History of team building

History of team building

  A team is a small number of people with additional (добавочный) skills who are committed (преданные) to a common purpose, performance (исполнение) goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (подход, для которого они считают себя взаимно ответственными.).

To “be a team” means to:

• Share goal(s), to have a common purpose (цель) for working together
• Commit (совершать) collectively to getting work done, in a spirit of collaboration (сотрудничество)
• Respect each other’s differences
• Trust that each person is competent, will raise issues (выпуск продукции) and follow through on commitments (доводить начатое до конца)
• Have the courage (смелость) to remove obstacles (затруднения) in the team’s path (тропа), including resolving conflicts within (внутри) the team.

    The appearance of the team idea can be traced back to the late 1920s and early 1930s with the now classic Hawthorne Studies. These involved (запутанный) a series of research activities designed to examine detailed what happened to a group of workers under various conditions. After much analysis, the researchers agreed that the most important factor was the building of a sense of group identity, a feeling of social support and unity (единство) that came with increased worker interaction (взаимодействие). The term "team building" has become a buzzword (специальный термин) in recent years, and has many connotations (подтекст).

Importance of team building

    Team building exercises have undergone (подверглись) a negative shift (изменению) in image in the past but are now surfacing as an essential (важнейший) part of any serious business. A strong team who know they can rely on each other will outperform (превосходить) others in all areas. In terms of corporate development, team-building exercises are important not for the direct experience of the activities performed (выполнять) by the team, but also for the group skills, communication and bonding (закреплять) that result. Team-building programmers provide (обеспечивают) realistic experiences that empower (уполномачивать) individuals to contribute (способствовать) to common goals. The success of most organizations depends on the ability (способность) of individuals to build effective teams.

    Good team leaders will know and recognize a potential team building opportunity (возможность) and take advantage of it. Activities may be planned at a weekend away, a week at a resort, or even something simple every Friday night.

Team building activities might include:

- Team sports days

- Design an outfit catwalk day

- Novelty race days

- Prepare a menu, cooking challenge

- Camping/survival challenges

- Sailing

- Amazing race style challenge

    Team building training is important for any business management to understand and to get the best from their team situation.

  Team building can work on all levels for all business sizes. Project managers may need to work together to get a large organization involved (запутанный) or it may be a business owner with two or three employees. By bringing these people together and putting them into a situation or relaxed fun where they might rely on each other for support gives them a new perspective on colleagues and the company. Once a rapport has been established, and activities enjoyed, the flow on effect back at work continues. (если будет установлен контакт и активности будут в удовольствие приятное впечатление останется даже после возвращения к работе ) 

    The amount of team members should be small. As the number of team members increases the results of labour (труд) efficiency, responsibility, participation and confidence (доверие) become worse. By the researchers’ opinion, the optimum size of team is from 4 to 9 people, not more than 15; the limit of effective work for the team is 10-12 people. Big groups of people – on the strength of number of members – have difficulties with interaction (взаимодействие). They get less mutual (взаимный) understanding about the details of work. Probability that 10 people will successfully work by general plan and bear (нести) responsibility, no matter of personal, functional and official differences, is still higher as if it would be done by 50 people. There should be used the “golden rule” of team number “seven plus/minus two”.

Benefits of team building

    Being trained to take advantage of team building opportunities means your team leaders or project managers can constantly work on building the company team efforts. This brings the company together as a whole and staff will feel validated (утвержденный) and important to the company.

Some of these benefits include:

• Improves morale and leadership skills
• Finds the barriers that thwart (мешает) creativity
• Clearly defines (определять) objectives (цели) and goals (задачи)
• Improves processes and procedures
• Improves organisational productivity
• Identifies a team's strengths and weaknesses
• Improves the ability (способность) to problem solve

  Five stages of team development

    Most experts in team development agree that teams will go through five different stages. How fast a team moves through each stage will depend on the team members, their individual skills, the work they are expected to do, and the type of leadership available to the team. It takes time and effort but it is worth (ценно) working through the 5 stages of team development.

  Stage 1

  The first stage is when the team is formed and members meet. At this stage, the leader needs to be directive and understand the requirements (требования) for team training to move through each stage.

  Stage 2

  During the second stage, individual expressions (высказывания) of ideas take place and there is open conflict between members. The leader should guide the team process towards clear goals, defined (определенный) roles, acceptable team behavior, and a mutual (взаимный) feedback process for team communication.

  Stage 3

  In the third stage, the team develops work habits that support group rules and values (ценность). The team leader continues to encourage (поощрять) participation and professionalism among the team members.

  Stage 4

  The fourth stage shows high levels of loyalty, participation, motivation, and group decision-making. The leader becomes a facilitator (посредник) aiding the team in communication processes and helping if they revert (вернуться) to a prior (предыдущий) stage.

  Stage 5

  For project teams, temporary committees, or task forces (целевые группы) coming to an end, there will be a finalizing stage as they celebrate and recognize group achievement (достижения).  

Conclusion

    The main goals of team-building are to improve productivity and motivation. Taking employees out of the office helps groups break down political and personal barriers, remove distractions, and have fun. The benefits of team-building programs are so important that many corporations have incorporated (включили) teambuilding strategies into their standard training curriculum (учебный план).  
 

  Used literature:

1. Article written by Timothy Millett, head trainer at i perform - www.iperform.com.au.
2. Scholtes, Peter R., The Team Handbook, Joiner Associates (1988)
3. Dan Collns is from Fresh Tracks who are experts in running team building activities,team development programmes and staff conference organising.
4. Dyer, J. L., 1984, Team research and team training: A state-of-the-art review. Human Factors Review, pp. 285-319.