MANUAL TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP AND NEGOTIATION

TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP AND NEGOTIATION

HANDBOOK

TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP AND NEGOTIATION

INDEX

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 3 1. I ntroduction.Team and Leadership......... .............................................................................. 4 2. W hat is a team..... ................................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Definition....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2. What is a team .............................................................................................................. 6 2.3. Advantages of teamwork .............................................................................................. 7 2.4. Dimensions of an equipment ........................................................................................ 7 3. T eam building ... .................................................................................................................. 10 3.1. Previous steps ............................................................................................................. 10 3.2. Basic conditions for teamwork.................................................................................... 12 3.3. How to facilitate team cohesion ................................................................................. 15 3.4. The team as a dynamic entity ..................................................................................... 18 3.5. Factors hindering teamwork ....................................................................................... 23 4. L eading and coordinating teams.......... ............................................................................... 27 4.1. Leadership styles ......................................................................................................... 28 4.2. Competencies that must be present in a leader......................................................... 33 5. R oles and function in the team........... ................................................................................ 46 5.1. Analysis of roles in a team........................................................................................... 46 5.2. Role conflicts ............................................................................................................... 54 5.3. Perception and social attribution................................................................................ 56 6. M otivation.... ....................................................................................................................... 60 6.1. Satisfaction and motivation ........................................................................................ 60 6.2. Extrinsic and intrinsic factors of motivation ............................................................... 63 6.3. Identification of needs ................................................................................................ 66 6.4. Motivational skills ....................................................................................................... 68 6.5. How to increase motivation ........................................................................................ 71 6.6. Self-motivation............................................................................................................ 72 7. M eetingsmanagement...... .................................................................................................. 76 7.1. Key elements of meeting management ...................................................................... 76 7.2. How to prepare meeting ............................................................................................. 79 7.3. Effective conduct of meetings..................................................................................... 81

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7.4. Attitudes in a meeting................................................................................................. 82 7.5. Conflict resolution....................................................................................................... 83 8. P roject management...... ..................................................................................................... 87 8.1. What is a project ......................................................................................................... 87 8.2. The components of a project ...................................................................................... 88 8.3. How to set targets? ..................................................................................................... 96 8.4. Establishing an action plan.......................................................................................... 98 8.5. Project monitoring and control................................................................................. 100 9. N egotiation as a process . T echniques.......... ..................................................................... 103 9.1. Negotiation as a process ........................................................................................... 103 9.2. The power of negotiations ........................................................................................ 104 9.3. Negotiating needs and positions............................................................................... 106 9.4. Fundamentals of negotiation processes ................................................................... 108 9.5. How to achieve benefits for all parties? ................................................................... 111 9.6. The behaviour of good negotiators........................................................................... 114 9.7. How the capable negotiator plans ............................................................................ 116 9.8. Face-to-face behaviour ............................................................................................. 117 9.9. Active listering........................................................................................................... 122 10. P lanning the negotiation........ ...................................................................................... 129 10.1. The definition of limits .......................................................................................... 129 10.2. Where to negotiate and how to start ................................................................... 133 10.3. Negotiation strategies and tactics......................................................................... 135 10.4. The role of time ..................................................................................................... 139 10.5. Some questions and data needed before Negotiating ......................................... 141 10.6. Phases of negotiation............................................................................................ 143 10.7. A method of planning in negotiation .................................................................... 148 10.8. Common mistakes in negotiation ......................................................................... 151

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Until not so long ago, we were faced with organisations in which the activity of people was managed through the Division of Labour. In other words, the specialisation of workers was seen as a competitive advantage. Today's markets are becoming increasingly globalised and more open, and this means that employees need to be increasingly multidisciplinary and flexible. Moreover, the value contributed by employees has gone from being individual to being the value they contribute as a team. In this context, companies are expanding not only in their countries of origin, but also internationally, and it is here where communications play a fundamental role. Teamwork is no longer direct, the use of technologies such as the internet, mobile technology, etc. is emerging. In addition to teamwork, employees are often involved in situations where negotiation is essential. In a negotiation process we have different actors or parties seeking a solution that satisfies their interests at stake. Negotiating is an integral act of behaviour and in it, the negotiator should know his or her skills, weaknesses and strengths in order to be able to support or be supported in a team. In addition, each employee and team member must assume different roles and group guidelines must be set in each situation. In a negotiation, the interests, the resources at stake, the values with which each party faces the process and, for this reason, the ethical and moral aspects will also have an influence on the negotiation. The complexity of "negotiation" is one of its most relevant characteristics and ultimately indicates that no two negotiations are the same. Negotiation brings together two or more interdependent actors, who present their differences and who must reach a solution that is valid for all parties.

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1. I ntroduction.Team and leadership

Working in a team is a challenge. The socio-economic reality of our society has given rise to a new way of managing the business world in which teamwork has become indispensable. Working in a team does not only imply bringing together a number of individuals with a specific profile, but also involves taking into account a range of aspects that make the task complex. The type of task will be as important as the personal skills of each member and the type of interpersonal relationships established between them. We will be defining and reflecting on the elements that condition teamwork in order to identify them in each person's professional sphere and thus be able to influence the aspects that favour and avoid or prevent those elements that hinder teamwork and the consequent success of the objective pursued. • What it means to work in a team • Identify the basic dimensions of any working team • Analyse what steps need to be taken to build a good working team • Identify and know how to assess what conditions need to be in place for optimal teamwork. • To value those elements that favour the cohesion of the members of a team. • Identify the evolutionary stage in which a team finds itself. • Identifying and assessing a team's momentum • Analyse the factors that hinder teamwork. Throughout this document different situations and examples linked to the business world will be presented. The situations are very simple so that theory and practice can be linked at all times. This facilitates the assimilation of the content and its We will look at each of these issues in detail:

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subsequent transfer to real situations.

In addition, we will look at various elements and procedures to be taken into account when designing and building a team. The aim is to give a deep insight into the elements that determine teamwork and its results.

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2. W hat is a team

2.1. Definition

If we were to resort to arithmetic to check the result of this additive operation (1+1=3) we would be wrong. However, for us it serves to graphically illustrate the team concept. Teamwork, under optimal conditions and circumstances, offers us results superior to those that would be obtained from the sum of the individual work of each of its members.

In the following we will focus on the elements that define the concept of a team in order to understand what it means to work in a team.

2.2. What is a team

A team is a group of organised people who have a common goal. From this definition we highlight two fundamental concepts:

• It is organised • It has a common goal

How can a project be successful if each member of the group works on his or her own? The simple addition of individuals does not form a team. If there is no backbone of its members, we are dealing with a gathering of people, i.e. a group of individuals. An example would be an orchestra: The instruments must be synchronised, under the coordination of a conductor and following the same score. Otherwise, the result could be a failure.

This situation is similar to the world of work if we think of the amount of

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unresolved tasks, of papers that pass from one office to another, of projects that fail due to coordination problems among their members, etc.

In addition, having the same purpose is what brings the team together and gives it a direction. Achieving a specific goal is the driving force behind the group's activity.

All members must be very clear about the objective, share it and feel involved in the whole process leading to its achievement.

2.3. Advantages of teamwork

These are the main advantages of working in a team.

• Breadth of knowledge: A team has more information at its disposal than any of its members alone. • Diversity of approaches: Working in a group makes it possible to have different points of view when it comes to making a decision or planning a project. This undoubtedly favours the enrichment of both the work process and personal growth. • Increased effectiveness: A functioning team achieves better results than could be achieved by working individually. • Motivation: Feeling integrated in a team is an instrument that favours motivation towards work. • Participation increases acceptance. Decisions made with the participation of all members of a group are more widely accepted than decisions made by a single individual.

2.4. Dimensions of an equipment

A team rests on the balance of four pillars that converge and complement each

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other. They are what give the team its identity. If we think of a team to which we belong and we want to transmit to another person through a photograph a complete image of that team, what would we include? It is possible that when taking the image, and in order to make it as accurate as possible, we ask ourselves: Who are we? What do we do? How and where? Who is leading us?

These would be the basic dimensions that make up a working team, and we will now try to identify them.

• The members: The team is made up of members with complementary professional profiles. The type of relationships established and the quality of the work will depend on their technical aptitudes, their interpersonal skills and their personality. I find it impossible to work with Phil, he is self-centred and doesn't respect my opinions. With Jane we form a good tandem, we have a similar working style, we like to plan the tasks in advance, we share the work equally and we agree on the way we approach the issues. The truth is that we trust each other deeply and this gives us security. • The project: The existence of a common task will set the team's objective. It is necessary that it is a motivating project with which each member of the team identifies in such a way as to encourage enthusiasm, so that the staff is hooked on the task. The person who coordinates or directs the team will play an important role in this aspect. Eric is part of a telecommunications engineering team that has started a new satellite communication project: "The hours are flying by and I'm not the only one doing it. The whole team is really enjoying this project", he says.

• The working climate: An optimal emotional climate based on cooperation, communication and trust are essential ingredients for the life of the team. A pleasant

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physical environment is also very important. The workspace must be looked after: spaciousness, lighting, noise level, cleanliness, pollution, temperature, decoration...

I hate Mondays, I can't stand arriving at the office and finding that group of people who only care about pleasing the boss... I'm getting intoxicated with the smoke of those cigarettes, my colleagues spend the morning smoking. What do you think of these comments? They are frequent in our working environment and seriously damage the results of our work. Not feeling at ease in a place makes us feel irritable, demotivated... • Leadership: The team needs a leader to coordinate the different functions and tasks that are established to achieve the set goal. The role of the leader, how he/she carries out his/her function, is decisive for the good functioning of the team and consequently to achieve its cohesion or disintegration. We are all very clear about our role in the team, and it is important for us to know that Laura is always there to resolve any doubts we may have. It's out of control, Ignacio doesn't know where he's navigating, he's incapable of making a decision...

The role played by a team coordinator can condition all the work.

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3. T eam building

Building a team is not about bringing together a group of individuals and subjecting them to reflections and discussions about what they are and what they should be. While it is true that reflection on the individual role and the common group project are aspects that need to be addressed, they by no means comprise the fundamental axis that gives the group its essence.

3.1. Previous steps

In this lesson we will look at the steps to build a working team.

- Clarify the objective of the work

Above all, we must be very clear about a common work objective that will give meaning to the team as such and will guide all functions and tasks. Karch Ltd. wants to carry out a study on the causes of sick leave. The study will be carried out by a team of in-house staff.

- Defining professional profiles

It is necessary to define the various types of professional profiles required to carry out the project. The professional profiles must complement each other in such a way as to allow tasks of a certain complexity to be carried out.

For this study we will need personnel managers, a psychologist, workers' representatives.

- Selecting staff

When forming a team, the project coordinator or manager will select people

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according to the different professional profiles needed to develop the project. This process leads us to a key concept in the new organisation of the company: management by competences. We could define competences as the set of skills, qualities and aptitudes that people have and that predispose them to carry out a series of activities with a good level of performance.

Competences can be of different types:

- Alberto has a great ability to express himself in public .

This would be a competence related to a personal trait or skill.

- Ana speaks perfect English.

This would be a proficiency-type competition.

Consequently, competences will be used to perform one type of activities and not others.

- Daniel has great organisational skills, but he is a lousy speaker.

- Distributing tasks

The distribution of tasks will be based on each individual's own competencies. It is necessary to know in depth what kind of competences are present in each of the team members, so that the personal contribution to the team project can be managed in the best way.

- Lucy has a great ability to communicate with others. She will be the person who will meet with each of the workers.

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- Identifying with the project

The identification of each member with the team project must be a process that starts from the very beginning. The key to success lies in achieving a team that is proud to belong to the entity in which it works.

- Starting work

It is essential to create an appropriate working climate in which cooperation and respect prevail, so that each individual contributes positively to the team project.

How to make the most of competences?

Depending on the type of tasks to be carried out, more importance will be given to some than to others, hence the value of:

• Knowing how to identify and discriminate at all times the type of professional profile we need to carry out the task. • To have a thorough understanding of the competencies of each team member. • Create a pleasant working environment that allows each individual to contribute positively to the team project.

3.2. Basic conditions for teamwork

Why do teams with great technical potential and more than enough resources remain mediocre teams? What aspects make a team become a great team?

Team building is about communicating with each person. We only communicate with each person when we are interested in getting to know them and sharing information, efforts, successes and hopes.

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We will look at how to assess the conditions that need to be in place to work well in a team.

CASE: CONFLICT OF COMPETENCE?

Rose is the new coordinator of a team at Senses, a cosmetics manufacturing company. The team already has some experience. Rose has picked up on a serious conflict between two of the members, Angel and Helen.

Angel seems to feel that Helen is encroaching on some tasks that are his responsibility. Work meetings are particularly tense...

A common goal

It is important that the members come to identify with the type of project that is being carried out, that they feel that it is their own and that, at the same time, they perceive that it is a shared task. Teamwork allows for this duality.

We must be able to share the results in an even-handed way, avoiding personalities and the dissolution of responsibilities.

Is Helen looking for personal success? If so, perhaps Helen should be reminded of what it means to work in a team.

Clear division of roles

The tasks that each team member performs should be clearly defined. This will avoid possible conflicts due to role encroachment, duplication of tasks, tasks that are left unfilled, etc. In our case, there seems to be a problem of division of roles between Angel and Helen. Rose will have to find out what is really going on and then make it very clear which tasks are the responsibility of each of them.

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Positive interaction between members

The team is made up of individuals. The team is a whole, but the essence of the whole is its members and the type of relationships between them. It is important to create the right emotional and working climate, so that communication, respect and mutual support are fostered. It is possible that once the role clarification issue is resolved, the relationship between Angel and Helen will gradually improve. Ana will have to be attentive to this and try to give them different but complementary tasks in which both need to cooperate. In this way, the relationship between them will be strengthened and at the same time it will be made clear that the contribution of one and the other is necessary for the fulfilment of the objectives. Is there communication between team members? It is important for individuals to express their opinions, disagreements and concerns. Communication nourishes team life in all aspects. It is necessary that communication is carried out in an attitude of respect from and towards all members of the team. Work meetings are a good time to enhance communication among the group. Communication

Motivation

Motivation is a fundamental aspect of people's lives; it is the engine that drives us to act. Therefore, it is a factor that must be taken care of within the work team. Aspects such as achievement, recognition, responsibility, personal growth, the attractive content of the task, financial compensation... must be taken into account.

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Are we a good team?

The following questions will help you to make a diagnosis of your team:

• Do you feel that the goal set is shared by all members? • Is each member of the team assigned a specific role? • Is everyone clear about the role of others or is there a danger of blurred boundaries between roles? • Are all possible tasks assigned? • Is there harmony within the team? • Do all members feel integrated? • Is there a cooperative environment? • Do you organise social gatherings outside of work? • How would you define communication, is it fluid, what could be improved? • Do you feel there is a balance between what you give and what you receive? • Does each person have a role and status that is respected by other members? • Do all members feel responsible for the success of the team? • In the face of failure, do they tend to look for culprits or do they take it as a whole? • Do they celebrate success?

3.3. How to facilitate team cohesion

It is important that a team feels cohesive. If there is no cohesion, a lot of energy can be wasted on internal tensions and such important elements of teamwork as sharing ideas, opinions, mutual support will not be effective.

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As a result, it is possible that the results of the project may be negatively affected. We will learn how to assess which elements facilitate the cohesion of a team.

CASE: IS OUR PROJECT IN JEOPARDY?

BabyLike is a baby food company that is going to launch an innovative product on the market. The group working on this project consists of five members in two different departments. Tension between the two departments is an obvious fact. The members of both departments identify more with belonging to their respective departments than with belonging to the organisation as a whole. The team starts to resent each other, conflicts are frequent, opinions are not respected.

Ann, the coordinator, even suspects that one member is holding back information to hinder the work of others.

Do we identify with the goal we are pursuing?

The first and fundamental element will be that all members agree on the objective to be achieved.

Create a suitable product and launch it successfully on the market. But it has to be assumed that the consequent success or failure should not be the responsibility of the marketing department or the research department, but of the organisation as a whole.

Do we trust each other?

Trust is a fundamental aspect of any human relationship. Trust involves: - An expectation: We trust that the other person will act in a certain way, as stated in a prior commitment. - A risk: Trusting means taking the risk that the other person will not live up to the commitment made. - An attitude of openness and cooperation: The degree of trust towards

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each other will be directly proportional to the degree of sincerity and cooperation that exists, and vice versa.

Is there communication?

An attitude that favours communication is a fundamental premise for teamwork.

Regardless of how good or bad our skills as communicators are, what is important is that we maintain the attitude of wanting to communicate. When communicating, we must take into account the following: Elements such as active listening, respect and equality of opinions are essential. When there is communication, individuals feel that they are sharing ideas, opinions, points of view, hopes, projects, feelings, knowledge, experiences, moments.... This optimises identification with the team and, at the same time, favours individual motivation.

In our case it will be important that the members of the group assume this attitude from the very beginning. This will undoubtedly relieve any tension.

Have we made a commitment?

We can define commitment as the degree of involvement that a person can bring into play in favour of the group's objectives. Commitment implies that each member of the group invests elements of him/herself in the joint work, some more tangible than others: effort, time, ideas, initiatives, affectivity... Motivation will play an important role in the degree of the individual's involvement in the work. Each team member must make his or her own commitment, knowing that his or her role will have an impact on the good of the team as a whole.

How do we resolve conflicts?

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Different points of view, which may have a positive component, help the group to mature and move forward, but at the same time can hinder its functioning.

The way in which the group resolves possible conflicts is of great importance in achieving group cohesion. Undoubtedly, in the case of the BabyLike company, this aspect will have to be worked on early on in the team. It is up to the coordinator to gather the necessary information to be able to successfully resolve the conflict established between the members of the two groups.

Some attitudes that help cohesion

1. Spend time talking and listening to people, taking an interest in personal matters: How was your holiday? How are you feeling? 2. Contribute and share elements that optimise the physical working environment in general and not only our individual space: plants, paintings, photographs... 3. Organise social events and ensure the participation of all, not just a few. 4. Ensure that news affecting the team reaches all members; email is an effective tool. 5. Watch out for changes in your colleagues' attitudes and try to find out why.

3.4. The team as a dynamic entity

The team is an open system in evolution that is influenced by a multitude of factors. We could make a comparison between the evolutionary period of an individual and the evolution of a work team.

Thus, we could talk about:

Birth or creation of the team.

•

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Growth.

• •

Maturation.

We will now look at how to identify the evolutionary stage a team is in.

3.4.1. Creation of the team

In a newly created team, individuals initiate interpersonal relationships of cooperation, hierarchy and affection at the first level. People's behaviour is generally cautious, respectful and each member questions himself/herself about the effect he/she is likely to have on the other:

Am I accepted, am I recognised for the role I am entitled to according to my abilities and expectations?

Mia feels strange, she is waiting in anticipation. At the same time, each member takes an x-ray of the other members and the possible role they will play in the group. Mia notices Eric and soon realises that they are not going to be like-minded.

1. Birth or creation of the team.

This is a very important moment for a positive start to the process of group identification, which is essential for achieving group cohesion.

- Objectives and targets are set. - Functions are distributed. - The role of the coordinator is vital in conducting this initial phase of the group.

2. Growth

In this phase, team members have a clear place in the team. Deeper

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relationships of collaboration, subordination and leadership are built. Formal rules: functioning, concrete responsibilities, basic agreements... are already clearly differentiated. This is a time when the group invests a lot of energy in the task at hand.

3. Maturation

Teams mature, and they do so towards the achievement of tasks. Mía speaks of a present time in which the group has already started a process of maturation. In our case this process is captured from the perspective of the type of relationships that are established between the members. The team recognises a common history, successes are achieved through the efforts of the team as a whole and failures are taken on board together. There is a process of individualisation. We accept the other as they are. Over time I have learned to deal with Eric.... It is common for subgroups to form, united by affinities. The danger is that these subgroups come into conflict. There is a way of doing things and a code of values that will give the team its own personality. The role of the group coordinator is no longer as decisive as in the first phase. The team becomes more important when it has its own identity and a significant track record. In mature teams, because we already know each other very well, we sometimes forget to take care of our relationships with others, and comments and attitudes are frequent that no one would dare to express in a less relaxed stage. It is essential that when we find ourselves in a team in a phase of maturity, we do not forget to take care of interpersonal relationships. It is common to forget this aspect on the grounds that we all already know each other very well, and in many cases this is the cause of major conflicts.

3.4.2. Moments of a team

The team, as a dynamic entity, goes through different moments, depending on

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a multiplicity of external or internal factors that condition it.

It is important to emphasise that the different moments a team goes through do not form a cycle, nor do they have to follow a correlative order, but they can occur at any given moment in the life of a team. Let's see how to identify at what stage a team is at.

CASE: THE COMPANY CITY.COM

City.com is an advertising company. It was created 5 years ago with a very innovative project. From its creation to the present day, the company has followed a specific trajectory.

Mia and Eric are two members of the production team. Eric is one of the oldest workers, Mia joined 3 years ago, when the team was already fully cohesive.

Stable team

On her first day on the job as a member of the production team, Mia says: "I've just joined a team where everyone seems to know each other very well. Everyone seems to be very aware of the role they have to play. This comment reveals several things: • It is a team with significant experience. • In the stable team, there are deep-rooted implicit rules of behaviour. • The roles to be played by each member are clear. • There is a balance between the demands and the energy invested by each member.

Expanding team

The production team has been endowed with a large sum of money to carry out the new project. This sentence suggests that: • The team sets out to achieve a new objective, and brings all its personal and material resources into play.

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• At the moment there are teams that are either newly created or starting a new project. • Most of the energy invested is effective energy (g), the group is fully committed to the project. • The expanding team can be an expanding team for a relative period of time, thereafter it balances out and becomes a stable team, or it becomes unbalanced and becomes a regressing team.

Team in contention

To carry out this new project, the company's management has opted to create a new working team with production and marketing staff, two departments that have historically been at odds with each other. There are several reasons for this situation:

• Imbalance between what is given and what is received. • Lack of understanding among its members. • Formation of cliques with conflicting objectives. • Confrontations due to interpersonal tensions.

Sufficient information needs to be sought and an action plan needs to be developed to resolve the conflict.

Team in regression

Due to a destabilisation of the market, external demands have plummeted, the production team reflects a company-wide reality. Instead of moving forward in the increasing complexity of tasks and projects, the team is moving backwards. The causes may be:

1. Task-related:

• External demands exceed the level of effort that can be made due to lack of

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resources, or vice versa. • There is an important potential for human resources and little demand, which can lead to monotony and demotivation. This is the factor that has had a negative impact on the City.com team.

2. Linked to emotions:

• The team feels undervalued. • The team feels unfairly treated. • The team feels demoralised.

It is important to identify where your team is at the moment, in order to be able to make decisions for change if necessary. If we transform all the characteristics that we have been referring to each team into questions, we will be able to have an x-ray of the team's current situation and assess those aspects that need to be optimised.

3.5. Factors hindering teamwork

Why do we find it so difficult to work in a team? It is not uncommon in the world of work or academia to hear this question. We have often thought about it and invested a great deal of energy in the organisational aspect of the team, and yet something keeps going wrong.

It then analyses and assesses those factors that can hinder teamwork, so that we can prevent or resolve them.

CASE: WHAT'S WRONG WITH US?

James is the new coordinator of an innovation project in the production department of a pharmaceutical laboratory. He has invested a great deal of effort and time in selecting the right people to form his team.

After a month of hard work, he is unpleasantly surprised to find that two of the team

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members take time off work due to stress. They argue that the demands made on them are unreasonable and that they do not feel that their efforts are being recognised.

External pressure and misalignment with reality

A staff member may feel under pressure:

• By the higher hierarchy, when there is too high a level of demand. • Because of the company's policy: aggressive, unethical means are used, jobs are not respected...

Roger no longer works with us, since the company merged the contract period does not exceed two years.

• On the requesting party's side: excessively tight delivery times... • Lack of sufficient human and material resources.

In the case of this laboratory, there seems to be intense external pressure. It should be ascertained whether this is true and, if so, who is exercising it.

• The planning should include a reasoned resource forecast and delivery times. • The company must realise that the best capital is human capital, which must be properly cared for and managed.

Lack of support and cooperation

Lack of support can come from different members of the same company:

• From superiors: Your mission is to perform at your best, that's what you are paid for, and you have to be very careful with the customer. • From the members of the group: I had to manage on my own, so now you have to manage on your own...

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• From the subordinates: Pedro refuses to pass this document to me on the computer, he says it's not his job. I have a lot of work to do, without which the project will not go ahead. The lack of recognition of the work done by members of a group expressed by workers is related to a lack of support from superiors. This will obviously influence their level of motivation, their self-esteem and, consequently, their performance. In order to avoid this type of situation, it is necessary to: • Pay attention to all aspects that favour group cohesion. • Convey to the company the idea that material aspects alone are not a source of motivation. • Ensure that there is a perceived balance between what is given and what is received.

Personal situation

Some personal situations may have a negative influence on the individual's activity:

• Susceptible to criticism, albeit of a constructive nature. • Egocentric. • Selfish.

• Emotionally unstable. • Poor communicator. • Irresponsible. • Inflexible. • To care for family members. • Sick.

How to act?

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• Clarify functions, avoiding possible role conflicts. • To know in depth the personal characteristics of each member and the type of relationships they create with others. This can favour an optimal organisation of tasks and functions. • Bring into play at all times attitudes that foster empathy. • Fight for the development of social policies within the company.

Style mismatch

• False expectations. I thought this job was something else. • Inability to assume the expected role. There may be some internal factor that has favoured this situation. Why is it that in teams under equal pressure, some individuals are seriously affected and others are not? How can this aspect be prevented? • Clearly state the job function. • Selection appropriate to the professional profile required, taking into account the necessary skills. • Do not select only on the basis of knowledge or number of qualifications. It is advisable to periodically set aside time for reflection. 20 minutes would be a recommendable time. We can focus on these factors and use a table to see if any of them exist in the team. Then note down possible solutions to prevent them from affecting the team's performance and put them into practice. Finally, be aware that prevention is the best weapon in the fight against problems. Time for reflection

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4. L eading and coordinating team

When it comes to leading, coordinating or managing teams, it is possible to ask oneself certain questions such as: What competencies should I possess or develop? Are there strategies, skills, attitudes that can optimise the leadership process? How can I lead a successful team? We are going to establish guidelines and advice that can help to take certain attitudes within the leadership process, to develop skills to lead a team, focusing above all on the people who make up the team. 1. Appreciate the nature of leadership. 2. Identify the management style of a team. 3. Analyse each of the management functions to be taken into account when leading a team. 4. Analyse what kind of competences the person in charge of managing a team needs to have. 5. Assess some attitudes and skills that can help us to take care of interpersonal relationships within the team. 6. Analyse the steps to be followed in a communicative process. 7. Analyse a number of skills that can help us to communicate more effectively. 8. To value personal and relational aspects that favour the tasks of good leadership. The fictitious situations presented here are intended to be a reflection of a possible working environment based on teamwork. Above all, the aim is to promote the capacity for reflection and to focus on aspects such as attitudes, the skills that come into play and try to transfer them to a real scenario. It is not just about facts; our aim is to focus on attitudes. Objectives:

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We are going to focus on elements that will help us to form our own concept of what it means to lead a team, as well as attitudes and skills that can optimise that leadership process. Jon is very extroverted, knows how to inspire, and with great confidence he also knows how to systematically organise teamwork. Luis is reserved, but he communicates with his colleagues, who do not hesitate to come to him. Here are two typologies of leaders of whom very different aspects have been highlighted. Both are perceived to play the role of leader in their work teams in an optimal way. All the characteristics highlighted in both characters should be present in the figure of the leader, however, their gradation may be different. The leader is the person capable of mobilising a number of individuals in order to achieve a previously established goal. We identify the leader with the person who, at the head of a team, is capable of getting the most out of it in a given context.

4.1. Leadership styles

Is a leader born or made?

Leaders are born and made. There are two types of theories on this:

• Personalist theory. This is the theory that a leader is born. Only people with a specific personality can be leaders. • Situational theory. It is the situation that makes a person a leader at a given time.

A more global concept of leadership considers:

• The individual. Personality and aptitudes. Obviously there is an aspect of each individual, but it is not the only factor.

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• Learning or training in a range of skills. • Timeliness. Being at the right time in the right place. Compare the two cases above and analyse what they owe their leadership to.

Types of leaders:

This is a possible classification of the leader according to the type of role he/she plays in a given situation.

• Formal leaders. Their power is the result of a specific hierarchy, marked by the position they hold. Their influence is determined by their authority. We would identify them with the boss. • Informal leaders. Their power comes from their way of being, they are charismatic people. They are usually leaders of informal groups. • Occasional leaders. They exercise the role of leader in a specific situation, because their characteristics respond to the team's needs. Once the proposed goal has been achieved, this role may fade away.

The categories in this classification are not mutually exclusive.

The nature of leadership:

It is about assessing the nature of leadership in the people around us or in ourselves. We must identify the characteristics that make the leader worthy of his or her role. We can also focus on team members who do not exercise leadership and highlight some positive characteristic that distinguishes them from the others and that is related to their way of being, knowledge...

In what situation could you become a team leader?

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Demystifying a concept

The concept of the leader needs to be demystified. Today's business world no longer demands a charismatic and authoritarian leader. Nowadays, whoever assumes the role of coordinator or manager of a work team, a project or a company, is required to possess social skills, talent and intuition. Let's look at the nature of leadership.

CASE: WHERE IS THE SECRET OF LEADERSHIP?

Neil is the coordinator of a project in the marketing area of company X. His open and communicative nature has made him the leader par excellence of his team. He is able to enthuse his collaborators with any type of task and encourages the identification of each of the members with the work team. Mike is a reserved person. He is friendly with his colleagues but keeps his distance. He is hard-working, organised and has a high level of technical knowledge. The company director has asked him to coordinate a project to create a new electronic product. The results have been a success. The team worked very efficiently, each member of the team was very clear about their role. The cooperation between them has been effective at all times, Mike was always available to solve any doubt or small conflict. We are going to consider three management styles depending on:

a) The participation of team members in decisions. b) The degree of concentration of the manager's power.

Keep in mind that it is the particular situation that will determine the appropriate style and reflect on the following aspects: What is our reality? Who is the team made up of? What is our final objective?

1.

Personalised authority style

Its characteristics are:

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• The director assumes ultimate responsibility for the events. • The director signals at all times what is to be done. All decisions must go through him or her. Control over the group is absolute.

This style could be optimal when, for example:

• The staff is novice and inexperienced. There is an emergency situation. Remember the example of the fire chief. • There is a lot of disorganisation in all aspects: little cooperation, unclear objectives, unclear roles of the members....

Caution: Do not fall into an autocratic and dictatorial style.

2.

Participatory style

It is defined by the following characteristics:

• Each member has a specific role for which it is responsible and in which it can decide. • Group decisions are made on a shared basis. • Once the objectives and the organisation of the work have been set, the group works autonomously. • The director monitors the work done in terms of results. Decisions affecting the project strategy will be consulted with the team, but the ultimate decision will rest with the manager. He/she should be a supportive figure to the task and the individual. This style could be appropriate for leading: a team with a high professional level. A team with a well-defined organisation. When the type of task requires a decentralisation of power in order to enhance the autonomy of the members.

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Caution: Do not fall into the premise of "me, one more".

3.

Style marked by group consensus

Its characteristics are:

• The role of the manager is that of coordinator par excellence. His or her primary task is to maintain the cohesion of the team and the identification of its members with the team and the organisation. • Every decision is made by group consensus. This style can only work in organisations or companies where: - Each member is solely responsible for his or her work, e.g. a psychologist's office. - Work specialisation is an essential element, e.g. a research department. Companies in which the creativity of each member of the team is enhanced above all else, e.g. some kind of advertising department.

Caution: Do not fall into a style where no decisions are made.

What is the ideal management style?

There is no one management style that is valid and ideal for every situation. Good leaders are those who have managed to adapt their way of being to the particularity of each situation and to the type of collaborators. Context-specific circumstances determine the way in which group leadership is carried out. For example, the leadership role of a fire chief is very different from that of a high school principal. We are going to identify three basic styles of team management. The idea is that there is no best or worst style, but that the reality itself is what should mark the most appropriate style.

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