Team-working Flashcards
What makes a good team member or what is effective team working?
Key skills for effective team-work include:
- Listening to other people’s ideas
- Discussing with team members and encouraging them to interact
- Respecting others and their ideas
- Sharing information to create a positive team environment
- Participation and ensuring all team members get involved
- Good communication skills
- Reflection - Identify strengths and weaknesses
What are the benefits of team working?
Improved productivity Improved quality Improved customer focus. Speed up the development of solutions. Increase employee motivation. Utilise different skillsets
What are the characteristics of an effective team?
• common sense of purpose; • clear understanding of the team’s objectives; • resources to achieve those objectives; • mutual respect among team members, both as individuals and for the contribution each makes to the team’s performance; • a valuing of members’ strengths and respecting their weaknesses; • mutual trust; • willingness to share knowledge and expertise; • willingness to speak openly; • range of skills among team members to deal effectively with all its tasks; • range of personal styles for the various roles needed to carry out the team’s tasks.
What did you learn at the mace manager training course?
- Embed Mace values in my role as a manager - Understand my role and responsibilities - Delegate and set expectations for my staff - Know how to motivate and inspire - Setting objectives - Time management
How would you run an effective meeting?
• Agenda discipline o Start and end time of meeting. o Times against each item. o Brief attendees to prepare specific information if required – manage participation up or down o Put easier items at the start and end and the most important items in the middle to take advantage of when attendees would be most alert and engaged.
If a member of your team was over enthusiastic in a meeting how would you deal with it?
• If they were over elaborating on a topic I would thank them for their contribution clarifying the key information required stating that we must stick to the agenda of the meeting and the time available. • Direct questions to their colleague. • If in relation to a particular topic state that it should be discussed in more depth after the meeting with only the required parties.
If a member of your team was difficult or disruptive in a meeting how would you deal with it?
• I would analyse the situation to be clear about the issue and the effect the person has on other team members. • I would take them aside and inform them that their behaviour is not appropriate and try to ascertain the reason why: o Personal issue. o Problem with another team member. o Agitated about a project issue or decision. • If there was no reason or the answer was not to my satisfaction I would request that they make an effort to improve their conduct in the future. • If their behaviour did not improve I would: o If member of Equals then speak to senior management about replacing this person. o If member of project team then speak to senior management and client about replacing them.
Why are team building exercises important?
They build relationships and trust in a non-working environment, a key element of high performing teams. E.g. Sporting event (go-karting, football, softball), meals, pubs.
If you were brought into a project after the previous PM had left how would you deal with the situation?
I would meet with the client and project team to discuss what went wrong in order to analyse the situation and put in place a recovery plan with buy in from the project team. I would detail the current status of the project and the methods and actions to get I back on track.
What are the difficulties of achieving high performing teams in the construction industry?
Projects last several years making personnel change inevitable. Different engagements required at each stage. Lack of trust between client and contractor. To overcome this I: Understand people’s motives Setting of short term goals. Holding regular team building events even if it is just drinks in a pub after a meeting.
How would you go about recruitment for your team?
• Firstly, I would identify the skill gaps, and the level of competency and skill required to fill the gaps. • I would then look internally, to see if there was an appropriate individual within the team already. • If not, I would advertise the position.
What are the pros and cons of partnering?
Pros - More teamworking which can share responsibility and efficiency of completing the task - Increased employee morale - Less adversarial Cons - Conflicts in working styles - Too many leaders and not enough operatives - Less pressure and incentive to get work done due to no
What were the Latham Report Recommendations?
• That the Government should become a best practice client. • That the NEC suite of contracts be adopted to improve a less adversarial approach. • Encouraged Partnering between companies and organisations. • Risk should be allocated to the party best able to handle it.
Can you share an example of working as part of an effective team?
- Since the Corona lockdown I have managed to maintain good team relations and procedures whilst working remotely.
What do you mean by synergy?
This is the concept that a combination of people would make a bigger output than if those people were working individually.
