Teamwork and Leadership

Two key aspects of group communication, particularly in a business environment, are teamwork and leadership. You will work in a team and, at some point, may be called on to lead. You may emerge in that role as the group recognizes your specific skill set regarding the task, or you may be appointed to a position of responsibility for yourself and others. Your communication skills will serve as the foundation for your success as a member and leader. Listen and seek to understand the task and your group members as you become involved with the new effort. Have confidence in yourself and inspire the trust of others. Know that leading and following are both integral aspects of effective teamwork.

Teamwork

Teams are a form of group generally dedicated to production or problem-solving. Teams can often achieve higher levels of performance than individuals due to the combined energies and talents of their members. Collaboration can produce motivation and creativity that may not be present in single-contractor projects. Individuals also have a sense of belonging to the group, and the range of views and diversity can energize the process, helping address creative blocks and stalemates. By involving team members in decision-making and leveraging each member’s area of expertise, teams can achieve positive results.

Teamwork is not without its challenges. The work may be challenging as members juggle competing assignments and personal commitments. The work may also be compromised if team members are expected to conform and pressured to follow a procedure, plan, or product they have not developed. Groupthink, or the tendency to accept the group’s ideas and actions despite individual concerns, can also compromise the process and reduce efficiency. Personalities and competition can play a role in a team’s failure to produce. We can recognize that people want to belong to a successful team, and celebrating incremental gains can focus attention on the project and its goals. Members will be more willing to express their thoughts and opinions and follow through with actions when they perceive themselves as an essential part of the team. By failing to include all the team members, valuable insights may be lost in the rush to judgment or production. Making time for planning and allowing each member sufficient time to study, reflect, and contribute can enable them to gain valuable insights from one another and may increase their likelihood of sharing information that challenges the status quo. Unconventional or “devil’s advocate” thinking may prove insightful and positively challenge the process, ultimately improving the team’s production. Respect for divergent views can encourage open discussion.

John Thill and Courtland Bovee (2002) provide a valuable list to consider when setting up a team as follows:

• Select team members wisely
• Select a responsible leader
• Promote cooperation
• Clarify goals
• Elicit commitment
• Clarify responsibilities
• Instill prompt action
• Apply technology
• Ensure technological compatibility
• Provide prompt feedback

Group dynamics involve the interactions and processes of a team that influence the degree to which members feel a part of the goal and mission. A team with a strong identity can be a powerful force, but it requires time and commitment. A team that exerts too much control over individual members can run the risk of reducing creative interactions and encouraging tunnel vision. A team that exerts too little power, focusing on process and areas of specific responsibility, may not be productive. The balance between motivation, encouragement, control, and influence is challenging as team members represent diverse viewpoints and approaches to the problem.  A skilled business communicator creates a positive team by selecting members based on their areas of skill and expertise, but attention to their communication style is also warranted. Individuals who typically work alone or are introverted may need additional encouragement to participate. Extroverts may need encouragement to listen to others and refrain from dominating the conversation. Using strategies that involve the entire team is essential. Request ideas and feedback in multiple ways, rather than relying solely on verbal communication. For example, index cards can be used to gather ideas from the entire team before having a verbal discussion. 

Leadership

Leadership is one of the most studied aspects of group communication. Scholars in business, communication, psychology, and many other fields have written extensively about the qualities of leaders, leadership theories, and how to develop leadership skills. It’s important to note that although a group may have only one official leader, others play essential leadership roles. This distinction also helps us differentiate between leaders and leadership (Hargie, 2011). The leader is a group role associated with a high-status position and may be formally or informally recognized by group members. Leadership is a complex of beliefs, communication patterns, and behaviors that influence a group’s functioning and move it toward completing its task. A person in a leadership role may provide ineffective or poor leadership. Likewise, a person not recognized as a “leader” by the title can provide excellent leadership.

Navigate to the following quick quiz: What’s Your Leadership Style?

Leadership Styles

With such a rich body of research dedicated to leadership, it’s only natural that numerous approaches exist for conceptualizing and categorizing different leadership styles. In the following classifications, effective leaders generally do not fit solely into one style. Instead, they can adapt their leadership style to suit the relational and situational context (Wood, 1977).

Please read and review the following article from MindTools, which describes various leadership style models: Leadership styles: Choosing the right approach for the situation. One common way to study leadership style is to distinguish between autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire leaders (Lewin, Lippitt, & White, 1939). These leadership styles can be described as follows:

• Autocratic leaders set policies and make decisions independently, utilizing the authority inherent in their title or status to establish the group’s agenda.
• Democratic leaders facilitate group discussion and like to take input from all members before making a decision.
• Laissez-faire leaders take a “hands-off” approach, preferring to give group members freedom to reach and implement their own decisions.

Thomas Harris and John Sherblom (1999) note three leadership styles that characterize the modern business or organization and reflect our modern economy. We are not born leaders, but may become them if the context or environment requires our skill set. A leader-as-technician role often arises when we possess skills that others lack. If you can fix the copy machine at the office, your leadership and ability to get it running again are prized and sought-after skills. You may instruct others on how to load the paper or how to change the toner, and even though your pay grade may not reflect this leadership role, you are looked to by the group as a leader within that context. Technical skills, ranging from internet technology to facilities maintenance, may require moments where their specific area of knowledge is needed to solve a problem. Their leadership will be in demand. The leader-as-conductor is central to bringing people together for a common goal. In the common analogy, a conductor leads an orchestra and integrates the specialized skills and sounds of the various components that comprise the musical group. In the same way, a leader who conducts may set a vision, create benchmarks, and collaborate with a group as they interpret a set script. Whether it is a beautiful movement in music or a group of teams that comes together to address a common challenge, the leader-as-conductor keeps the time and tempo of the group.

For a good reason, coaches are often discussed in business-related books as leadership models. A leader-as-coach combines many talents and skills we’ve discussed here, serving as a teacher, motivator, and keeper of the group’s goals. A coach may sometimes be autocratic, give pointed directions without input from the group, and stand on the sidelines while the players do what they’ve been trained to do and make the points. The coach may look out for the group, defend it against bad calls, and motivate players with encouragement. Coaches are teachers, motivators, and keepers of the group’s goals. Coaches redirect the individual’s attention and energy to the group’s goals.  We can recognize some of the behaviors of coaches, but what specific traits positively influence the group? Thomas Peters and Nancy Austin (1985) identify five crucial characteristics that produce results:

1. Orientation and education
2. Nurturing and encouragement
3. Assessment and correction
4. Listening and counseling
5. Establishing group emphasis