Question

In your own words discuss the open system approach to team working and how it leads to creating successful teams in business (500 words or more with references)

Answer 1

1. Teamwork is nothing but collaborative work of the team in order to achieve the desired goals. In addition to the practical components required for efficient teamwork, there are certain characteristics that members of the team must have in order to produce effective teamwork. There must be a high level of interdependence among team members, a characteristic that stems from open communication and the increase of trust and risk-taking. Inputs are factors which are controlled and influenced by management. They include climate, the atmosphere under which the team works, and group arrangement, how the team is put together, who is selected to work in it and why.

2. Management will also influence how a team should work by making sure that the team strategy is in line with the vision and strategic direction of the organization and that it uses the organization’s preferred work practices; for example, face-to-face, video conferencing, etc. Throughputs refer to the activities and tasks that help to transform inputs into outputs. They may have the greatest influence on effective team work as they include team processes such as developing and maintaining cohesiveness, and communication.

3. They also involve task activities which get the work done and maintenance activities which support the development and smooth functioning of the team. Outputs are those successful outcomes which satisfy organizational or personal goals or other predetermined criteria. The success of outputs may be assessed by a number of stakeholders, including the organization itself and team members, and by a range of other stakeholders. Team outputs include the performance of team tasks and individual outputs such as professional development.

4. Some common throughputs include: Team processes- A sense of unity is created through sharing clear goals which are understood and accepted by the members. Cohesiveness- This involves encouraging feelings of belonging, cooperation, openness and commitment to the team. Communication- This involves being clear, accurate, open and honest. Decision-making- This involves making sure that established procedures are in place, that everybody is clear about leadership and an environment of trust is being created. Task and maintenance activities- These include activities that ensure that the task is produced effectively, such as planning, agreeing on procedures and controls. They also include activities that minimize threats to the process, such as monitoring and reviewing internal processes and dealing constructively with conflict.

5. Outcomes can be examined in terms of task performance, individual performance and other incidental outcomes. They are: Task performance- This may be judged on a number of criteria, such as quality of the formal outputs or objectives. In this case a product the newsletter and the time taken to perform the task are the criteria. Individual outputs- These may include personal satisfaction and personal development and learning. Other outcomes- These include transferable skills to apply in future to other teamwork. They include, for example, experience of effective teamwork and task-specific skills.

6. A team is more than a set of individuals with the appropriate skills to perform a task. People bring to the team not only their knowledge and skills but also their personal attributes and the ways in which they behave, contribute and relate to others. A popular idea is that these individual characteristics should be taken account of in constructing teams. While we may not be in a position to select team members, we need to consider these behaviours when selecting a team. A person who is known to be confident and enthusiastic is likely to behave in the same way when he or she joins a team. If all team members behave in the same way, then not only is conflict likely but the quality of the task is likely to suffer.

In this way open system approach to team working and it leads to creating successful teams in business.