Achieving organisational effectiveness means delivering sustainable quality products to the ultimate consumers on a timely basis (Sparrow, P. and Cooper, 2014, pp.2-11). Given the numerous projects that organisations handle, individual work can fall short of the expected timeline due to the complexity of some of the projects. It becomes a necessity that organisations should incorporate and enhance a culture of teamwork through appreciating and pulling together the diversified skills of the employees and transforming them into the functional output. According to Warrick (2016, p.18), a team helps employees to advance in their career by giving them a platform to brainstorm creative and innovative, ideas which results to a positive impact in business growth and development. Team coordination through effective communication, always helps employees to have the necessary information on accomplishing a project.
A strong team operates on mutual building and strengthening each effort by the virtue that, a win or a loss cost each player in the team and the organisation at large. It is exciting how a group brings forth numerous possible solutions to the problem under discussion and agrees on the most suitable and sustainable solution, thus achieving more than an individual. Teamwork cannot be underscored, and in this discussion, the focus will remain on accessing the impact of collaboration in shaping individual skills considering the own contribution in a group through the tasks and roles undertaken.
Macmillan research fundraising overview
The Canaries is the name we decided for our group which was purposed to make fundraising to support Macmillan Cancer research. Together with my co-students Ludovic, Milena and Greta, we made regular meetings to keep the group informed about our purpose. Our first meeting, we come up with our team name “canaries” and also made the discussion about what to offer during the international women’s day to help us raise money for Macmillan Cancer Research. During our second meeting, we decided to sell temporary tattoos which would make decorations on user bodies for a couple of days. Moreover, I was appointed as the coordinator, and I was responsible for doing research relating to the safety of the tattoos. On our third meeting, roles were made, and I was given the task of welcoming the people and giving them an overview of our fundraising purpose. Again, we decided on the actual fundraising day which was to take place on the university grounds. Our D-day turned out into a big success, and we managed to get 20 pounds which were above our expectations.
Reflecting on my role and task in the team, I can confirm that the team experience has shaped my thinking and enhanced my skills through offering an industrial hand on experience which is relevant to most organisations in the world if nor all of them. The discussion will focus on the critical skills that I acquired from my task as the team coordinator responsible for researching the safety and quality of different tattoo brand and my role in welcoming and introducing people to our purpose during the fundraising day. Below is a table comprising of my essential acquired skills.
2. Audit and evaluation of critical skills
Individual skills audit is the process of identifying the weak points and strong points in an assignment performance and identifying areas of improvement (Cottrell, 2015). Personal skills auditing helps the ambitious individuals in an organisation to keep track on their career and stay updated on the trending technological knowledge requirement in the competitive working environment.
2.1 Teamwork skills
A team usually leverage on a pool of diverse talents and competent players who coordinate their strength to the fullest and minimise their weakness to achieve set goals. Achieving teamwork in an organisation calls for individual commitment and openness in sharing necessary information. Focusing on the team achievement is paramount through being an active member and being flexible in attending to all team activities. Having the support and information needed, everyone can be a good team player by experience. According to Raes et al. (2015), he restated about the popular Tuckman team formation model, comprising of four stages and which is known to solve problems emanating from a team. The four steps include; forming, storming, norming and performing stage.
Table 1 Teamwork skills
Teamwork activities
Skills development
Comment
Teamwork is essential for accomplishing business projects on time and achieves desirable outcomes.
Coordinating with the other team throughout the entire project revealed my experience teamwork.
Importance of working interdependently.
Importance of coordination in achieving a successful outcome.
The essence of capitalising on team strength.
Importance of individual commitment to work and openness in sharing information.
Effective teamwork leads to a productive long-term working relationship and desirable outcomes.
Forming stage set the beginning of our team formation. We were uncertain on whether we will manage the activity and achieve desirable outcomes. We made an introduction, agreed on the Canaries the team's name and made discussions on what to offer on International Women’s Day, and we were set for the storming stage.
On the storming stage, we brainstormed and agreed to sell temporary tattoos which could decorate the body for a couple of days. We were lucky to have Ludovit who was an excellent team player, and I knew I would assimilate the skill by the end of the project while Milena was the evaluator and monitor. At this stage, we determined the individual contribution to the project, and I was to be the coordinator and also do the research on tattoos safety. We set to focus on the norming stage.
At norming stage, we were determined to have successful fundraising. Our team relationship was intact, and we managed to solve any crises that emerged between us to ensure singleness of purpose. Every member was given a role where I was responsible for welcoming people and providing an explanation of our product. After getting to know our positions, we were ready for performing stage
During the performing stage, we assumed our delegated responsibilities and worked interdependently, maintaining a high level of competency. The high coordination translated to high returns, and we achieved our project goal as planned.
The team formation process ignited my team spirit, and by the end of the project, I had a new insight into teamwork. I was able to acquire teamwork experience from Ludovit and overall team experience. The table below shows my teamwork reflection with the Canaries.
2.2 Communication skills
Communication is a dynamic process which has the power of shaping the way we address issues that we face on a daily basis. Effective communication is an essential skill which has a profound impact in affecting our workplace relationship either positively or negatively. Excellent written and verbal skills facilitate smooth flow of information between the management and company staffs thus increasing business commercial returns (Certo, 2018). The table below shows my communication skills reflection.
Table 2 communication skills
Communication activities
Skills development
Comment
Communication
is a vital necessity which enhances individual ability to communicate effectively with the target audience.
As a team coordinator, I was providing direction and feedback to the members and also efficiently communicating during the fundraising day to the attendees.
Enhanced ability to speak confidently and fluently to the team and fundraising attendees.
Appropriate use of body language.
Maintaining eye contact with the audience, to ensure that they don’t divert attention to interruptions.
Active public speaking tool development.
Effective communication is the main contributor to a cohesive relationship between customers and organisation staffs, thus enhancing cohesiveness.
Canaries provided me with a golden chance to enhance my communication skills, something that I envy. As the team coordinator, I was responsible for offering project instruction to the team members and offering training to the team. The coordination mandate sharpened my verbal communication skills while I had to address the team in a precise and understandable manner. Besides, I was responsible for research on the tattoo, therefore, enhancing my written communication skills. Additionally, my role on the fundraising day to welcome the people and to provide them with insight into our project, I must say that my public speaking skill has taken to a higher height. I had enough courage to address the emerging questions broadly and confidently. It was an excellent experience to boost my self-esteem.
2.3 planning and organisation skills
Planning is the innovative process of deciding activities that will foster positive outcomes. Organizing involves distributing tasks to the team member’s thus facilitating conducive working environment (Scott and Davis 2015). According to Rothaermel, (2015), the organic strategic model focuses on consistent communication and feedback among the members. The model retaliates on learning and making a reflection about the efficient and optimal use of available resources.
Table 3 planning and organisation skills
Planning and organising activities
Skills development
Comment
Planning and organising is a powerful tool in management which ensure optimal use of available resources
We planned to offer decorative tattoos to have raise funds.
With the help of other members, we had a successful team ready to take delegated responsibilities.
Developed creative and innovative solutions.
Enhanced ability to solving team crisis.
Developed effective communication skills.
Proper planning and time management.
Proper planning and organising skills help in achieving short-term and long-term goals.
Being the team coordinator, I was responsible for planning the activities to help our team in achieving successful fundraising. I guided the team processes through giving instructions on individual responsibilities and ensuring strict follow-up of our project plans. My coordination roles provided a firsthand experience in achieving excellent planning and organisation skills. The table below reflects on my planning and organising skills.
2.4 Research skills
Research is an intensive investigation of study materials aiming at contributing to fundamental knowledge on a particular study and establishes concluding facts (Van Manen, 2016). The immense technological changes require that the companies have the right research and development team. Basing on my team role to research the safety of the tattoos, I found out that the brand we had chosen was of high quality, with approval from US Food and Drug Administration as a cosmetic. The whole experience was exciting, and I feel good reflecting on my research skills development in the table below.
Table 4 Research skills.
Research activities
Skills development
Comment
Adding new information to the existing knowledge keeps the organisations in a competitive advantage of innovation.
Researching on tattoos safety on dermal contact on children and adults added some skills to my existing knowledge.
Improved my ability to evaluate information accurately.
Enhanced ability to phrase appropriate questions for quality research results.
Ability to use the social network in sharing information.
Researching is the duty I enjoyed the team project. The experience enhanced my research skills.
2.5 Effective Problem solving and decision skills
Daily business activities are challenged by the numerous crises that result from employee’s discrepancy in reasoning. Problem-solving ability is a career in the innovation process, where diversified solutions have to be in place to resolve different misunderstanding arising in the workplaces (Russell and Norvig 2016). My experience in the Canaries as the coordinator provided me with a challenging approach to resolving minor team conflicts which emerged in the course of operations and make sound decisions. During our team formation, at norming stage, members had conflicting opinions about how our fundraising will run. The experience shaped and enhanced my problem solving and decision-making skills.
Table 5 Effective problem solving and decision-making skills
Effective Problem-solving and decision-making activities
Skills development
comments
Identifying and providing a solution to a problematic teamwork situation is very essential.
Assigning different roles to the team members according to their preference to avoid conflict of interest.
Developed ability to apply numerous strategies for resolving a problem and coming up with a sustainable decision to curb the odds.
Ability to develop practical solutions to a different situation.
Ability to identify a problematic situation and match a better solution.
Problem-solving and sound decision making skill is a crucial tool for managing a team. Practical knowledge helps in resolving disputes thus enhancing cooperation and a focus on success.
According to Belbin, understanding the competence of the employees and assigning them to roles that best suit their preference helps in attaining a harmonious team which is more dedicated to achieving positive and desirable outcomes (Harding, 2017). The Canaries had a diversity of skills, and one thing that helped us make our planned result is the fact that everyone was satisfied with the duties assigned. Ludovit is an excellent team worker, Milenia is a team monitor and evaluator, Great shy away from any task and we didn’t force her to any, and lastly, I was the coordinator. The keen distribution of responsibilities ensured that individuals are satisfied with responsibilities and no conflict emerged. Making sound decisions ensures that the team remains focused on the ultimate goal and that there is no diversion of attention. Before assigning duties, we analysed individual strength and weakness, and therefore the responsibilities were based on competency.
2.6 Time management skills
Time is a valuable resource which when utilised appropriately has the capability of transforming a lagging organisation to grow over a short period given the right resources (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). Time wastage translates to low output and high inefficiency. From the time management experience, the following are my skills reflection.
Team management activities
Skills development
Comment
Time planning is essential in achieving targeted results.
Time management activities in planning team meetings.
Time management during the official fundraising day.
Enhanced my ability to set attainable goals.
Improved my understanding of prioritising the critical issues first.
Revealed the essence of remaining focused to achieve the set goals.
Having efficient time management skills has a profound impact in shaping the performance of the team and the organisation at large.
At the Canaries, we never condoned time mismanagement, and during all our meeting, we profoundly observed time. Every minute counted in our team progress. I learned how important it is to be time conscious in all work plans.
Conclusion
Teamwork forms the highest percentage of operations in almost all organisations. Individual work has many accrued benefits, but due to the constraint of time and resources, it becomes necessary for organisations to embrace teamwork to achieve the set goal. A team usually comprises of diverse skills which are directed to accomplishing planned outcomes. For groups and organisations to thrive in their plans, effective communication characterised by openness in sharing information and prompt feedback between team leaders and team members should be maintained. Duties and assignment allocation should be disbursed by the competency of the team members to avoid any conflict that may arise out of performance uncertainty. Teamwork offers collaboration and practical use of resources, through utilising different talent which ultimately translates to the achievement of organisational goals.
References
Certo, S.C., 2018. Supervision: Concepts and skill-building. McGraw-Hill Education.
Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Palgrave Macmillan.
Gallagher, J. and Buckeye, J., 2014. Structures of grace: The business practices of the economy of communion. New City Press.
Harding, S., 2017. MBA management models. Routledge.
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley " Sons.
Raes, E., Kyndt, E., Decuyper, S., Van den Bossche, P. and Dochy, F., 2015. An exploratory study of group development and team learning. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 26(1), pp.5-30.
Rothaermel, F.T., 2015. Strategic management. McGraw-Hill Education.
Russell, S.J. and Norvig, P., 2016. Artificial intelligence: a modern approach. Malaysia; Pearson Education Limited,.
Scott, W.R. and Davis, G.F., 2015. Organizations and organizing: Rational, natural and open systems perspectives. Routledge.
Sparrow, P. and Cooper, C., 2014. Organizational effectiveness, people and performance: new challenges, new research agendas. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 1(1), pp.2-13.
Warrick, D.D., 2016. What leaders can learn about teamwork and developing high-performance teams from organization development practitioners. Performance Improvement, 55(3), pp.13-21.
Van Manen, M., 2016. Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. Routledge.
Appendices
Appendix A: Canaries Minutes for Macmillan Fundraising
CANARIES MINUTES
We are students who are supporting Macmillan cancer research. Our team is from 4 people – Ludovit, Milena, Greta and Desislava and on our first meeting we agreed our name to be The Canaries and gathered of course to discuss an original idea what we can offer to the people for International woman’s day so that we can raise more money.
Our second meeting took place on 14.02.at 12 o’clock. After a week of thinking the best idea was to sell temporary tattoos. Small tattoo, which we can put on the skin with a bit of water or we can give as a present. Lovely gesture towards your loved ones. According to us, it would be an excellent way to express yourself artistically and to provide a unique decoration to your body for a couple of days.
The task was given to each of us-Ludovit –to check the prices and to calculate the money we need to organise the fundraising. Milena-to prepares power-point slides for our presentation, Desislava-to researches safety and quality of different brands of tattoos and Greta –to provide appropriate outfit and things we need for the actual fundraising day.
Ludovit- teamwork
Milena-monitor evaluator
Greta (no show all the time)
Desislava- coordinator
After a long internet research and article reading, I found that the temporary tattoos of ‘The one’ brand are the highest quality. They are applied with on moist skin to offer attractive cosmetic features. Additionally, I found that they have approval by U.S.Food and Drug Administration(FDA) for decoration purposes. The best right now on the market, harmless to the skin, easy to operate with and even can be used on children.
Our third meeting took place on 28.02.at 12 o’clock -after everyone was ready with their tasks and present their work. We decided that we will do the fundraising on 8.03. From 10 am onwards at the University. We made roles for each. I would welcome the people explaining what we are fundraising for, Ludovit would show the tattoos and help them to decide, Milena would put them on the place they want or give it as a present and Greta would take the money.
The day came and was a huge success. We have earned 20 pounds even we expected less than10. We didn’t put a price, but everyone gave round a pound for each tattoo. Our team is lucky because we manage to create a great atmosphere for work and communicate all the time. Effective communication helps a team in identifying inefficiency in operation and makes necessary adjustments. Thanks to our tutor support and our commitment to this task we accomplished the success we hoped.
