Responsibility for team tasks
A
team member needs to accept responsibility for tasks entrusted to him or her.
Completing tasks is a cooperative effort. Unless the team pulls together, the
work will not get done.
Within
a team, members will resume different rules according to their styles, skills
and personalities. Some examples of
the roles people can adopt are outlines below.
Chairperson
The
person who leads the team
Plant
The
creative person who thinks of new ways of doing things
Resource/Investigator
The
person who develops contacts and brings new idea and information to the team
Monitor/evaluator
The
person who judges accurately and stops the team from making wrong decisions
Coordinator
The
person who promotes decision making
Shaper
The
person who puts the team’s idea and goals into reality
Implementor
The
person who puts ideas into practice
Completer/finisher
The
person who delivers on time
These
are all desirable roles in team membership. Some members are able to switch or
take on various to allow goals to be achieved.
Once
roles and styles are identified, allocating responsibility for particular tasks
becomes easier. If the task in hand involved research, you need a
resource/investigator. If it involves making judgement between alternatives, a
monitor/evaluator is needed. A completer/finisher is always necessary to ensure
that the task is completed within the given time frame.
Problems, options and solutions
Problems
are given to teams to analyse and work through. Within a specified time, a team
will be asked to provide some options and solutions. At times when there is no
single clear answer, a process of discussion and negotiation will take place.
A
good way to assist discussion and negotiation is to hold a brainstorming
sessions. This encourages team members to contribute ideas in a non-threatening
situation. It is surprising how easily ideas will flow once there is this sort
of stimulation. People begin to see things in an innovative way.
Problem solving is the ability to find lasting solutions to complex
problems. A successful team is able to focus on the problem, analyse and
develop the options and put the solutions into practice.
Task reviewing and re-prioritizing
Many
times in an office your carefully planned day and list of things to do today
will be upset and thrown into chaos. Some of the reasons for this could be:
- The unexpected need
for you to attend a meeting
- Having to fill in for
an absent staff member
- Having to attend to a
more pressing project
Designated timelines for tasks
When
setting timelines, try to be realistic and operate within the resources at your
disposal. Estimating times is difficult, but it will become easier with
experience.
If
you were asked to key in a 30-pages document on a word processor, how long
would it take? It will depend on:
- The number of other
duties you have to complete
- The complexity or
technically of the language in the document
- The difficult of the
layout and design
- Etc
It
may be the organization’s policy for another staff member to help with
collating and checking. In any case, when you are striving to meet deadlines,
allow some leeway for unexpected interruptions and seek the support of other
staff members so that goals and targets are met on time. Cooperating with others is a valuable part of teamwork.
Good time management skills and the ability to prioritize are keys to getting
work done according to its degree or urgency. Keep your employer informed of
the progress and constantly look for ways to improve your work habits.
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