The Importance of Working in Groups
The idea of working in groups frequently makes the team members happy because of the participants' growth, learning opportunities, and fresh information. Group work could be difficult, though, if some members exhibit dysfunctional behavior that prevents the team from operating at its peak. Readers will get knowledge of the abilities required to make a partnership effective through this discussion, as well as strategies for dealing with a group member who may exhibit dysfunctional behavior that could undermine the confidence that comes from working as a team.
The Concept of Teamwork
Teamwork refers to people's ability to come together towards accomplishing a shared goal (McEwan et al. 2017, p. 2). For instance, educators instill the spirit of working in groups since most employers perceive it as an essential element for increasing productivity within a company. Consequently, students learn to work in teams to help them understand the importance of group work and in the process gain some skills relevant to their future lives. Conversely, one challenge that may affect the performance of teamwork is dysfunctional behavior exhibited by a group member. Dysfunctional behaviors are perceived as abnormal deeds carried out by a person that could lead to group conflicts, which result in underperformance (Cole, Walter, and Bruch 2008, p. 947). Consequently, people should not only learn the importance and skills developed through group work but also figure out how to handle or deal with a team member possessing dysfunctional behavior.
Effective Communication in Group Work
My experience of working in groups has taught me that effective communication involves both listening and talking to each other. For example, when working on a project and one participant talks, the rest should learn to listen attentively and actively. Hoppe (2007, p. 11) found out that listening gives people a chance to grasp relevant information as presented by the team members and later ask questions to clarify a point or have constructive criticism. Equally, giving people time to speak and listening to them is a form of respect and it motivates team members to express themselves without feeling intimidated. Consequently, I have adopted this skill because it helps me develop my ideas and assisting my teammates to respect each other's opinion irrespective of what they feel about the shared views.
The Power of Persuasion
My work experience of operating in groups helped me learn the importance of persuading my audience. Employers often give their staff projects to handle, and it is upon the team leaders to ensure that they come up with adequate information that could enhance the organization's productivity. For instance, the assignment may involve formulating a funding proposal needed by the company to support the company's project. In such a case, the team should come up with a persuasive presentation that will convince their potential investors to support the project in question (Hamilton 2013, p. 394). In this case, the process of convincing each other about different ideas will help the team members defend their views but remain open minded to new insights aiming at accomplishing a common objective. Before I understood this concept, I disliked people who challenged my ideas because it gave me the impression that they detested my views. However, I learned to embrace positive criticism because it helped me rethink my thoughts, come up with a better version, and achieve utmost results.
Enhancing Leadership Roles Through Teamwork
My work experience of operating in groups helped me learn that teamwork enhances leadership roles. I came to understand that teamwork helped me reflect upon my roles as a leader. A successful group should have a team leader who controls the functioning of activities carried out by the group members for efficiency purposes (Tsai 2011, p. 1). I believe that every member should participate and contribute to a project or discussion because their ideas remain relevant to the outcome of an assignment. Also, through participatory leadership, all members feel that their efforts are acknowledged and appreciated and in return, it motivates people to work harder to enhance performance.
Dealing with Dysfunctional Behavior
There exist cases when teamwork fails, and that can be attributed to situations of dysfunctional behavior exhibited by at least one person in the group. However, people should not allow such abnormalities deter them from making their team prosper. Instead, learning to deal with people with dysfunctional behavior can enhance teamwork performance.
A person should find out more about the dysfunctional behavior exhibited by the group member as a platform to help the individual. Social Development Theory depicts that a person's surrounding may influence an individual's behavior and cognitive development (Daniels 2012, p. 81). A person may enjoy despising people because the individual experienced the same treatment while growing up. Consequently, researching and learn more about the cause of that behavior can help determine the course of action. For example, some people look down upon others because of jealousy. Therefore, if that is the case, it becomes easier to approach and counsel the individual to understand the impact that behavior has on the rest of the team.
Another method to deal with a person with abnormal behavior is to expect that they will never respond positively. For instance, some people have a negative attitude towards positive criticism because they react with anger. According to self-theories, students with this behavior dislike being corrected and always want to prove to their team that they are always smart and never make mistakes (Dweck 2013, p. 151). The most efficient way is to continue criticizing the individual's ideas if necessary in a compelling manner without feeling guilty. It is vital to expect that teammates with strange characters might not change. However, setting limits will keep them from disrespecting others.
Conclusion
Teamwork and collaboration are important ways of learning and adopting group skills that enhance performance. Learning the significance of teamwork should begin from school settings such that a person can utilize the skills in the workplace. Equally, people should understand that persons with dysfunctional behavior may exist in any group. Identifying mechanisms such as lowering expectations, setting boundaries, and researching more about the problem can help participants deal with such a situation for maximum results.
References
Cole, S. M., Walter, F., and Bruch, H. (2008). Affective mechanisms linking dysfunctional behavior to performance in work teams: a moderated mediation study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(5): 945-958.
Daniels, H. (2012). An introduction to Vygotsky. Routledge, New York.
Dweck, S. C. (2013). Self-theories: their role in motivation, personality, and development. Psychology Press, United Kingdom.
Hamilton, C. (2013). Communicating for results: a guide for business and the professions. Cengage Learning, Boston, MA.
Hoppe, M. H. (2007). Lending an ear: why leaders must learn to listen actively. Leadership in Action, 27(4): 11-14.
McEwan, D., Ruissen, G. R., Eys, A. M., Zumbo, D. B., and Beauchamp, R. M. (2017). The effectiveness of teamwork training on teamwork behaviors and team performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled interventions. PLoS ONE, 12(1): 1-23.
Tsai, Y. (2011). Relationship between organizational culture, leadership behavior and job satisfaction. BMC Health Services Research, 11(98): 1-9.
