Mgt 312 - Team Member Effectiveness

Team Member Effectiveness

Sean P. Kelly

MGT/312

November 9, 2015

Yolanda Callaway

Team Member Effectiveness

Working in a designated team or dedicated group, there can be aspects of each one that make one more desirable than the other to reach your specific goal.  Teams differ from groups in the leadership makeup, how members are held accountable and how the team is evaluated for its overall effectiveness.  According to Bhatnagar and Tjosvold (2012) “Organizations worldwide are relying on teams to solve problems, develop new products, and accomplish other major tasks.” (p. 109).  Groups usually hold their members to individual lines of accountability.  Also, most members of a group don’t have to contribute a hundred percent of the time.  A team’s most effective attribute is its ability to present a diverse opinion about many different topics and viewpoints which enhances the final product.

After taking the assessment concerning my team member effectiveness, the results were what I expected.  I believe I am a good leader and a good team member.  Most of my scores were across the board the same.  However my only real mark down was for contributing to the teams work. I looked at this group of questions as a manager would, not specifically contributing to the team but keeping the team on track, quality checks and lending my expertise.  I may have miscued the results, but I think in an environment where I am asked to contribute to a team I wouldn't have any difficulty providing support to any team when asked.

My other strengths I felt were having relevant knowledge skills and abilities, expecting quality, and keeping the team on track.  Having a military background being technically proficient is what everyone strives for in the service.  The quality piece is driven into everyone from the time you start your career to the end.  No one wants to turn in substandard work, so the quality of work shows your dedication to completing the work efficiently.  And finally my last strength would be keeping the team on track, making sure we all are aware of any deadlines and motivating everyone to move quickly to meet this timeline.  The military is driven by timelines and by not meeting one is simply unacceptable and presents an unprofessional picture of that individual.  

One of my weaknesses that was not identified during the assessment, but I know that I need to work on is interacting with the team.  Whether personally or professionally I have to learn how to step out of my comfort zone and work with people from other professional backgrounds.  As a team member, I am sure I won't be the only one with these feelings that could put me at ease with the situation.  

Being a member of a team offers many advantages to anyone’s continued success in the workplace.  Overall working with others in your office increases everyone’s performance levels since teams do accomplish more than individuals.  Along with this accomplishment comes credibility, not just for your team but also for yourself which is extremely important in any office environment.  Working effectively as a team player provides you with those professional contacts and experience you will need to survive in any specialized field.