Participating in Team Processes: Over View

An effective work team is more than just a group of people working towards a common goal. It's a team of people who enjoy working together, share information and ideas, contribute in a positive way and work out difficulties before they develop into long-term problems. Building and maintaining relationships is an important part of a coordinator's role. This involves communicating openly and honestly, having effective interpersonal skills, motivating team members and dealing promptly with issues that arise. In addition it is important to participate in all team processes to ensure team objectives are met.

Participating in All Team Processes to Ensure Team Objectives Are Met

As a coordinator, you must be a good role model for your team and be enthusiastic and participate in all aspects of work. It is important to be proactive and suggest better ways of doing tasks. You should always encourage and support the team and act with integrity. An important quality is honesty. This includes sharing information with team members so everyone knows how they are progressing and where improvements need to be made. This also gives you the opportunity to discuss any issues that may arise or you may need to arrange training to fill a skills gap.

Here are some of the methods that can show you how to be actively participate in all team process as an effective coordinator:

  • Make sure everyone understands their tasks
  • Provide support in implementing the work plan
  • Observe and seek information
Make Sure Everyone Understands Their Tasks

Allow the person time to read their work plan. Go through the plan to make sure they understand what they have to do. They should also know how to apply the organization's policies and procedures, as well as any legislative requirements. You need to explain anything they don't understand. If your team has part-time or casual staff, you need to use strategies such as individual meetings, notices and newsletters to involve and inform them. Where there are different shifts, you may need to repeat training sessions or meetings at various times to make sure everyone has an opportunity to attend. You may also need to provide additional time for training volunteers and incentives such as morning tea for them to attend.

Provide Support in Implementing the Work Plan

Make sure team members have sufficient resources to carry out their duties. They may find it difficult to meet targets and goals if they haven't been given appropriate time, information, training or equipment. Be prepared for things that might go wrong. Make sure you have contingency plans to cover them. For example, leave some time in each work plan so you can be flexible in case something takes longer than expected, or doesn't go as planned. Be willing to help another team member if they are overloaded with work or quickly adjust rosters to ensure the work gets done in the most effective way. A good coordinator encourages individuals to work independently and make decisions when required based on their level of authority.

Observe and Seek Information

Learn how your team operates. Watch them as they go about their duties. You may need to meet with clients and families, when appropriate, to find out further information. You could provide them with a satisfaction survey to complete anonymously. Take the time to observe areas that may require additional training or mentoring

Last modified: Tuesday, 21 March 2017, 5:56 PM