In their article titled, “Calling a team a team doesn’t mean that it is: successful teamwork must be a way of life”, Jim Temme and Jeanine Katzel talk about the essentials of teamwork and factors affecting the success of any team. Four essential concepts are discussed: goals and objectives, empowerment, and trust.
The Summary of Key Concepts
Teamwork cannot be demanded because goals and objectives should be properly understood by every person involved in teamwork. In particular, the authors emphasize that frequent meetings are necessary to set realistic goals and discuss the objectives of the teamwork. Moreover, members of the team should have a defined purpose of being put together.
Authors refer to goals as the glue that holds team members together. In other words, the team should be given specific tasks to do as a team rather than individually.
The empowerment concept is also very important as being able to set goals, make decisions and solve problems is one of the vital elements of successful teambuilding. Every team has a leader but the function of the leader of the team is not to demand teamwork but rather to share the power with members of the group working together toward a common goal. Moreover, members should be willing to assume responsibility for the outcomes of their empowerment.
Finally, successful teams are built on mutual trust.
Temme and Katzel note that trust must be earned. For example, when team members are consistent in words said and actions made, trust is very likely to develop. There should be a commitment to each other. The same prerequisite applies to the trust-building between the leader and team members.
Paraphrased Paragraph on TQM
One of the key concepts discussed in the article is TQM (Total Quality Management). Temme and Katzel argue that teams should be change-oriented because organizational change is always necessary. Asking customers for feedback empowers the effective work of the whole organization.
The TQM management involves the continuous improvement of goods and services to meet the needs of clients more effectively and efficiently. The definition of TQM implies constant and planned change. Moreover, it is important to keep an eye on the actions of competitors, but leaders should stay focused on the customers’ needs to be prepared to meet their needs rather than copy the actions of competitors.
Examples of Direct Quotes
- “Both the team leader and team members must risk making mistakes and even failing occasionally. Although no one should be encouraged to make mistakes, implementing creative ideas does carry the risk of failure” (Temme and Katzel, 1995, p. 112)
- “For a teambuilding effort to work in the long run, management must be sincere in its resolve to see the teambuilding process through” (Temme and Katzel, 1995, p. 112)
- “One common mistake of teambuilding is to assemble a group of people, call them a team, then give them nothing to do or have them continue to do the same things they did before they were called a team” (Temme and Katzel, 1995, p. 112)
References
Temme, Jim, and Jeanine Katzel. “Calling a team a team doesn’t mean that it is: successful teamwork must be a way of life. ” Plant Engineering. 49.n1 (1995): 112(2). General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library.