This week we delved into the team leadership theory. Team leadership is something that is quite prevalent in today’s modern age. I believe it is safe to say that most of us, in some form or fashion, have been involved in a team setting. Being involved in a team is part of any company, sport or family. There are multiple entities that go into making an organization function properly. In this week commentary we learn that the difference between a group and team is that a group works individually on a separate task for finalization, while a team is interdependent working on different pieces but must interact with each other in order to complete a common goal (Williams, 2018).
The functions of team leadership involve both helping the team perform and progress. It includes completing objectives and maintaining the team, so it functions properly with the appropriate resources (Williams, 2018). Functioning of this style of leadership is quite similar to that of many of the other leadership theories we have learned this semester. The reason being is that it’s important for leaders to help with making decisions, reaching goals and solving problems; which is shared with other leadership styles (Williams, 2018).
I believe it is important that individuals are aware of the importance of not just leading a team but working in one as well. At my previous job we all had specific duties that we would need to complete to get to an end result. While everyone’s duties were different, from the start of the process to the final deliverance of the service, each part was important. Sometimes we failed to see that though our job descriptions and knowledge varied, at the end of the day our goal was the same. It was here that I can see the value of team leadership from a formal leader through the team leadership model.
The team leadership model helps leaders and members of the team make decisions about the current state of the team, acknowledge issues and find ways to resolve problems (Northouse, 2016, pg. 381). As previously mentioned, at times we did not stop and think that we shared a common goal; and that goal was to provide a service to the consumer. This lack of thought would started to result in conflict between team members. By using similar and effective components of the team leadership model, we were able to find why certain issues originated. As a team and with the guidance of our leader we were able to come up with a solution that we all could agree on that would lessen miscommunication, which was found to be the root of the problem.
This also makes the point that communication is extremely important with any team and without, it can have a domino effect. Northouse (2016) mentions that a strength of this model is shared leadership; changing the role of leaders and followers so that the follower can take action and make decisions (pg. 383). I certainly agree to that being a positive part of this leadership style because it allows for the team member to have authority for decisions that need to be made right away. However, at my job we found that to be part of the issue with the miscommunication. There were too many people making various decisions while not advising others, leading to certain issues.
Again, the team leadership theory was helpful in resolving our groups issue through its systematic process. Team leadership is an ongoing and complex process because it is hard to determine the exact functions of a leader at all times (Williams, 2018). This is why I believe this process should always be reevaluated by the formal leader overtime to make sure that the team stays on track and is aware of any changes that may arise.
Being part of a team is a common practice and as we learned team projects and leadership are being utilized more and more. Teams and groups consist of individuals not even in the same office but those that are located in different parts of the world. This is another reason why the team leadership model is a necessity in making sure that people who are far apart can still come together to reach an organizations goals and make sufficient contributions to the team. Northouse (2016) states that companies are now depending more on these virtual teams and technology, so it is important that this leadership style is continually explored as it progresses in the future (pg. 364).
References:
Northouse, Peter G. (2016). Team Leadership. Leadership: Theory and Practice (7thed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Williams, J. (2018). Lesson 9: Team leadership. PSYCH 485. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1923777/modules/items/23736255
kmm6507 says
I can certainly identify with some of the issues you’ve identified across the team: unilateral decision making, miscommunication, and failure to stay focused on larger goals. In several of the companies I’ve worked at, those same issues were prevalent in any team of more than ten people. Out of curiosity, how many people were on the team you’ve described? Did all team members roll up to the same manager, or were there dotted line connections?
Before they were corrected, the undesirable outcomes are a result of the team lacking conditions that contribute to group effectiveness. According to Hackman, effective teams are first and foremost “a real team,” and have a “compelling purpose,” the “right people, clear norms of conduct, supportive organizational content, and team-focused coaching (Northouse, 2016, p. 369).” The situation you have outlined is a “real team,” in that each person had their own responsibilities which funneled into the end result (The Pennsylvania State University). What appears to have been lacking was both the compelling purpose and clear norms of conduct, which resulted in conflict instead of harmony. It sounds like your leadership unified and strengthened your team by reinforcing the goal of “service to the consumer,” and creating standards for decision-making and communication. Thank you for sharing this example of how leadership intervened to correct the situation!
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications Inc.
The Pennsylvania State University. (n.d.). Lesson 9: Team Leadership. Retrieved from PSYCH 485, Section 002: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1925331/modules/items/23786592