...Be a Team player in the workplace? MGMT 591 September 24, 2014 Introduction Pathpoint was founded as a “Work Training Program” for adults with disabilities and disadvantages. Pathpoint is a non-profit public benefit corporation and its mission is to provide comprehensive training and support that empowers people with disabilities to become valued members of the community by being able to live and work more independently. The company slogan is “Connecting People, Purpose and Community since 1964”. My role at Pathpoint is that of a Program Coordinator, some of my responsibilities include: the hiring and training of staff, assigning monthly training schedule, approval of community based activities, assist in the management of fiscal operations, setting a staff work schedule and maintaining compliance with licensing regulations, make sure building cleanliness is maintained, communicating important information to staff and clientele. Pathpoint serves a diverse population of persons with disabilities and their families and providing a team of supportive staff to meet their needs is vital to the success of the program and the future of the clients. Factors affecting Teamwork What are the factors involved that prevent an experienced, knowledgeable and valued employee from acting as a “Team Player”? Some of the factors I am looking at in this paper have to do with internal and external factors. Internal factors being derived from ideas of self efficacy. External factors include...
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...A Good Team Player Stakeholders Steven, Assistant Department Manager- Accounts Payable Kristin, Newly appointed supervisor of Accounts Payable Department Other managers and employees at the Accounts Payable Department Main Problem: Should Steven name the names of the people who he thought are not acting on the interest of the companies? Sub-Problem: Do you think Steven intentionally hinted Kristin regarding this issue? Conclusion: Being a leader does not mean getting the upper hand, but it means that one should lower his/her hand, stretch it out so that other can reach it and together they can accomplish what it needs to be done. It is also not wise for Kirsten to force Steven to name those people as she is depriving them fairness in judgment. Team work lies on the attitude of the leaders. It is them who can make or break the outlook of the department thus it is them who can model what “acting on the best interest of the company” would mean. A Case Study Prepared by China Chua Background of the Case: Kristin is forcing Steven to spill the beans on who are the employees that are not acting on the best interests of the company, based on what he had told her earlier on their first meeting. Recommendation: No, he should not give her the names, instead he should clarify to Kirsten that what he said earlier was a mere comment/opinion and it meant no harm to her or his team mates. He should be be a team player To dwell into the situation, do I really...
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...In the team player assessment, I scored the highest in the category of being a Collaborator. After reading what being a collaborator meant in a group setting I was feeling pretty happy. I believe that being a collaborator is not a dreadful trait because collaborators are goal-directed and flexible in order to complete their work with other members of a team. I must admit that this result portrays myself pretty well because I am all about helping others and not being the center of attention in certain situations. The results from the other of the self-assessments were positive because they showed that I am a wonderful listener and I am very aware of my surroundings. From this, I cultivated more about my listening abilities and how I have applied...
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...Ethics Case: "A Good Team Player" 1) Describe the factual situation Steven, a staff accountant in the accounts payable section, is confident that he knows the “ins” and “outs” of the bureaucratic organization he works in. Kristin, a new manager of accounts payable, no non-sense type of manager, Kristin was experienced and determined to perform her new assignment with the same vigor that had brought her so much success throughout her career. Steven believes people seem to gain promotions and have the opportunity to work overtime based on who likes them rather than the quality of their work. As a result, Steven who is dissatisfied with what he senses are political machinations that have influenced managerial decision making within his firm, suggests to Kristin that things would be better if the political could be stopped. Kristin uses the power of her new position to get Steven to give her the names of the bad team players or else she will start to think he is part of the problem. Steven, stunned, cannot think of a way to respond. 2) Identify the possible courses of action. There are three possible courses of action that I can take away from this situation. One situation involves Steven and the company, and one that involves Steven only. 1. Steven would be to respond Kristin's demands and give her the names of the bad team players. By doing this, it would benefit himself in the long run and will allow the company to better their work force. 2. Steven...
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...The Superstar Effect: NBA Players and Team Influence I. Introduction Individual influence in a group setting has been studied among numerous academic fields for decades. In particular, productivity is often seen as a positive externality, in which the efficiency of a single individual in certain environments may others to also be more efficient, leading to better performance of the overall group [1]. This increase in productivity can be observed in a variety of different environments, including but not limited to the work office, education, and even in a domestic setting. Specifically in sports teams, this phenomenon is coined “the superstar effect”. In the past, there has been much debate regarding the actual impact of the superstar effect. These studies bring up many important issues that we will address before proceeding with our work. Among these questions are: Who qualifies as a superstar? How do we define a player to be “productive”? Under what metrics will we look at to determine the supposed effect of these players? All of these are valid points that we must carefully define to progress with our experimentation. II. Background and Data Our first and foremost question is what we base our data and work on: how do we define a superstar? Past work shows numerous ways to address this topic. One common way to determine a superstar is to refer to the number of times he or she has made an All-Pro team, or a player who has played in the NBA All-Star...
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...Being a ‘Team’ Player: The Linguistic Alteration of Identity in Online Communities Dedicated to The Hunger Games In the first chapter of Gender and Language, Penelope Eckert and Sally McConnell-Ginet discuss how the connection between language and gender enables a “continual performance” of gendered interactions (33), which, in turn, enables “social reproduction” founded on the separate categories of male and female. They argue that language not only reflects gendered categories but “constructs and maintains these categories” (34). Being such strong categories, they claim it is “impossible” to escape gendered behavior and not influence others to give gendered responses (50). In a later chapter, Eckert and McConnell-Ginet discuss how “gender schemas and ideologies” are implied and interpreted (203). Using an example from a university setting, the authors illustrate their point that the assumption of gender may not result from “the particulars of our exchange but in familiar gender stereotypes” (204). If no specific clues or pronouns are given during the exchange of information, presuppositions relying on stereotypes often emerge. Not only do stereotypes and behavior fill the linguistic gaps, but the power in individual words alone is a cause for concern. Sally McConnell-Ginet explores this further in her article “Words in the World: How and Why Meanings Can Matter.” She argues that single words can carry multiple meanings in each use whether the speaker means them to or not...
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...Marion BELLAIS A good team player I – Facts : Since his graduation from college, Steven does it right as a staff accountant in the accounts payable section of a major industrial firm for several years. He is confident about his capacities, it is why it was not stressed about the arrival of a new supervisor in his service. The new manager of accounts payable, Kristin, had been transferred to Steven’s division from a similar position in another subsidiary of the company because of her proven talent for organizing and improving the efficiency of operations. Kristin was experienced and determined to perform her new assignment with the same vigor that had brought her so much success throughout her career. At the reception, Kristin circulated through the room, introducing herself to her new subordinates and asking each of them if they had any suggestions that would help make the payables section a better place to work. When she approached Steven, he told her that people seemed to him to gain promotions and be given opportunities to work overtime based on who liked them, and not on the quality of their work. In reply, Kristin politely stated that she would do everything that she could to see that whatever it was he was referring to would have no place in the team she would lead. The next day, Steven received a phone call from Kristin’s secretary asking that he meet with his new boss later that morning. He had barely entered her office for the meeting when she looked him straight...
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...1. Make teamwork a priority by making it part of the performance management system. * This begins with performance expectations when someone joins the organization, Weisman says. “I was speaking with a prospective client last summer who was complaining about this very thing--that their people were not working well together--so I asked her, ‘Well, do you assess their contribution to teamwork as part of your annual performance review process?’ She looked at me like a deer in headlights and responded as if it was a master stroke of genius.” If you don't measure it and give people the expectation at the very beginning of their role with the organization, it will not be seen as priority. 2. Pinpoint the problem. * “Explore your feelings and behavior toward your colleagues,” says Parnell. “Social and professional relationships are inextricably symbiotic and interactive, and much of the communication that occurs is both subconscious and reactive.” If your colleagues seem to be difficult, they may actually be reacting to the signals you are giving off – whether consciously or unconsciously. While this might be a bitter pill to swallow, you may be the very root of the problem and the first step toward recovery is discovering this. 3. Do not complain to management. * “Mommy, mommy! Jimmy isn’t being nice!” isn’t going to cut it here. In fact, it will just make things worse. “Going over someone’s head to leverage them with authority is the best way to gain faux cooperation...
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...LEARNING TEAM CHARTER – TEAM “A” |Course Title |GEN/195 FOUNDATIONS OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES 2 Team Ground Rules and Guidelines What are the general expectations for all members of the team? To at least acknowledge one another and respond even if it is ‘OK’. We understand how chaotic life, work school, etc. can be but what we all must remember is we decided to attend college (again). Keeping that in mind, contact with one another is a must also. We know we all are pretty much acquaintance and it might be a little difficult to do but to build a great team we need to start a foundation. When it comes to turning in assignments as a team we think it will benefit everyone if we summit to our thread at least a day in advance so one of the other team member (or leader of the week) can put together a draft for all of us to turn in or just decide what name gets what question. We’ve never been much of a team player but this is a learning experience for me and probably other students. We should all remember that we have our team depending on us to pull our weight and make the right choices. 4 Expectations for Time Management and Involvement (Participation, communication with the team, accessibility, etc.) Each individual person should be required to post a general update once during the week in order to keep communication strong. In addition, everyone is...
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...I. TEAM AGREEMENT: A. Introduction/Scope/Objective Our team is a network of consultants geared toward analyzing corporate behavior and providing recommendations for improving corporate social responsibility efforts. B. Mission Statement: Universal Responsibility Solutions will be the leader in providing social responsibility solutions to organizations around the world. C. Vision Statement: Universal Responsibility Solutions seeks to be the social responsibility stewards for today and tomorrow and the future. D. Shared Values: Fairness: It is important to be impartial and to treat everyone equally. Reliability: Since this is a group project, we’re relying on one another to perform all tasks and duties assigned. It is important that each member performs to the best of his/her abilities and remains accountable for his/her actions. Diversity: Instill a more racial and gender diverse workplace environment. We believe that diversity helps us embrace a broader approach to issues and solutions. Ethics and integrity: Each member is doing quality work to the best of his/her ability. E. Desirable team behaviors and consequences for non-compliance: Respect: Show others respect in discussions by having an open mind about different positions. Communication between group members should always be courteous. We can respectfully disagree. Activity Documentation: Document progress (decisions and processes) Accountability: Tasks assigned should be completed on time....
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...What skills are necessary for teamwork? High performance team cannot live without good team players. These team members have some good common skills. Communication skill is one of the common skills that good team players possess. According to Driskell, “effective communication behaviors include exchanging information in a timely manner, acknowledgment of information, double-checking that the intent of messages was received, clarifying ambiguity, and the appropriate use of verbal and nonverbal cues.” (Driskell, 2006) With good communication skills, team members can exchange thoughts, ideas, and information efficiently. Decision Making skills are also fundamental skills for good team members. Driskell describes decision making skills as the ability to identify and assess problem, exchange information, give and evaluate solutions, and assess consequences. According to Neil Kokemuller, listening skills also very important to the success of the team. Strong listening skills help team members better understand others’ ideas and show their support to other team members. Besides listening skills, cooperation skills also play a important role in a team. Neil Kokemuller defines cooperation as “a general skill that encompasses a helpful nature and willingness to participate actively within the team.” (Kokemuller, n.d.) The team will more likely to succeed when all team members are completely engaged in team tasks and exchanging ideas. References Driskell, J. E., Goodwin, G...
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...Ethics Awareness Inventory After taking the Ethics Awareness Inventory the results highlighted what I had already suspected about my way of thinking. Although I have my own way of thinking my main concern is for the good of others. Because I am a doer and not a talker I expect those who around me to be doers also. If the people around me are not team players I will achieve the goal on my own. I am a true believer that “talk is cheap”, I need results. What can I say? I am an achiever and I am concerned with the greater good for everyone. The test states my Ethical Style is the privilege of having choices in life. I am a firm believer that everyone should be aware of their choices in life. “Ethics relies on exemplary character to make the difficult choices. You value such qualities as honesty, wisdom and integrity, and you place greater emphasis on demonstrating these qualities than on the following rules. Your ethical style compels you to strive to be a person of wisdom and integrity” (The William Institute 2012, pg. 1). I am a good team player and I find there are times when I have to be on the only player, but that don’t stop my progress. I will push myself until I achieve measurable results. This information provides me with the right tools to use in making good ethical decisions at work. I have come to realize that all I can do is to continue to perform my duties in an ethical way. Learning the proper way to address Ethical Dilemmas without letting frustration over...
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...because it was a problem that can be fixed by facing it again and again. Then in college I use to proactively nominate myself for presentations on various topics. I also engaged myself in Marketing and Relation cell of Incord(Annual Tech Fest Of HBTI Kanpur) which involved interaction with a lot of people and convincing them to invest their money in our event which is definitely a hard nut to crack. My participation in Relation cell also helped me a lot which involved interacting with alumni of our college and ask them to participate in the college event. With history of 90+ years the alumni base of our college is huge and it was a daunting task to find and contact them. This also helped me develop leadership skill and made me a good team player. During my job also I was appreciated for my written and verbal communication skills and...
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...Business Ethics Case Study #1 - A Good Team Player Having done well as a staff accountant in the accounts payable section of a major industrial firm for several years since his graduation from college, Steven felt that he had learned much about the “ins” and “outs” of survival in an intensely bureaucratic organization. It is thus not surprising that he was relaxed and unconcerned about his circumstances at the company as he entered the employee lounge to attend the late-afternoon welcoming reception for his new supervisor. The new manager of accounts payable, Kristin, had been transferred to Steven’s division from a similar position in another subsidiary of the company because of her proven talent for organizing and improving the efficiency of operations there. A no-nonsense type of manager, Kristin was experienced and determined to perform her new assignment with the same vigor that had brought her so much success throughout her career. At the reception, Kristin circulated through the room, introducing herself to her new subordinates and asking each of them if they had any suggestions that would help make the payables section a better place to work. When she approached Steven, he told her about something that had been on his mind lately: that people seemed to him to gain promotions and be given opportunities to work overtime based on who liked them, and not on the quality of their work. In reply, Kristin politely stated that she would do everything that she could to...
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...into Team Players? Discuss each. Let’s begin with the definition of team: A team is two or more people who combine their talents and abilities to achieve a specific goal or strings of goals. Also, a team, by definition, is made up people who are different only in their areas of skill and who are equal when they sit down together as a work group, although all teams are groups, not all groups are teams. Team players can make a difference to the effectiveness of an organization. A team is formed to take advantage of the power of synergy. Synergy means that the total is greater than the addition of its components. For example, let’s say that a group of four will individually produce for units, the four individuals may produce six or seven or even more units of work when they work as a team (American Management Association, 2006). Moreover, an organization can be kept running and maximize profits if there is team work. A team is a group whose individual efforts result in a performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs. A team player is an individual that can be relied on to do his or her part of the work and be relied on to complete tasks and work cooperatively with others. Team players must possess complementary competence, committed to a common purpose to work together and accountable for doing any work that contribute to achieving organizational goals. These are considered as characteristics of team players. Any manager in turning individual to team players...
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