The Balancing Act Teamwork Article Summary PDF

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Balancing Act ACCT 343 Team Membership Articles Being a member of a team has the potential to be a frustrating experience. Team member differences and lack of communication can be a problem when working in a team. In an effort to familiarize ourselves with healthy team member practices, The Balancing Act has taken a look at the following articles which speak about effective leadership and team member practices. The art of being a good team member entails multiple characteristics, which include having a positive attitude, communication skills, and being straightforward. These characteristics are further described in the article "Characteristics of Good Work Team Members", by Ronald E. Riggio. A positive attitude includes taking on difficult challenges with a productive mindset. A pessimistic attitude is hard to work with and brings down team morale. Another practice which is indicative of good communication skills is letting team members know if they will be timely, or if they need help with their part. Letting the team know when you have completed a section and are able to assist others is an important characteristic of a supportive team member. In a team setting it is important to be socially adept and an effective communicator of information. Honesty is one of the most important and undervalued traits of a team (Characteristics of Good Work Team Members). The team should be able to be upfront with each other to conserve each others time and mental energy. The benefits of being respectfully straightforward with expectations and opinions far outweigh the negatives of an unpleasant conversation. The article titled, "Effective Team Management Skills," written by Prachi Juneja considers skills necessary to succeed in a team environment. Willingness to participate within group discussions is vital to the health and functionality of a team. Juneja explains that debates can quickly escalate into

arguments which are unproductive and detrimental. The best way to avoid this is to enter discussions with respect for a variety of opinions. Juneja also warns against excluding members of the group as this will lead to alienation and possibly unproductive members. Teams must learn to show appreciation for others work. Even if a team member does not think that another members work is adequate, they should still be respectful of their work if they believe the other gave a true effort. If a team does elect to have a leader, the leader should be more of a floating assistant than a strict boss. Often teams will face inner turmoil if the leader begins to abuse power or loses respect for the other members. "6 Simple Tips for Effective Team Management", from MeisterLabs, describes ways in which team members can contribute to a "happier and more productive team". Some of these ways include transparency, communication, and feedback. According to the article, transparency encourages a more creative and happy environment because team members feel more at ease sharing ideas. This is supported by the next tip, communication. Communication is critical, not only for transparency, but also for organization of things like meeting times. It is a useful tool with which to provide feedback to other members. Collaboration is another important aspect of team management which taps into the “diverse skills” that team members may have. Additionally, trust is important to teamwork. Trusting your team to get their jobs done is important, especially when delegating tasks, which helps prevent burnout (the final tip). The tips and traits articulated in this article help to foster a positive and effective team. As is clearly seen in the above articles, there is a wide array of behaviors and practices that contribute positively to a team’s ability to work together cohesively and productively. From the day-to-day actions like letting people know if you’re going to miss a meeting to the more overarching traits of trust and mutual respect, there are many things to consider when working as a part of a team. As a team, The Balancing Act anticipates being able to employ all of the above ideas in our work together this quarter.

Works Cited: Olivia. “6 Simple Tips for Effective Team Management.” Focus, MeisterLabs, 17 Apr. 2018, www.meistertask.com/blog/6-simple-tips-effective-team-management/. Juneja, Prachi. “Effective Team Management Skills.” MSG Management Study Guide, 19 Apr. 2018, www.managementstudyguide.com/effective-team-management-skills.htm. Riggio, Ronald E. “Psychology Today .” Characteristics of Good Work Team Members, Sussex Publishers, 15 Jan. 2013,...