At the end of this course, the participants should be able to:

• Clearly define what constitutes a team and teamwork and distinguish it from collective work.
• Understand the stages of team development and comprehend the roles and responsibilities within a team.
• Utilize effective communication techniques and overcome common barriers to team communication.
• Recognize and engage in constructive behaviors while addressing and mitigating destructive behaviors within the team.
• Conduct self-assessments to identify areas for improvement and commit to ongoing personal and professional development.
• Apply the knowledge and skills gained from the course to foster a more collaborative and productive team environment, leading to higher team productivity and achievement of organizational goals.

Introduction to Teamwork

• Definition of a team and teamwork
• Differences between collective work and teamwork
• Benefits of effective teamwork
• The need for teamwork in an increasingly competitive business environment

Characteristics and Value of High Performing Teams

• Importance of teamwork to organizational excellence and maintaining a competitive advantage
• Cost of not working as a team
• Characteristics of high performing teams
• Achieving positive synergy through teamwork
• There is no “I’ in “T-E-A-M”

Understanding Team Dynamics

• Stages of team development
  • Forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning
• Team identity, mutual trust, and camaraderie
• Roles and responsibilities inside a team

Communication among Team Members

• Effective Communication
  • The importance of effective communication for the success of a team
  • Verbal and non-verbal team communication
  • Active listening and constructive feedback
• Overcoming Barriers to Team Communication
  • Most common barriers:
    • Language differences
    • Differing backgrounds and perceptions
    • Personal biases
    • Cultural norms affecting communication styles
  • Strategies to overcome barriers:
    • Clarify and confirm understanding
    • Be aware of cultural differences
    • Address personal biases
    • Deicing and working together
• Giving and Receiving Effective Feedback
  • Techniques for providing constructive feedback
  • Harnessing received feedback
  • Strategies for handling criticism constructively

Constructive vs. Destructive Team Member Behaviors

• Constructive Behaviors
  • Active participation
  • Respecting differences
  • Maintaining a positive attitude
  • Willingness to help others
  • Giving priority to the good of the team
• Destructive Behaviors
  • Focusing on negatives
  • Personalization
  • Stubbornness
  • Conditional cooperation
  • Subjectivity
  • Giving destructive criticism
  • Assigning blame
  • Unwillingness to cooperate
  • Not communicating
• Addressing Destructive Behaviors
  • Recognize destructive behaviors
  • Seek to clarify roles and expectations (norming)
  • Communicate assertively, frankly, objectively and diplomatically
  • Avoid personalization (focus on issues and not people)
  • Develop strategies to address behavioral improvement

Actions to Boost Personal Teamwork Skills and Cooperativeness

• Self-Assessment
  • Assess personal teamwork skills
  • Seek feedback from team members
  • Identify areas for improvement
• Developing Interpersonal Skills
  • Improve communication and empathy
  • Build strong win-win relationships with team members
  • Resolve any misunderstanding promptly
• Continuous Learning
  • Commit to ongoing learning and development
  • Acquire a growth mindset
  • Stay updated with the best practices in teamwork