Team work skills

A team is a group of interdependent individuals who work together

towards a common goal.
Team work is the collaborative effort of members of a team to achieve a
task in the most effective & efficient way.
Why teamwork?

1- Task too big for one person to handle.

2- A single person does not have all the required skills for a specific
task.
3- Diversity of ideas fosters creative problem management
The basic requirements for an effective team work are:
a- An adequate team size ( about 6-8 members )
b- Availability of sufficient resources
c- Presence of a supervisor ( team leader)
d- Clearly defined roles for everyone within the team
e- Presence of a clear and attainable goal
Characteristics of team members
1- Interdependence ‫الــتــرابــط‬
There must be a high level of interdependence, motivation, and
confidence building among team members. Through
interdependence come the group dynamics, which are the ways in
which team members interact with each other. Healthy dynamics
lead to team members being more satisfied and therefore working
together more efficiently.
 Unhealthy dynamics lead to conflict and consequently to
unsatisfied team members.
2- Open communication ‫الــتــواصــل‬
A team needs to have open communication channels .This is
achieved through encouragement of interpersonal communication,
group meetings, and a mechanism of task reporting. Self
assessment and criticism is also a way to foster good & healthy
communication. Members of a team must communicate any
thoughts or feelings concerning either another team member or a
manner in which a task is being performed. A healthy and open
communication environment helps conflict resolution and thus
leads to healthy team dynamics.

Communication members of a team must communicate any

thoughts of feelings concerning either another team member or a
manner in which a task is being performed. a healthy and open
communication environment helps conflict resolution and thus
leads to finally team dynamics .

3- Effective coordination ‫الــتــنـســيـق‬

Coordination is important in order to avoid confusion and
overstepping of boundaries. Effective coordination is the
responsibility of the team leader who should guarantee that each
team member understands his roles and works in harmony with
other members. Each team member must figure out how his talents
& skills fit with those of the other team members.

4- Effective cooperation ‫الـتــعـاون‬

Cooperation between the team members is crucial to perform the tasks
in a timely manner and produce the required results, especially in the
form of workload sharing.
Furthermore, team members are expected to encourage and support
each other in their individual tasks

5- Respect and equality ‫االحــترام‬

For a team to be a comfortable and safe place for all members each
person must respect everyone else in every aspect; ideas, cultural
background, beliefs, traditions, and work styles.
Every team members should acknowledge that no one in the team is
superior to the other.
6- Integration ‫الـتــكــامـل‬
Team members work together as one unit. They share similar
principles and work with the same strategy for a common goal.
Team work principles that all are one and that no one of the team can
work independently of the group.

“Characteristics of successful team”

Stages of team development
The formation of a teamwork progresses through stages of
development as follows:

“Stages of team development”

1- Forming
This is the starting stage .The team members have internal conflicts
about being independent versus merging into a group. They are
careful in their approach and avoid risk taking.
Teamwork at this stage is at its lowest level and is not effective.
2- Storming
This stage is characterized by competition for power and authority.
The team members are in doubt about the success of the team and
lack coordination and collaboration.
Team work is low at this stage, and should be enhanced by open
communication and group discussions. Mutual respect should be built
at this stage.
3- Norming
This stage is characterized by increasing levels of solidarity
interdependence and whesiveness every team member starts to make
an effort to adjust to the team environment.
This stage shows a higher level of team work performance
4- Performing
This final stage of team development includes a comfortable
environment in which team members are effectively performing their
tasks in an interdependent, coordinated and collaborative manner.
This stage is characterized by the highest level of team work success
and maturity.

“Stages of team development and level of performance”

Impediments of the success of team work
1- Social loafing ‫الـتــسـكـع االجـتـمـاعـى‬
A member of the team places less effort than he can towards a task.
This creates un-equality between the amount of work other
members are placing within the team, therefore creates conflicts
and low performance.

“Social loafing”
2- Ingrained individualism ‫الـفـرديـة الـمـتـأصـلـة‬
When members of the team are in a higher job ranking than others,
they tend to be authoritative and to work individually. Teamwork
satisfaction is not achieved and team dynamics become disrupted
subsequently. They are less motivated and perform less.

“Individualism”

3- Social disrespect ‫عـدم االحـتـرام االجـتـمـاعـى‬

Team members are not necessarily of similar social levels. If they
do not work within the concept of respect and equality, conflicts.
Accordingly members become less cooperating and coordinating.
Team dynamics become disrupted leading to failure of teamwork.

4- Absence of motivation ‫غـيـاب الـتـحـفـيـز‬

Certain tasks do not require team work and are more appropriate
for individual work. By placing a team to complete an individual
task; there can be reluctance among team Members leading to
unhealthy team dynamics.
The allocation of many goals to a team can also lead to exhaustion
of their efforts, despair, and thus lack of motivation.
5- Intrusion of personal conflicts ‫تـداخـل الصـراعـات الـشـخـصـيـة‬
When personal conflicts occurring outside the work intrude into the
working team, team cooperation and independence fails because of
internal conflicts. Both the leader and team members should ensure
that personal relations are kept away from the working
environment.
 Formative Assessment

1- Adequate size for any team should be :

A) 3-5
B) 6-8
C) 9- 11
D) 12-14
E) 15-17

2- Team occurs when number of people have …… and recognize

their success depend on other:
A) Shared place
B) Common goal
C) Shared management
D) Shared environment
E) All of the above

3- One of the requirements for the success of any team work is :

A) Conflict
B) Dependency
C) Individualism
D) Integration
E) Social loafing

4- The stage in which team member have conflicts regarding their

independency and being team members, is:
A) Adjourning
B) Forming
C) Norming
D) Performing
E) Storming

5- You have been part of a team to conduct a school project. At

the beginning of your work, as a team, you have faced some
conflicts, then, you worked through them and reached a
consensus. You have realized, by time, that you started
working together and achieved couple of goals related to your
project. Which stage of team development are you in now?
A) Adjourning
B) Forming
C) Norming
D) Performing
E) Storming
6- You have been asked to join a team for a group assignment.
You have realized that one of your colleagues does not attend
the team regular meetings. She/He does not participate in
preparing their part of the assignment. To save the situation,
you have suggested to do her/ his work to finish the assignment.
Your colleague behavior in this situation is considered:
A) Absence of motivation
B) Intrusion of personal conflicts
C) Ingrained individualism
D) Social disrespect
E) Social loafing

7- Team is working to finish a project related to their firm (‫شركه‬.

Part of the work was administrative related to photocopying
and finishing paper work. So, one of the team members
said“let the skirts do it “referring to his female colleagues. This
situation is considered an example of:
A) Absence of motivation
B) Intrusion of personal conflicts
C) Ingrained individualism
D) Social disrespect (sexism)
E) Social loafing

True and false

1- It is better for a team to have a small task to work on

2- Team work is higher in storming stage of team development
3- Team development start with forming stage
4- The highest level of team work is in perfuming stage
5- The team development process will end by adjourning stage where
the team celebrate the achievement of the work
6- Maturity is considered one of the good qualities of team member
Ingrained individualism will add to team work through increasing
motivation
7- Effective coordination is the responsibility of the team members