Research on Teamwork

The team’s success is a manifestation and determined by competent leadership. This research paper intends to analyze the relationship between identity, cohesion and climate mainly in military teams and organization. It is the purpose and objective of this research paper to elaborate on how a leader builds effective teams in an organization. The signs of ineffective teams and changes needed for behaviors related with ineffective teams will also be discussed in details within this research paper.

In this paper, the team dynamics and groups will be discussed in details. The article will also acknowledge that teams can be created with the aim of achieving both long-term and short-term objectives. Additionally, the paper will consider the fact that successful leadership is dependent on different concepts to be true. All the aspects will be skillfully integrated with identity, cohesion and climate especially when discussing quality leadership in relation to teamwork. This research paper will also rely on the instruction, and the use of the first-person pronoun may be used as one way of complying with the instructions.

 

Introduction

In every organization or working environment, there comes a time when people need to come together and work as a team regardless of their specializations and prowess in vast areas. It is through effective teamwork that organizations are able to achieve their goals and ambitions. The leaders who are not used to teamwork usually experience challenges when it comes to managing people. It is therefore fundamental for leaders to understand the dynamics of teamwork to be efficient and competent in their services delivery. A military organization is a good example of a group that can be utilized in explaining team work.

Teamwork is manifested when people cooperate, use effective communication skill, solve problems and attain agreeableness as they struggle to achieve a common purpose. For instance, a military group may not achieve their goals if teamwork is not perfected. According to Caforio, (2006), military operations are usually manifested and characterized by interdependent teams often working in high-risk environments. For this reason, teamwork and trust are essential requirements in all military operation because the performance of one individual affects the operations of the others and the results expected.

Nevertheless, it is vital to understand a team is a group of people with different commentary skills working together dependently and with great cooperation with the intention of satisfying or accomplishing common objectives and set goals.

Research Paper Objectives

•  To critically explain the three qualities measure of good teamwork. That is identity, cohesion, and climate.
•  Explaining how I can build effective teams in my organization while identifying the signs of ineffective teams.
•  Discussing how to change the behaviors associated with ineffective teams in military organizations.
•  To utilize military examples in the entire paper.
•  Compliance with APA referencing and formatting rules.

The Three Qualities Measure of Good Teamwork

Identity

Identity is one of the fundamental elements of a team. Unfortunately, most teams take this aspect for granted based on the fact that there is no much time invested in ensuring that group members develop and share strong identity links. Identity is not naturally formed in a team. It is, therefore, the role of the leaders in a position to place important strategies that can help the members of a team to identify with each other. With identity, cooperation, communication, coordination with other team concepts can be improved.

In a military setup, well-established teams have members that can identify with each other. Creating team identity helps in managing projects and achieving missions. Identity helps team members to be committed to their work. It encourages people to overcome challenges together. It is vital to appreciate the fact that numerous methodologies can be used by leaders to develop the identity among team members. For instance, the military leaders can opt to have clear missions or visions, explicit working relationships; leaders must define team procedures, acknowledge other people’s roles and achievement if there is a need for successful teamwork in a mission.

Cohesion

Team cohesiveness is the degree or level to which team members stick together and remain loyal and united in the pursuit of the set objectives. The military leaders are advised to ensure that the state of cohesion among the members of the troop has strong bonds. Cohesion enables the team members to focus on the processes other than individuals. It also ensures that the team members have respect and good motives towards each other. As a result, accountability and morale are enhanced in a team.

The team with cohesiveness has a friendly environment. In military units and troops, strong bonds are beneficial for Service Members. This is due to the fact that it helps them to cope better with stressful events and traumatic situations. Cohesion is essential in reducing depression and supporting each other. For the member of the military cohesion has been credited as an enabler and determination activator. Cohesion makes military members more flexible to change and successful in war events. According to Castillo, (2014), the military organizations that exhibited the highest defeats during the Second World War were those that lacked cohesion.

Climate

The military climate can tremendously affect teamwork results depending on the leaders’ character traits and skills. The positive command climate improves resilience. The leaders are often entrusted with a significant responsibility, mainly in ensuring that unique skills and talents are emphasized among team members in any unit. This is a psychological strategy to make sure that the social climate is healthy for all military members especially as leaders strives towards ensuring that there are recommendable levels of job satisfaction (Meredith, Rand Corporation, & United States, 2011).

The Positive Climate Indicators:

• Efficient teamwork operations, fairness and sharing of information.
• Openness.
• Soldier’s confession of their job satisfaction.
• Teambuilding events such as games.
• The rate of reenlistment is high
• High levels of trust in the line of command.

How I can build Effective Teams in my Organization while Identifying the Signs of Ineffectiveness Teams.

Based on research, I believe that I can be a successful leader if I strategize on becoming more accountable, sensitive to other people’s opinion, supportive, and when I use effective communication skills. As a leader, I believe I have a role to ensure that my team members are motivated and encouraged as we work towards achieving our set goals. For this reason, I acknowledge and accept the fact that as a leader, I should create a good working climate, promote cohesion and identity based on the elaborations discussed above.

In summary I will ensure that I am impartial, a mentor, and a person who can bring people together. It is the duty and desire of all competent leaders to monitor team performances regularly as a strategy to investigate and understand if the team is on the right track. The ability to build strong bonds and a healthy working relationship is a method used to combat work-related stress. I opt to comply with these leadership skills in ensuring that my team’s performance and wellness is recommendable and competitive when compared to the other teams. In the process of building an effective team, I will also ensure that I am;

• Enthusiastic
• Morally upright and a role model
• Creative
• Inclusive and non-biased
• Timely and responsible

Cautious of team ineffectiveness is another aspect that I will use in improving team effectiveness. Following this observation, I agree that it will be important to understand and shun team ineffectiveness which can be caused and characterized by;

• Poor communication
• Lack of trust
• Inability to solve conflicts
• Poor decision making
• Job dissatisfaction
•  Reduce self analysis
• High levels of withdrawals and increased blame games (Levi, 2011).

Changing the Behaviors Associated with Ineffective Teams

For a leader to be successful in changing the behaviors associated with ineffective leadership, they should start by associating with the members. Through association, leaders ensure that they get the opinions of the other people and use the ideas generated in fighting disagreements and coming together again. Team building techniques must be used to enable team members to develop cohesion, identify with each other and create a healthy working environment. Eventually, the leaders would be able to discuss and understand the sources of ineffectiveness and plan how to avoid ineffectiveness in the future. The attitudes towards ineffectiveness must be positive for leaders to achieve results.

Conclusion

For any given team to perform surpassingly and achieve its goals, the people working in the team have an obligation to appreciate and utilize the abilities of the other members. All the interactions in any team have a significant dependence on the leadership that navigates a team. It is crucially relevant for all team members to develop and handle each other with a positive attitude. All members should work towards having a firm commitment to the agendas of the team for ultimate achievement of the objectives of their team.

Secondly, working in harmony with effective communication skills and mutual cooperation within teams is fundamental to achieving the team’s success. The mutual understanding of the objectives can also escalate cooperation in a team, hence escalating the rate of goals attainment. Following this observation, it is clear leaders should be strategic and work to ensure they support creativity and cooperation among the members of the team. Cohesion, identity and an excellent working climate are fundamental working ingredients for all successful teams including military troops.

References

1. Caforio, G. (2006). Handbook of the Sociology of the Military. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
2. Castillo, J. (2014). Endurance and war: The national sources of military cohesion. Stanford, California: Stanford Security Studies
3. Levi, D. (2011). Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: SAGE.
4. Meredith, L. S., Rand Corporation, & United States. (2011). Promoting psychological resilience in the U.S. military. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.

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