Topic 2 - Contribute to Workplace Activities

Effective communication is essential to all teamwork. A team leader needs special skills to ensure the team is working as a unit. The team meeting should achieve the results outlined in the task.

Now tryActivity J

Now tryTask 9

Other factors that affect communication within a team are:

• Good listening skills

• Reading body language

Now tryTask 10

Time Management Strategies

It is clear that support comes in many ways and may include:-

Explanation or Clarification		Helping a Colleague		Problem Solving
Undertaking extra tasks if necessary		Providing Encouragement		Providing feedback to another team member

 

One constructive way of helping Trudy is to train her to apply TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Time management includes:-

1. Prioritising

2. Delegation

3. Problem-solving

4. Decision-making.

Sound familiar???? They should!!!

 

All these skills were covered, in depth, in the unit:-

Organise and complete daily work activities.

 

Go back to this unit if you are unsure about any of the time-management strategies mentioned above. These skills apply to teams as well as individual effort.

Now tryTask 11

Other forms of team communication

Communication can be:

Oral		debate		Written		instructions
		negotiation				reports
		meetings (formal / informal)				memos
		discussion				schedules (team /own)
		speeches

 

 

To clarify an organisation’s preferred task completion, a work schedule should be drawn up. This would include:-

THE GOAL THE TASK THE DEADLINE THE TEAM MEMBER ASSIGNED THE TASK

Many skills are needed to carry out the team-work schedule. These have been discussed earlier in the unit. Perhaps you are still unsure?????????? If unsure check this out-

 

The skills are- a) Literacy: to understand the tasks (may involve complex research & the writing of reports. b) Communication: to request advice, receive feedback & work in a team. c) Planning: to organise work priorities and arrangements. d) Technology: to select and use appropriate technology. e) The ability to relate to people from a range of social, cultural & ethnic backgrounds and physical and mental disabilities.

Now tryActivity K

Strategies and opportunities for improvement of the workgroup

There is an almost endless supply of books, seminars and websites available to managers and team leaders. They provide copious (a lot!) amounts of advice on leadership, team-building and training.

You have already looked at (either directly or indirectly) such things as:-

• performance appraisal

• mentoring and/or supervision (support)

• work experience

• planning

• training (TAFE)
  

Added to this is:-

• formal/ informal training

• internal/external training opportunities

• personal study

• workplace skills assessment

• RPL – Recognised Prior Learning
  

With increased emphasis on teamwork in the office, team-building exercises (games) are becoming more and more popular. Research has shown that up to 87% of information presented in training is NOT used in the real world!! It is recognised that to learn, people must do more than just HEAR information. (this was highlighted in Section 1 of this unit), They have to engage with the information. The skilled use of training GAMES can bring about this engagement with the information.

The choice of games is large and will depend on what you, as team leader, want to achieve. In general, you are trying to build communication and effective teamwork.

 

Leadership	Workplace Difference	Communication
Change	Listening	Goal Setting
Content Reinforcer	Teamwork	Creativity

 

Take a look at a training “game” that focuses on TEAMWORK – SEXUAL HARASSMENT SITUATIONS in the Support Material

A Final Word (OR TWO!)

This unit has “tapped into” how well you communicate with others so that you are a valuable team member. It makes you think about:

yourself

and

others

There are many area to explore and this unit is just the start.