In terms of achieving and sustaining optimum performance levels within your team it is vital to recognise from the outset that effectiveness depends on the interaction of the following three factors:
• Task
• Team maintenance
• Individual Needs
In my view you must:
• Ensure, continuous task achievement
• Meet the needs of the group
• Meet the needs of individual group members
The balance must always be kept in mind (though some compromise may be necessary).
Your own best contribution to getting things done is ideally approached systematically. You must:
• Be clear exactly what the tasks are
• Understand how they relate to the objectives of the organisation (short – and long-term).
• Plan how they can be accomplished
• Define and provide the resources needed for accomplishment
• Create a structure and organisation of people that facilitates effective action
• Control progress as necessary during task completion
• Evaluate results, compare with objectives and fine-tune action and method for the future
The following three-checklists relate back to our original three factors and highlight the thinking that is necessary here.
Checklist 1: Achieving The Task
• Ask yourself:
• Am I clear about my own responsibilities and authority?
• Am I clear about the department’s agreed objectives?
• Have I a plan to achieve these objectives?
• Are jobs best structured to achieve what is required?
• Are working conditions/resources suited?
• Does everyone know their agreed targets/standards?
• Are the group competencies as they should be?
• Are we focused on priorities?
• Are those areas in which I’m personally involved well organised?
• Do I have the information necessary to monitor progress?
• Is management continually assured in my absence?
• Am I seeing ahead and seeing the broad picture?
• Do I set a suitable example?
Checklist 2: Meeting The Individual Needs
Ask yourself if each individual:
Feels a sense of personal achievement from what they do and the contribution it makes.
Feels their job is challenging, demands the best of them and matches their capabilities.
Receives suitable recognition for what they do.
Has control of areas of work for which they are accountable.
Feels that they are advancing in terms of experience and ability.
Many questions stem from this about what people do, how they do it, how what they do is organised and how they feel about it. It is worth thinking what you need to ask regarding your own particular team.
Checklist 3: Team Maintenance
To involve the whole team in pulling together towards individual and joint objectives, ask yourself, do I:
• Set team objectives clearly and make sure they are understood?
• Ensure standards are understood (and the consequences of not meeting them are understood and approved)?
• Find opportunities to create teamworking?
• Minimise any dissatisfaction?
• Seek and welcome new ideas?
• Consult appropriately and often enough?
• Keep people fully informed (about the long – and short-term)?
• Reflect the team’s views in dealings with senior management?
• Accurately convey organisational policy to the team and reflect such policy in their objectives?
In Summary:
An analytical approach to these areas is the foundation to making your operation work effectively – and thus to getting tasks done effectively.
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