TeamStyle Introduction

Introduction



Organizations are witnessing a significant movement from individual to team-based work structure. Statistics show a dramatic increase in team work. For example, research at the Center for the Study of Work Teams at the University of North Texas indicates that as we enter the twenty-first century, 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies will have half their employees on teams, and 90% of all U.S. employees will work part of their day in a team



Defining a Team



A team is a collaborative group that requires both individual and collective accountability and acts with one another to achieve a common goal.

Chemistry

Most of us have met someone where the chemistry wasn’t there. A person whose behavior you may find hard to understand and you didn’t agree with. A person you may have difficulty working with or even liking. When working with a group of team members, your ability to understand the dynamics taking place in your interactions with your colleagues can significantly improve your effectiveness and satisfaction with the work you do and those with whom you work.

Similarities and Differences

Your manager, co-workers, customers, vendors, and others you interact with in your worklife fall into two general categories: ones who think and behave similarly to you, and ones who don’t. With the first group, it often seems that you know what they are going to say (even before they say it), how they will respond, and what it will take to have them be satisfied. The second group of individuals is harder to relate. You are often surprised by what they say, puzzled by how they react, and uncertain about how to satisfy them.

If you want to be successful in your relationships, you will need to learn how to work with both groups, especially the ones that think and act differently than you. We call these differences Working Styles, and they reflect the various ways that people behave at work. Understanding your own Working Style and the style of those around you dramatically improves your communications and effectiveness with your manager, co-workers, and others you come in contact. Think of this as learning a new language. When you are able to speak another person’s language, it is easier to understand—and be understood—by him or her.

Working Styles helps you identify your preferred style: Expressive, Amiable, Driver, or Analytical. You can use the insights gained to understand you primarily approach and deal with people at work, the work environment that fits you best, your preferred communication and management style, and development suggestions.

Working Styles typing in based primarily on a person’s observable behavior and style, not on his or her intelligence, intentions, skills, or values. The focus is on what not why.

Remember, although we all have a favorite style, a behavior we are comfortable with, we display characteristics of all styles to some degree.

The Ryan Group - Leaders in Human Capital Management Solutions