Showing posts with label teamwork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teamwork. Show all posts
Thursday, July 11, 2013
A Rare Sight
This week I am watching my college business communications class prepare for the semester final. The final exam is customized, individualized, and personalized, so there is no way to cheat. The test defies proving what each student does not know, as most tests are designed to do. Instead, each student records learnings that are applicable to one's own career choices from the array of concepts covered in 16 chapters and 8 weeks of discussions and activities. I am observing the epitome of teamwork: each individual feels supported by the team and contributes to the team's (the class's) success. The commitment to work together to ensure that everyone passes with a C or better is demonstrating peer teaching, taking inititive, asking for and receiving help and clarification, accepting and rejecting information accumulated, making affirmations, and showing empathy under the stress. Their continuing homework after the course ends is to influence all work groups in their futures to achieve this willing and trusting collaboration and cross-training in the name of excellence!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Personal Connections
Recently, a business associate asked me what universals exist for leading diverse personalities. My colleague mentioned how so many professional training programs incorporate "personality profiles" into the mix for professional skills. We have also read in business literature for more than a decade now about talent retention and management, human capital, social networking, social intelligence, and emotional intelligence. These terms refer to making and maintaining personal connections to ensure the health of our leaders, employees, and organizations.
Psychologists define "personality traits" as those preferred or typical behavior and thinking patterns an individual is most likely to demonstrate. Options for profiles include Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Interact, Strengthfinder, Gregorc's Type Delineator, SELF--among others. Without referring to a profile, however, can we identify some safe, simple, and effective guidelines for interacting with the diversity of people in the workplace?
In answer to this question, consider four competencies integral to creating personal connections: communication, negotiation, management, and teamwork. Leaders and coworkers can increase their human awareness, regardless of specific personality traits and profiles. But, beware: connecting with one another means risking vulerability, so only the courageous need continue reading.
Let's briefly consider communication first. Our communication skills and strategies are foundational to our success. We all want others to talk with us, to be direct with us, and to value our input. Three behaviors we appreciate from our leaders and coworkers are (1) listening without interrupting, (2) asking permission regarding our time and space, and (3) expressing empathy for our emotional and physical well-being.
Second, negotiation skills create a respectful work atmosphere. These skills are extensions of basic communication skills. We all appreciate it when leaders and coworkers are committed to finding commonalities and similarities, honoring fairness through consistent and dignified treatment, and giving forgiveness in the face of unintentional frailty (weakness), flaw (deficiency), or fault (error).
Third, management skills provide a necessary framework in which leaders and coworkers can offer encouragement, accept responsibility, and nurture accountability. When leaders and coworkers are convinced of one another's competence, even when our personal confidence waivers, we can rise to the task at hand. Performance and productivity improve when we have the support and resources from others around us.
Finally, teamwork evolves through sharing credit, showing recognition, and developing trust. Team leaders and team members bond over time and through stressful conditions by carrying the load, jumping the hurdles, and earning the trophies together. If not with all, then always for all of the team!
We hunger for personal connection within the automated and technical workplace. Being treated as a valued and valuable person within the organization, or doing business with the organization, encourages each of us to be a loyal employee, customer, or partner. Begin today to connect with the people around you where you work. It is worth the time and effort!
Psychologists define "personality traits" as those preferred or typical behavior and thinking patterns an individual is most likely to demonstrate. Options for profiles include Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Interact, Strengthfinder, Gregorc's Type Delineator, SELF--among others. Without referring to a profile, however, can we identify some safe, simple, and effective guidelines for interacting with the diversity of people in the workplace?
In answer to this question, consider four competencies integral to creating personal connections: communication, negotiation, management, and teamwork. Leaders and coworkers can increase their human awareness, regardless of specific personality traits and profiles. But, beware: connecting with one another means risking vulerability, so only the courageous need continue reading.
Let's briefly consider communication first. Our communication skills and strategies are foundational to our success. We all want others to talk with us, to be direct with us, and to value our input. Three behaviors we appreciate from our leaders and coworkers are (1) listening without interrupting, (2) asking permission regarding our time and space, and (3) expressing empathy for our emotional and physical well-being.
Second, negotiation skills create a respectful work atmosphere. These skills are extensions of basic communication skills. We all appreciate it when leaders and coworkers are committed to finding commonalities and similarities, honoring fairness through consistent and dignified treatment, and giving forgiveness in the face of unintentional frailty (weakness), flaw (deficiency), or fault (error).
Third, management skills provide a necessary framework in which leaders and coworkers can offer encouragement, accept responsibility, and nurture accountability. When leaders and coworkers are convinced of one another's competence, even when our personal confidence waivers, we can rise to the task at hand. Performance and productivity improve when we have the support and resources from others around us.
Finally, teamwork evolves through sharing credit, showing recognition, and developing trust. Team leaders and team members bond over time and through stressful conditions by carrying the load, jumping the hurdles, and earning the trophies together. If not with all, then always for all of the team!
We hunger for personal connection within the automated and technical workplace. Being treated as a valued and valuable person within the organization, or doing business with the organization, encourages each of us to be a loyal employee, customer, or partner. Begin today to connect with the people around you where you work. It is worth the time and effort!
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