Tag Archives: Teamwork

Teams and Team Dynamics

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Have you ever wondered why do teams exist?

Let us begin with the definition of the word “Team” as a noun.

“A number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest; a number of persons associated in some joint action.” (Dictionary.com)

Teams are present almost everywhere in this world that we are living in. We can see teams being formed in the work place, sports, games, social organizations, government etc.

No team is similar, as every team consists of members with different attributes and personalities. The difference lies in how the members of the team contribute to meet the goals and objectives set, in the most efficient manner. As there is no exact clone to every individual, members of the team have to understand one another’s strengths and weaknesses. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our peers, we will be able to make use of their individual skills strategically to work towards the objective. A good team would consist of members with different skillsets, say for example in a soccer team. If the whole team of 11 players is made up of strikers, no one will be on the field to defend the goal post, and neither there will be anyone to create chances for the strikers. This gives us an understanding on the importance of selecting the right people to join the team before anything else, to ensure that every member has a relevant skill that will help in one way or another in reaching for the team goal. Teams need a healthy mix of individuals to get things done, and know who is best suited for the tasks and how to best accomplish them.

With a group of individuals working towards a goal, is there be a need for someone to guide, nurture, and devise strategies for the members? The answer is a definite yes. This is where the role of a leader comes into place. The basic role of the leader will be to communicate and plan work for the members of the team, even before any actions are taken by the rest of the members. The leader will also have to motivate and guide the members, so that the members are passionate towards the work that they are doing, and also to stay on the correct track towards the team goal. There isn’t a single team without a leader, as there will be no co-ordination nor strategies implemented by the team, which will lead to problems, conflict, inefficiency, and in the worst case, not achieving the team’s target.

As a rule of thumb, a team’s setup is of utmost importance, and every member has to work effectively and dynamically in order to win. At Phoenix Contact, we collectively select the action steps our teams take, to unlock our full potential. Team goals have been identified before any member starts doing the work. Conflicts are avoided by development of plans and constant communication within the teams. Our team dynamics enhance productivity and accomplish goals, where everyone in the team talks and listens. Last but not least, we have reliable team leaders to lead the members and head towards our goals.

Let us all strive to work hard, and play hard, as both an individual and as well as a team. In the case of Phoenix Contact, to win as a team would be to win our customers’ trust.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

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What crosses your mind when people talk about Teamwork? Working hand in hand as part of a group of 5 or 10? What about 100 people striving to achieve one goal, from different departments, cultures and nationalities? Do you think it’s possible?

Time sure flies! Phoenix Contact’s Annual offsite meeting in Bangkok, Thailand has just ended. This event in the Land of Smiles also served as a reunion with subsidiaries and representative offices’ colleagues. Kudos to everyone from the various event teams! The planning, preparation, active participation in and execution of the event was certainly no easy feat. Everyone has demonstrated key elements of teamwork, which I will elaborate on:

Coordination and Communication

There was a ton of coordination work which needed to be done to prepare for the events, not limited to the meeting and training from 4 to 6 Dec 17, but also the Themed Dinner on 7 Dec 17 and Teambuilding on the 8 Dec 17. Facing the challenge of limited resources, to interact with the hotel and colleague in Thailand and overseas team and vendors, all parties have maximised the available online outlets such as video calls, texting, and emails effectively with minimum cost incurred. Not to forget, the participants had excellent time management and communication despite the tight schedule to meet customer needs. Everybody was cooperative, asking for clarifications if they were unsure, which made this event happen with minimal disruption.

Sales & Marketing Team

Fun shot!

Commitment and Trust

I am glad to share that the management in Phoenix Contact believes in giving empowerment to the employees to host this event, especially the Themed Dinner on 7 Dec 17. The event committee was formed by volunteers from different departments, such as Marketing, Logistics, Purchasing, IT and HR. With the common goal of making the day one to remember, the committee managed to execute the existing plan with the trust given to each other. However, there is no such thing as a perfect plan. Despite some unexpected circumstances, the committee managed to minimise the undesired impacts by brainstorming and giving ideas and advice from previous undesirable experiences.

Nominees for the “Best Dressed” competition!

Creative Freedom

Although the committee had no experience in organizing the themed dinner event, with combined expertise and experience; they were able to bring new ideas to fruition. For instance, using the latest iPhone X technology, “Animoji” as the opening ceremony, effectively and successfully captivated the audience. Creativity does not always mean creating new ideas; it could be as simple as improvisation of an existing approach.

Adaptability

We all know change is constant but how do we manage it, or at least adapt to it? Although the plan had been prepared meticulously, last minute requests or changes in environment are unavoidable, both expected and unexpected. Take for example, when the weather was hotter than the online weather forecast during the teambuilding event on 8 Dec 17. Props to the committee and colleagues who endured the amazing race under the hot sun with a positive mindset! In addition, they wracked their brains over Thailand’s History in order to gather bicycle parts to build a usable bicycle for unfortunate children. The buckets of sweat paid off when we saw the elated and joyful faces of the children!

Build the bike CSR

To recapitulate, the overall event at the Land of Smiles was smooth with minimum hiccups due to everyone’s efforts which reflect as good teamwork. So in my opinion, Teamwork does not mean we need to hold hands, side by side to move forward, the quintessential elements are still trust, communication and adaptability, having each other’s support. It does not matter if we are spread far and wide across islands and countries, even if it involves hundreds of people, as long as everyone has same clear goals in mind, we will be able to achieve our dreams. Till next time!

HR Team