Small Team Management

(1) The strengths and weaknesses of the team in terms of the skills needed to perform the tasks of the team

The strength of the team in terms of skills is the ability to conduct investigation in the most immediate time and satisfactory result possible. Also, the team has a communal sharing of roles and responsibilities and development of new skills to improve the team’s performance is at hand. Rather than looking to a leader to define the goal and approach, teams identify and reach consensus on their common goal and approach. Most importantly, teams hold their members accountable. In the field in which I work, management function especially organizing and coordinating is necessary. It is unfortunate to affirm that this is what is lacking to some of the members of the team. Thus, this is one of our weaknesses – lack of management skills expertise. Among others, our team is also overloaded with various tasks to do that often result to miscommunication, misunderstanding, and stress.

(2) Strategies to address any weaknesses

There are numerous strategies that could be considered to address these weaknesses. In terms of management functions, the combination of theory and practice is the most elementary solution. There is a need to refresh, reorient, and reposition the knowledge of team members in relation to the managerial functions needed in the job. Providing a seminar-workshop among members is essential. Since the team is involved in transactions particularly on clients, every team member is expected to possess excellent organizing and coordinating skills with other members in order to avoid mistakes such us inconsistencies and duplication in records, time delay, and other management errors. Team roles are high in terms of customer orientation and commitment to provide satisfactory service. Also, such team roles are directed to effective team balance and increased team productivity.

In work load issues, task management through systematic allocation of task or division of labor is the most appropriate solution. There should be designation of things to be done. The team leader is responsible to the fair distribution of tasks. With good scheduling of tasks, stress is lessened and cases of miscommunication and misunderstanding are minimized. Also, time management is recommended. In managing time and achieving objectives, the team must always see to it that they maintain a schedule which indicates the lists of activities to be done with particular allocation of time. All activities to be done are directed to the achievement of the desired goal. However, there are times wherein constraints are present. Among this are unpredictable changes brought about by lack of resources (e.g. financial or human resources) and the flexibility of the plan itself.

For issues of miscommunication and misunderstanding, the best strategy to implement is the idea of open communication. The team can work together in building an effective team by means of effective application and management of communication. To ensure effective communication within the workplace, there is a need to increase the knowledge and understanding of team members in terms of verbal, non-verbal, and symbolic communication concepts and new changes. Listening must also be developed. It must be done actively rather than passively. In relation to conflict, communication focuses on what is right rather than who is right. Most importantly, there is a need to maintain constant open and two-way communication process. Team members are motivated to work if there is democracy within the working environment and its people involved.

(3) Communication within the group

The communication within the group is not systematic particularly among the team members. This is evident due to the presence of communication-related problems like instructions not given to the right person, inability to understand instructions or not knowing what to do due to lack of knowledge and skill, and the likes. Thus, the above suggested strategies will help to improve the communication process within the group.

The poor effects of communication in the workplace can result to internal conflicts and poor organizational productivity. When difficulties in communications occur, there are immediate effects in the operations of the team. For instance, in dealing with instructions from clients or upper management authorities, when a member of the team commit a miscommunication mistake, the effects are not just confined to the internal but also to external operations of the whole team. It may destroy customer as well as employee relationship.

The role of communication among teams is very important because it serves as the doorway to enhanced relationship and practically the cultivation of teamwork. Communication plays its role in the direction, coordination, and control of tasks and activities. It deals with the what, when, and how of the process. Consequently, communication serves as the pathway through which suggestions and insights that would generate change and new ideas. It also keeps and preserves values and relationships necessary to keep the system of the organization collectively.

(4) Evaluation of the team's performance in respect to the goals of the team

The team is on the right track in respect to the achievement of its goals. All tasks are done. But it is aptly recognized that the team’s overall performance is not equivalent to what is expected. The presence of management difficulties, work-related mistakes, and human errors are the evidences showing that there is indeed a missing link or something wrong with the team. It is apparent that all members are working towards consensus vision and goals. But with the previously identified problems or weaknesses, the overall performance is affected.

To solve these, it is recommended that the team leader must evaluate options and specify priorities. The suggested strategies above are also proven effective by many experts. Utilizing such does not mean total elimination of management problems, but these will help to minimize potential risks, damages, and harm. The eventual success of the team especially in providing service and its overall exercise of its expected performance relies mainly on the ability to cope up with the demands of the job and its clientele. Continuous learning and development – both professionally and personally must be inculcated to the mind of each team members. Lastly, the knowledge of the latest innovations that will make the tasks easier must be continuously upgraded and propagated. With these, improvement and progression is not far at hand.

Building a Team, Leadership, Time Management and Communication Process

Building the Team

According to Katzenbach and Smith (1994), “a team is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities who are committed to a common goal and approach for which they hold each other accountable”. A team can go as many as 7-12 members who have the abilities and skills that set off the objectives of the team. There is a communal sharing of roles and responsibilities on teams and development of new skills to improve the team’s performance is at hand. Rather than looking to a leader to define the goal and approach, teams identify and reach consensus on their common goal and approach. Most importantly, teams hold their members accountable.

On the other hand, group is a basic and general term to describe a number of people that associate themselves with each other. Mackin (2006) defines group as a small set of people with corresponding skills and abilities. The members of a group are committed to a leader's goal and approach. Also, group members are willing to be held accountable by the leader. A group supports the leader’s goals and adheres to the methods in which the leader implements in order to reach deliberate goal. Also, a group drives individual accountability rather than shared accountability. The leadership in a group is predominantly held by one person, usually the leader.

Mackins (2006) summarizes that, “In a group, the dominant viewpoint is represented; in a team, multiple, diverse viewpoints are represented. Decisions in a group are made by voting or implied agreement; decisions on a team are typically made by consensus.”

The range of team roles evident in a hotel reservations team with two members involved includes a wide collection of organizing and coordinating processes. The responsibilities of hotel reservations team are scheduling, booking, handling customer inquiries on prices and deals, and other customer related actions when it comes to hotel reservations. Since the team is involved in hotel reservations particularly on clients, every member is expected to possess excellent organizing and coordinating skills with other members in order to avoid mistakes such us inconsistencies and duplication in records, time delay, and other management errors. Team roles in hotel reservations are high in terms of customer orientation and commitment to provide satisfactory service. Also, such team roles are directed to effective team balance and increased team productivity.

As stated, the organizing and coordinating functions in hotel reservations entails high and wide application of management principles. The team can work together in building an effective team by means of effective application and management of communication. The role of communication among teams is very important because it serves as the doorway to enhanced relationship and practically the cultivation of teamwork. The responsibilities included in a hotel reservations team are ways and opportunities to improve communication. Communication plays its role in the direction, coordination, and control of tasks and activities (Brown 2001; Sims 2002). It deals with the what, when, and how of the process. Consequently, communication serves as the pathway through which suggestions and insights that would generate change and new ideas. It also keeps and preserves values and relationships necessary to keep the system of the organization collectively.

Leadership

Yukl (2002) defined leadership as the process of inspiring other people to comprehend and agree on what needs to be done and how to accomplish them effectively. In organizational setting, there are several leadership styles that are utilized by the every corporate personnel or authority. Leadership style is the pattern of behavior used by a leader in attempting to influence group members and make decision regarding the mission, strategy, and operations of group activities (Scholl 2000). In this given case, the transactional and transformational leadership styles were used. Transactional leadership emphasizes the transaction or exchange that takes place among leaders, colleagues, and followers (Bass 1998). This exchange is based on the leader discussing with members on what is required and specifying the conditions and rewards they will receive if they fulfill those requirements. Meanwhile, Bass noted that transformational leadership is an expansion of transactional leadership. It entails strong personal identification of the leader. Furthermore, the relationship in this leadership style is more than the fulfillment of self-interest or provision of rewards (Hater and Bass, 1988).

The transactional and transformational leadership styles are effective because it maintains productivity through contingent reward and management by exemption. In contingent reward, members are motivated to work and perform adequately while in management by exemption, the leader does not consider change in the current working methods that members use. For as long as the performance goals are met, the leader is satisfied. The leader only intervenes when there is something wrong in the work process. In transformational leadership, the leader inspires the followers to share a communal vision, encourages people to achieve the vision, and provides necessary resources for the development of personal potential. A leader who uses this leadership paradigm serves as a role model, supports optimism, musters commitment, and focuses on the followers’ call for eventual growth (Bass, 1996; Bass & Avolio, 1988, 1994a, 1994b). I believe that these styles bring satisfactory results in achieving team objectives.

However, there are some incidences wherein I consider being more effective by using other leadership style. For instance, when there is considerable need and demand for change and increased productivity and quality of work among team members with the absence of contingent reward, I consider implementing the democratic leadership and management style. This leadership style allows all members to take part in decision making and taking and that everyone is agreed by majority. The process of communication is extensive in both directions (subordinate to leader – leader to subordinate). Democratic leadership structures help to encourage the growth of self-sufficient and cooperative group members (Chemers 1997). With this style, job satisfaction and quality of work is improved.

With my experience, I believe democratic leadership and management style is my preferred style. The reason behind this, aside from the need to adapt with change, is that the approach encompasses the operations of the team in terms of hotel reservations roles. The function of communication which is primary, organizing and coordinating and other functions are fully achieved in this style. This style also welcomes dynamism and change within the team and its members, thus, welcoming enhanced human relationship, team productivity, and work efficiency.

Time Management

Long-term work objectives are: guaranteed productivity and customer relations, sustainable competitive advantage when it comes to technologies involved in the operations, and also employee development. On the other hand, short-term goals include the application of theoretical and experiential learning as well as continuous learning within the workplace. My priorities are the long-term goals but I never forget my short-term goals because they are my stepping stones towards the attainment of my bigger goals.

In managing my time and achieving objectives, I always see to it that I maintain a schedule which indicates the lists of activities to be done with particular allocation of time. All activities to be done are directed to the achievement of the desired goal. However, there are times wherein constraints are present. Among this are unpredictable changes brought about by lack of resources (e.g. financial or human resources) and the flexibility of the plan itself.

Communication Process

The poor effects of communication in the workplace can result to internal conflicts and poor organizational productivity. When difficulties in communications occur, there are immediate effects in the operations of the team. For instance, in dealing with instructions from clients or upper management authorities, when a member of the team commit a miscommunication mistake, the effects are not just confined to the internal but also to external operations of the whole team. It may destroy customer as well as employee relationship.

Among the common and observable barriers of communication are ineffective listening skills, inconsistent verbal or nonverbal messages, resistance to change, individual bias, time limitations, distractions, personal assumptions as well as demographical differences in race, culture, age, and religion. Among the methods to be applied in overcoming these barriers include the presence of standard communication procedures such as centralized communication lines and sources, booklets and handouts to be distributed among members. Also, the existence of quarterly trainings and team building experiences changes the communication strategies, methods or procedures.

To ensure effective communication within the workplace, there is a need to increase the knowledge and understanding of team members in terms of verbal, non-verbal, and symbolic communication concepts and new changes. Listening must also be developed. It must be done actively rather than passively. In relation to conflict, communication focuses on what is right rather than who is right. Most importantly, there is a need to maintain constant open and two-way communication process. Team members are motivated to work if there is democracy within the working environment and its people involved.

Bibliography

Bass, B. M. (1998) Transformational Leadership: Industrial, Military, and Educational Impact. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Bass, B. M. (1996) New paradigm of leadership: an inquiry into transformational leadership Alexandria, VA: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Bass, B. M. (1990) From Transitional to Transformational Leadership: Learning to share the vision, Organizational Dynamics (Winter), pp 140 – 148.

Bass, B. M. (1985) Leadership and Performance beyond Expectations. New York: The Free Press.

Bass B. M. & Avolio B. J. Eds. (1994a) Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Bass, B. M. & Avolio, B. J. (1994b) Transformational leadership and organizational culture, International Journal of Public Administration, 17(3/4), pp. 541-552.

Chemers, M. M. (1997) An Integrative Theory of Leadership. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Hater, J. J. & Bass, B. M. (1988) Superior's Evaluations and Subordinate's Perceptions of Transformational and Transactional Leadership, Journal of Applied Psychology, 73(1), 695-702.

Katzenbach, J. R. & Smith, D. K. (1994) The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization. New York: Harperaudio.

Mackins, D. (2006) The Difference between a Team and a Group, The Sideroad. Retrieved November 24, 2006, from http://www.sideroad.com/Team_Building/difference-between-team-and-group.html

Scholl, W. R. (2000) Application of transtheoretical model: Changing leadership style. Retrieved November 24, 2006, from University of Rhode Island Website.

Yukl, G. (2002) Leadership in Organizations. 5th Edition, Upper, Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.