenging each other to constantly look for new and better ways of doing things, talking through road blocks, etc. helps feed the creativity and the synergy of the team. In this way teams can be their own sources of energy during the long hauls.
Gives Everyone a Voice
The strength of constructive conflict is that everyone has a chance to give their two cents. Instead of one or two people blazing forward through trial and error, a focused team can often whittle away at dead ends until all that’s left is the right way. A diversity of voices and solutions is necessary for growth in a competitive environment.
Keep in mind that it’s common in charged discussions for a couple of dominant egos to take over the room. It’s the manager’s job make sure everyone gets a chance to speak. Call on people, or find another way for them to make sure their words are heard and you are benefiting from their expertise.
As a team leader, the better you can set the ground rules for conflict in your team, the sooner individuals will learn to live within them. This will make conflict a tool of productivity and unity among team members, not just a problem to be avoided.
III Developing background knowledge (B1/B2/C1)
- Prepare a talk on Different Types of Communication Focused Team Building Tasks.
- Team briefings or briefs are communicative events providing opportunities for both developing leadership and team building.
Look at the following guidelines and role-play a company’s team brief. Choose a topic and hold a well-organized team meeting. You will need a draft of agenda and a particular time limit. Distribute the parts beforehand.
- Be aware of and follow any guidelines for team briefs that your organization has. But ensure that deliver the brief in your own style so that it comes across as real desire to communicate with your team members and reflects the type of team you are responsible for.
- Set your team’s expectations of the team brief by explaining your objective of this meeting and the type of behavior and communication you expect, for example
- Hold questions till the end of each agenda item.
- This is the opportunity for the team to have open and honest exchange of information and ideas.
- Attendance is expected for all.
- The actual location you are able to hold such a briefing in may dictate the extent to which you are able to have an open exchange, but if possible it needs to be away from the team’s desks to ensure you have their full attention (from Team Briefing Checklist).
IV Exchanging views and ideas (B1/B2/C1)
1. Group work. Organize a brainstorming session and find out some situations when conflicts can lead to better understanding.
2. Share your experience. Tell about a situation when you had to take the initiative.
V Summarizing the topic (B1/B2/C1)
1. Make a power point presentation (5-7 slides), bearing in mind the principles of an effective presentation (see Unit 5), on one of the following topics:
a) The History of Team Building
b) Types of Teams
c) Motivating Techniques
2. Work in a group of three. Collect material and give a talk on Communicative Activities in Team Building. Use one or two activities to illustrate your talk involving the other members of the group: e.g. Being there - an icebreaker, illustration or a longer exercise to demonstrate how people can run on set lines/routines, without noticing things and people around; My Dream Trip - an introductory activity, which encourages participants to find out a bit more about their work colleagues, Frost Bite - a scenario-based challenge which requires teams to work together to overcome a range of physical constraints and achieve their goal, etc. (from 'Free Communication Focused Team Building' activities, The Team Building Directory).
VI Project work (B1/B2/C1)
- Work out a questionnaire on means of team-building and interview your group-mates. Find out the most popular and least popular ways of team-building. Choose a particular form of the research: face-to-face interaction or mediated interaction. You may do it using the Internet as a mediator. Present the results of your survey in a Report.
- Write an essay on one of the following topics:
1) I would like to have only individual tasks.
2) Pros and cons of working in a team.
3) Effective work depends on a good manager.
4) Personality in team building.
B PRACTISING SKILLLS
TEXT 1.
Fill in the gaps with the correct article (a, -, the).
Hey, Listen Up!
By Stew Bolno
I am quite certain that 1.______ coworkers rarely utter the following words: "I don't like that person, she listens too much."
One of 2.______ most common complaints that 3.______ people have about others is that they are ineffective listeners. How do you feel when others:
§ read their e-mail while you are speaking with them?
§ continually interrupt while you are talking?
§ jump ahead without hearing the full information?
§ demonstrate lack of concern through 4.______ body language such, as looking away or rolling their eyes?
The most effective communicators recognize that 5.______ good part of their success is earned as 6.______ result of how well they listen. They have discovered 7.______ more they listen 8.______ more engaged others become in conversations and problem solving sessions. This, in turn, creates an environment in which communication flows and trust is developed.
However, 9.______ trust from another person must be earned. Therefore, high levels of trust are determined not only by what you say, but also how well you listen to what 10.______ others say. And listening is much more than hearing. While being hearing impaired is 11.______ physical condition, being listening impaired is self-imposed. Effective listening is 12.______ choice that requires attention, interpretation, and response to the other individual. All of these behaviors require effort. It is not surprising 13.______ Chinese symbol for listening is made up of three symbols: head, ear and heart.
Tips for Learning to Listen:
§ Recognize your role as 14.______ listener - If you are too busy to listen attentively, choose another time for the conversation.
§ Select an environment conducive to listening - Find 15.______ place with minimal distractions to increase listening effectiveness.
§ Probe for understanding - Ask questions to ensure comprehension and convey 16.______ interest.
§ Paraphrase 17.______ key statements and 18.______ overall themes - This tactic builds alignment in thinking and ensures understanding.
§ Demonstrate 19.______ comprehensive approach in your listening style - Learn to focus on big-picture themes, tune into specific facts and instructions, and empathize with the feelings of others.
Now hear this! Effective listening is 20.______ skill. Any individual that is truly committed to becoming 21.______ effective listener can develop listening skills. If you demonstrate strong listening skills, you might hear the people around you saying, "I really like that person. They're truly 22.______ great listener."
(From Team Builders Plus)
TEXT 2 (B2/C1)
Choose ONE phrase from the list of phrases A-J below to complete each of the following sentences 1-9. Remember, ONE phrase is extra here.
A describe the positive impact of their actions
B were the two top incentives as reported by employees
C I have found that people rarely provide feedback to their peers and managers
D and most importantly
E giving presents is a great pleasure
F but they were just doing their job
G filled with bags of food for animals that have not yet found a home
H it must be tailored to the recipient’s preferences
I share it with them
J in response to the question