Module 8 Team Roles

Any highly-successful team is comprised of members with clearly-defined roles and responsibilities in addition to the team’s overall common goals. The best time to establish roles is at the very beginning of team formation prior to any actual work getting done. Without team roles there would likely be chaos within the team. According to Whetton & Cameron (2016), common roles can range from the leader, to task-facilitator, to relationship-builder, and to unproductive (p. 428). Leaders should work to develop credibility and articulate a clear vision. Task-facilitators should provide direction, enforcement, and synthesis of information (p. 423). Relationship-builders should be supportive, energizing, harmonizing, and confronting while tension relieving (p. 424). An important note is that all team members can serve in multiple roles at once, but, in different facets. However, the leader is more of a special, singular position because a team cannot have too many “chiefs,” so to speak. While new teams, and its members, usually take some time to warm up to each other and form strong cohesion, clear roles can expedite and elevate group performance.

As a team member, not just a leader, there are techniques to contribute to developing a highly-effective team. Arousing enthusiasm, giving praise, providing encouragement and appreciation, and limiting criticisms, are skills anyone can work on to help a team. Carnegie (1964) provides a great example of this with a  couple of quotes – the first, Charles Schwab stated “I am hearty in my approbation and lavish in my praise” (p. 23). The second, an epitaph on Andrew Carnegie’s tombstone which reads, “here lies one who knew how to get around men who were cleverer than himself.” A team member’s effectiveness is not limited to task management and strictly being goals focused. Rather, team members can provide great contributions through these techniques, which some may refer to as soft skills. In my opinion, there is nothing soft about these skills, and from my work experience they are the hardest skills to master while also being the most effective of all skills.

I generally relate as both a task-facilitator and relationship-builder. I am very analysis-driven, however, I can also overanalyze which is extremely unproductive. I am very good at time-keeping, developing goals, and creating visions, however, I could certainly monitor tasks better, urge others to do their part more often, and enforce rules more effectively. In many cases, I can also remain passive while not sharing much information, therefore, I must strive to stay motivated and contribute to the team rather than sit on the sidelines. I am very supportive of others’ ideas and contributions, I can build a consensus well, and I am strong in empathizing and developing others. However, I am not good at energizing groups, confronting others, or relieving tension. I believe my leadership struggles due to these less-developed techniques which I consider weaknesses. While not one person has a perfect style, understanding where I stand with these skills is the first step for me to improve my team building and team role effectiveness.

My Team Role Goals:

·        I will work to purposefully engage my teams more actively to accomplish its mission because that is strongly lacking in my overall ability. I will provide clearer goals and objectives that fit our group’s vision. I will become more decisive and overanalyze less.

·        I will continue to develop my team cohesion and collaboration skillset. I am stronger in relationship-building than I am at task-facilitation. I cannot continue to be a nice leader that “lets things slide.” I must enforce rules and drive the team toward our goals while balancing my stronger side of caring for others. I will become a more energetic leader and team member.

References:

Carnegie, D. (1964). How to win friends and influence people. Simon and Schuster.

Whetton, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills (9th Ed.). Pearson.