Developing Business Practice –302LON

Working Successfully with Others

Unit: 2 Knowledgecast: 2

In this Knowledgecast, we will:

• Analyse a range of learning styles and the factors that influence successful study.

• Evaluate current academic, self-marketing and personal skills and present a plan for developing skills

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of independence in learning and the need for a ‘growth’ mindset

Module Learning Outcomes

Module Overview

Unit

1 Developing as a learner

2 Working independently and with others

3 Academic writing

4 Critical thinking, reading and taking notes

5 Using data in your studies

6 Business and management research

7 Career development strategies

8 Effective self marketing tools

9 Successful work experience

10 Personal Development Planning

• QAA Core Skill (team-working skills)

• Required academic competency

• Critical international business skill highly valued by employers

• Organisations use Traditional and Virtual Team formats

Why is working with others important?

‘These terms endeavour to capture the energy of movement, progress, regress and resolution in the life of groups. The development of groups is crucial in order to arrive at the optimal stage for work’. Connolly (2008:80)

5 Stages of Team Development

FORMING NORMING PERFORMINGSTORMING

•Team has usually just formed

•Or, has undergone changes to its membership or objectives

•Expectations have not been fully met

•Differences become apparent

•Dissatisfaction with authority or goals

•Experimenting with respect, trust and the “greater good” of team

•The calm after the storm

•Comfort with and respect for the team

•Know why and what it is doing

•Pure focus on results

ADJOURNING Based on Tuckman and Jensen (1977)

5 Stages of Team Development

FORMING NORMING PERFORMINGSTORMING

• Polite• Impersonal• Guarded• Watchful

•Confronting people

•Dealing with conflict

•Opting out ‘not for me’

•Lose team members

•Getting organised•Developing skills•Establishing systems and procedures

•Tackling challenges

•Getting Feedback

•Closeness/friendship

•Flexible•Supportive and trusting

•Sharing ideas•Tolerant of members

ADJOURNINGBased on

Tuckman and Jensen (1977)

The Ideal Team

Source: Mullins (2010:343)

1. Clear and shared goals

2. Agreed ways of working

3. Effective communication

4. Support and cooperation

5. Regular review of progress

5 Factors for Successful Team Working

• Clarifying what you are trying to achieve (and how)• Giving and finding relevant information• Proposing and developing ideas• Taking responsibility for actions• Summarising and reviewing progress• Time keeping

Behaviours That Help Team Tasks

• Encouraging others to contribute• Agreeing with and rewarding contributions• Checking understanding• Resolving conflict positively• Dealing with negative and disruptive people• Praising team progress

Behaviours That Help Team Working

• Talking too much• Reacting emotionally• Attacking other’s points of view• Not listening or interrupting others• Chatting about other matters• Introducing red herrings• Withdrawing from the group

Unhelpful Behaviours in Teams

1. Setting ground rules

• Agree what is acceptable

• Agree what is not acceptable

• Regularly review your ground rules

Good Team Communication

2. Giving praise and feedback

• The feedback sandwich (Positive, negative, positive)

• Focus on behaviour

• Give specific examples

Good Team Communication

3. Understanding diversity in teams

• Recognise different experiences and expectations

• Value and understand the differences

• Use your ground rules to keep on track

Good Team Communication

• Plan

• Research

• Communicate

• Collaborate

Good Team Communication

4. Maximise your use of 21st century learning technologies

1. Agree your ground rules

2. Create your action plan with sub-tasks, deadlines and responsibilities

3. Write down what’s been agreed

4. Regularly review progress

5. Deal with anyone not pulling their weight as a team

Managing Group Work

• In our next Knowledgecast, we will look at:

• Analyse a range of learning styles and the factors that influence successful study

• Evaluate current academic, self marketing and personal skills and present a plan for the development of academic skills

• Use programme and module information to develop a personalised academic strategy

What are we going to cover next?

In this Knowledgecast, we have:• Analyse a range of learning styles and the factors that influence

successful study.– Discussed the factors required for successful team working in an academic and

business context

• Evaluate current academic, self-marketing and personal skills and present a plan for developing skills

– Outlined a range of effective communication techniques to use within a team environment

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of independence in learning and the need for a ‘growth’ mindset

– Discovered how learning technologies can be used to enhance your performance in your programme of study

Knowledgecast Summary

• Exploring theories of motivation

• Applying our understanding of motivation to study and the workplace

• Using SMART objectives to focus and maintain your motivation

Seminar

• Your best learning experience

• Complete an academic skills audit

• Revisit your learning journal

Group Activity

Your Best Learning Experience

Person A – Person B Person B – Person A

1. Where did it take place, when was it? 2. What did you learn?3. How did you learn?4. How have you used what you learned?

1. Where did it take place, when was it? 2. What did you learn?3. How did you learn?4. How have you used what you learned?

• Person B can only listen to the answers

• Person B cannot ask questions or make notes.

• Person A listens to Person B and can:• Take notes • Take an active role in the conversation• Ask questions to clarify details

• Person B presents back to Person A what they heard.

• How accurate was this?• How much detail was remembered, • Was it accurate?

• Person A presents back to Person B what they heard.

• How accurate was this?• How much detail was remembered, • Was it accurate?