4. MASTERING TEAM
A team is a unit of two or more people who share
mission and responsibility for working to achieve a
common goal.
Problem solving team
Task forces
15. WHY DO WE LISTEN?
To gain information.
To get feed back.
To participate in another’s details.
To create a relationship.
To respect and value others.
18. BARRIERS TO LISTENING
External barriers
Physical distraction
Difficulty with material
Lack of good delivery
Lack of interest
Planning a response
Wandering attention
Prethinking
Semantic barriers
19. QUALITIES OF GOOD LISTENER
Listen actively
Take careful and complete notes
Make frequent eye contact
Focus on speaker and the content
Adjust listening style to the situation
Look for opportunities to learn
Save question until an appropriate time
21. WAYS TO IMPROVE LISTENING SKILL
Should talk less and listen more as “ Allah has
blessed us with two ears and one tongue”
Listen carefully with patience and concentration
While listening do not show casual attitude
Try to understand the points always listen to learn
something
Make notes
Always show positive attitude and never mix
personal feeling about the speaker
28. COMMUNICATING ONLINE
Avoid personal attacks
Stay focused on the original topic
Do not present opinions as facts
Use good grammar and punctuation
Use updated virus protection
Ask permission before chatting
LEARNING OBJECTIVESAfter studying this chapter, you will be able to: List the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams and describe the characteristics of effective teamsOffer guidelines for collaborative communication, identify major collaboration technologies, explain how to give constructive feedback, and describe the teamwork role of social networksList the key steps needed to ensure productive team meetings and identify the most common meeting technologiesDescribe the listening process and explain how good listeners overcome barriers at each stage of the processExplain the importance of nonverbal communication and identify six major categories of nonverbal expressionExplain the importance of business etiquette and identify three key areas in which good etiquette is essential
A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve their goal. The first step toward that goal is understanding the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams. Businesses use a wide variety of teams, from short-term problem-solving teams to permanent committees. You will participate in teams throughout your career, so developing the skills to communicate successfully in team settings will give you an important advantage.
The advantages of teams include the following: Increased information and knowledge. By aggregating the resources of several individuals, teams bring more information to the decision process. Increased diversity of views. Team members bring a variety of view points to the decision process, if these diverse views are guided by a shared goal. Increased acceptance of solutions. Those who participate in decision making are more likely to support the decision and encourage others to accept it. Increasing performancelevels. Effective teams can be better than top-performing individuals at solving complex problems.
Much of your workplace communication will occur in meetings, so to a large degree, your ability to contribute to the company—and to be recognized for your contributions—will depend on your meeting skills. As useful as meetings can be, though, they can be an aggravating waste of time if they aren’t planned and managed well.
Successful meetings start with thoughtful preparation. After you have confirmed that a meeting is necessary, proceed with the following planning tasks:Clarify your purpose. Informational meetings allow participants to share information and perhaps coordinate action. Decision-making meetings involve persuasion, analysis, and problem solving.Select participants for the meeting. The rule here is simple: Invite everyone who really needs to be involved, and don’t invite anyone who doesn’t need to be there.Choose the venue and the time. Online meetings are often the best way to connect people in multiple locations or to reach large audiences. For onsite meetings, review the facility and the seating arrangements. If you have control over the timing, morning meetings are often more productive because people are generally more alert and not yet engaged with the work of the day.Set and share the agenda. People who will be presenting information need to know what is expected of them, non-presenters need to know what will be presented so they can prepare questions, and everyone needs to know how long the meeting will last. In addition, the agenda is an important tool for guiding the progress of the meeting.
Your long-term career prospects are closely tied to your ability to listen effectively. In fact, some 80 percent of top executives say that listening is the most important skill needed to get things done in the workplaceEffective listening strengthens organizational relationships, alerts the organization to opportunities for innovation, and allows the organization to manage growing diversity both in the workforce and in the customers it serves. Conversely, poor listening skills can cost companies millions of dollars a year as a result of lost opportunities, legal mistakes, and other errors.
Nonverbal communication is the process of sending and receiving information, both intentionally and unintentionally, without using written or spoken language.
You may have noticed a common thread running through the topics of successful teamwork, productive meetings, effective listening, and nonverbal communication: All these activities depend on mutual respect and consideration among all participants. As Chapter 1 notes, etiquette is now considered an essential business skill. Nobody wants to work with someone who is rude to colleagues or an embarrassment to the company. Moreover, poor etiquette can drive away customers, investors, and other critical audiences—and it can limit your career potential. This section addresses some key etiquette points to remember when you’re in the workplace, out in public, and online. Long lists of etiquette rules can be difficult to remember, but you can get by in most every situation by beingmindful of your effect on others, treating everyone with respect, and understanding that the impressions you leave behind can have a lasting effect on you and your company.
The first impression you make on others and your ability to help others feel comfortablewill be major contributors to your career success. Your personal appearance often has considerable impact on your career success. Pay attention to the style of dress where you work and adjust your style to match. In addition to your clothing, grooming affects the impression you give others in the workplace. Pay close attention to cleanliness and avoid using products with powerful or perfumed scents. Personal demeanor is a vital element of workplace harmony. No one expects you to be artificially upbeat every second of the day, but a single negative personality can make an entire office miserable and unproductive. Every person in the company has a responsibility to contribute to a positive, energetic work environment.Phone skills will have a definite impact on your career success. Like every other aspect of communication, your phone habits say a lot about how much respect you have for the people around you. Because phone calls lack the visual richness of face-to-face conversations, you have to rely on your attitude and tone of voice to convey confidence and professionalism. Mobile phones are a contentious point of etiquette in today’s workplace. Don’t be surprised if you encounter policies restricting their use in offices or meeting rooms.
From business lunches to industry conferences, you represent your company when you are out in public. Make sure that your appearance and actions are appropriate to the situation. First impressions last a long time, so get to know the customs of the culture when you meet new people. When introducing yourself, include a brief description of your role in the company. When introducing two other people, speak both their first and last names clearly, and then try to offer some information (perhaps a shared professional interest) to help these two people ease into a conversation.Business is often conducted over meals, and knowing the basics of dining etiquette will make you more effective in these situations. Choose foods that are easy to eat while you are trying to carry on a conversation. Avoid alcoholic beverages, but if one is appropriate, save it for the end of the meal. Leave business papers under your chair until entrée plates have been removed; the business aspect of the meal usually doesn’t begin until then. Finally, remember that business meals are a forum for business, period. Avoid topics that are likely to stir up emotions. Do not complain about work, avoid profanity, and be careful with humor.Misuse of mobile phones in restaurants and other public places is a common etiquette blunder. When you use your cell phone in public, you send the message that people around you are not as important as your call and that you do not respect your caller’s privacy.