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T h e I n t e r m e d i a t e L e v e l A p p r e n t i c e s h i p i n

A P P R E N T I - K I T

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Pr inc ip les o f B u s i n e s s a n d A d m i n i s t r a t i o n( D i p l o m a )

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The principles of effective team workingThe benefits of effective team working

Working in a team has its benefits, some of which have been listed below.

Increased efficiency and productivity.A team can achieve so much more than an individual working alone. With extra hands to complete the work, you can reach the common goal more quickly.

Improved problem-solvingskills. Most of the time, brainstorming for effectivesolutions yields better results in a team. With the collaborative effort and different skill sets of people in a team, solutions to problems can be sought and implemented with less difficulty.

Greater opportunity for innovation. Great minds generate great ideas. Great teamwork is what fuels these ideas and turns them into reality. Effective teamwork helps promote creativity while shared responsibilities and duties ensure that you can turn ideas into a reality.

Supportive working environment. Teams that work well together are supportive of each other’s ideas and opinions, and respect the diversity within the team. While leaders might be appointed, team members need to have a sense of unity. It is important to be supportive of one another rather than see others as competitors. Mutual support helps teams to reach goals that might not have been otherwise possible when working alone. Teamwork also helps increase flexibility and

improves morale among team members – you have someone helping you out when you come across an obstacle.

Greater sense of accomplishment. While there is a common goal for the team to achieve, each individual team member has their specific goals that contribute to reaching the bigger goal. It is often a greater satisfaction to achieve these specific goals as part of a team rather than doing it alone.

Giving constructive feedback Being able to give constructive feedback is one of the most valuable skills you can have. The purpose of constructive feedback is to improve an individual’s skills, knowledge or attitude, typically in relation to a work situation.

• Constructive means ‘carefully considered and meant to be helpful’

• Feedback is defined as ‘comments in the form of opinions about and reactions to something, intended to provide useful information for future decisions and development’

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Six steps to giving constructive feedback.

Step 1: state the purpose of your feedback

Remember to be friendly, clear and supportive. It is better to get straight to the point without being blunt or rude.

If the other person has requested feedback, then make sure that you focus your feedback on what the person needs to know.

If you are initiating a feedback conversation, make sure that you have sufficient time available and that you are in an area in which you are unlikely to be distracted.

You can start the conversation with statements like:

Step 2: describe exactly what you have observed

It is better – and easier – to describe what you have actually observed yourself, although there might be occasions in which you need to give feedback on an activity, behaviour or attitude that is causing upset within the team. Use statements like:

‘I have noticed that you ...’‘When you were [doing the activity] yesterday afternoon, you ...’

Step 3: describe the consequences or reactions

By describing the consequences or reactions to the person’s activity, behaviour or attitude, you are inviting the person to see and understand the impact their actions are having on others, the team and the organisation.

‘I saw that your colleague was deeply upset by your comment.’

‘The customer looked annoyed by your sales technique.’

I have a concern about...

I’d like us to discuss...

I would like to offer you

feedback on ...

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Step 4: give the person an opportunity to respond

Feedback is a 2-way conversation. It is very important that you listen carefully to what the other person has to say. If the person is reluctant to respond, ask an open-ended question, such as:

‘What are your thoughts on the matter?’

‘What do you think?’

‘Is this how you see it?’

Step 5: offer specific suggestions for improvement

Offer suggestions for improvement, including opportunities for training if it is appropriate. Sharing ideas on how to improve is an essential aspect of constructive feedback.

‘You might like to try ...’

‘I usually ...’

‘Doing ... is sometimes worthwhile.’

Step 6: summarise and express your support

At the end of the conversation, summarise the actions agreed. Focus on the way forward. Try to avoid repeating any negative points. Stress what the person could do differently and how to develop their skills. It is important to close the conversation on a positive note. You can do this by

mentioning something that the person is doing well at or by expressing confidence in the person’s ability to improve the situation.

Understanding conflict management

Conflicts in a team can occur for various reasons. Most teams face conflicts at one time or another. The issue may involve team members, projects, responsibilities and people’s perceptions of their roles.

Causes of conflict

• Relationship conflict – this is where team members simply do not get along. It can be caused or intensified by poor communication, strong disagreements on personal issues or a dislike of certain behaviours or attitudes. Strong conflicts in personal values can impact negatively on working relationships in the team.

• Value conflict – this can be caused or intensified by team members thinking differently about aspects of their lives that are important to them. In the workplace, there can be conflicts in values based on different levels of importance that team members place on certain aspects of responsibilities. What one person values highly, another might choose to disregard. For example, family- focused team members might have conflict with the values of career high-flyers who work long hours at the expense of time with their young families.

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• Conflict of interests – this is where there is conflict regarding priorities or the goals to be achieved. For example, is the priority to keep costs down or to offer a high-quality service?

• Data conflicts – this is where there is

either a lack of information from one team (or team member) to another or where there is conflict over the importance or relevance of that information.

Often, conflicts occur because of a lack of communication between the parties.

• Structural conflict – this is where there is conflict within the structure of the organisation. It could be based on unequal or poor authority structures, time constraints or limited resources to complete tasks.

Team leaders need to play their part in conflict management. You need to employ 1 of these conflict management techniques to manage conflicts.

Forcing – here, you pursue your goal irrespective of the concerns of others. In other words, you force your viewpoint and concern without giving consideration to the problems other people have. This should be used as a last resort to resolve a time-consuming conflict.

This method is useful when:• there is a tight deadline that takes

priority• your rights have been compromised• other methods are known to be

ineffective• there is a quick solution with this

method and using force is justified

Collaborating – collaboration can help you work with those you may have conflicting interests with and find ways that are win-win for all. Collaborating can work wonders when:• you need to address the interests of

different stakeholders• you trust your colleagues• you are looking for better collaboration

to work fast and quickly

Compromising – here, all parties reach a solution that is agreeable to all of them. Compromising works best when:• an expedient solution to the problem is

needed• the issue at stake isn’t that important in

consideration• other methods will not work as well• looking for a temporary solution

Withdrawing – here, you simply withdraw from the conflict or avoid it completely. While not a wise choice most of the time, this can be useful when:• the issue is trivial• it is not the right time to confront the

issue• you cannot handle the problem or issue

at present• when you have more important matters

to deal with that deserve attention

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Accommodating – here, you accommodate the concerns of everyone who think their interests have been compromised. A more problem-solving approach, this can help you when:• you are looking for a temporary but

effective solution• you want time to reassess the situation• competition with the team member or

colleague would be detrimental in the long run

• the issue at stake is not that important to you or other members of the team

More often than not, it is a good idea to acknowledge conflicts and try to solve them. Commitment to a healthy working environment is important and you should be able to manage conflicts in a positive manner.

Discussing work progress and issues with team members

It is good practice to define any issues clearly when in discussion with team members, stating your grievances if any and asking for input and explanations. It is important not to sound demanding. It is always a better idea to ask the status of the work pending and clear out an issue without being judgemental. Your work environment is probably filled with diverse people with different attitudes. While you will find the outspoken ones are often good communicators, there are few who do not communicate as effectively.

For good communication with team members it is essential to:

• encourage everyone to speak instead of letting one or two team members do the bulk of the talking

• give everyone equal time to speak rather than allowing one-on-one discussions

• avoid unnecessary interruptions while ensuring no one withdraws from the discussion

• reach group consensus while in a meeting and summarise the decisions reached at the end of every discussion

Discussing problems and changesA number of problems might come up when working towards organisational goals.

When discussing changes, it is important to take into account the points of view of the team members and explain the changes coming into effect. Being honest and open about the changes will promote trust within the team, even if team members are adversely affected.

Help the team to understand the things that cannot be negotiated but, in order to support the change, ask for their input into aspects of change that they can influence. Try to understand the needs of each team member and the effects of the changes on the team as a whole.

When discussing problems, you figure out the root cause of the problem. Is it because of the fragmentation of the

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team? Is it because of the team becoming too dependent on a few members? Is it because the team members are unmotivated? Reaffirm the team’s goals and discuss the organisational goals of the team. It is important to stay on track.

Maintaining effective working relationships

Every team member needs to be supportive of the others. In a good working relationship there is:

• trust

• mutual respect

• open communication

• individual responsibility

Team support is a great way to make team members feel acknowledged for their efforts. It helps keep team morale high and increases productivity. Remember to recognise the contribution of your colleagues in the various projects they undertake. Show your appreciation. It doesn’t matter whether the goal accomplished is a small one or has a massive impact on the success of the project. Your team deserves to be acknowledged for its efforts.

If the team has not been able to perform as well or is having difficulty meeting specific goals, you can still congratulate the team members on how hard they are working or on their commitment during challenging

times. It is important to remain positive and supportive.

Treating colleagues with respect, fairness and courtesy

Your team members will most probably be from diverse backgrounds and possess different skill sets from each other. They might have different views on life, religion or politics. They might have different cultural backgrounds and traditions. Respect for individuals is of paramount importance. If a team member does not feel valued or respected, or feel that they are treated unfairly, they are likely to feel that they are unable to contribute to team efforts. Treat team members how you would like to be treated – with respect, fairness and courtesy.

Fulfilling agreements with colleagues

While it is important to understand how to communicate on key decisions and activities with your colleagues, it is equally important to fulfil all agreements with colleagues. Fulfilling agreements ensures the continuation of trust and reliability as well as helping to provide a welcoming environment. Fulfilling agreements also ensures that there are no legal implications later on.

Recognising the contribution of colleagues to the achievement of team objectives

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Providing support and constructive feedback to colleaguesEvery team has its own challenges. If you think a team member could perform a task or behave in a better way, it is time for some constructive feedback.

You looked at steps to giving constructive feedback earlier. Remember, constructive feedback needs to be offered in a supportive way. You shouldn’t push your feedback onto a team member or colleague. Unless you have been asked for feedback, it is always good practice to

ask for permission to give it. If you ask for their permission first, they will be much more receptive to what you have to say. The trick is to make your team member feel comfortable when you are giving the feedback. Don’t be judgemental. Give specific examples of what you observed instead of stating things generally. So instead of, ‘You never concentrate on your work,’ you could try, ‘I have seen that you were a bit distracted yesterday at work. Is there a problem?’

Collaborating with colleagues to resolve problems

Taking the viewpoints of others into account when making decisions

Collaboration is often a win-win situation for both parties. You get to finish the work faster and achieve better results. Whenever working in a team, it is important to take into account the viewpoints of others. Take into account your team members’ work schedules and skill sets when agreeing specific goals, assigning new work or setting deadlines.

It is important to have clear communication from the beginning of the project to avoid issues later on.

Collaboration refers to working with other people to achieve a common goal.

Taking ownership of problems

While there is shared responsibility in a team for the success or failure of a project, you should not shy away from individual responsibilities. In case of problems, ask yourself if any of your actions may have ensured that the problem could have been averted. If you could have changed the results, own up and come up with a plan of how you can possibly solve the problem or improve the results.

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It is important to keep your word – people will look up to you only when you prove your worthiness. Reaching organisational goals should be a top priority and, while your enthusiasm should be directed towards it, you need to be well aware of the areas that need improvement.

Owning up to problems is not always bad. Employers look for problem-solvers, and people who can own up to a problem and start to work on it.

Be ready, though, to share problems with your line manager if they are beyond your level of responsibility, or if you feel you need support or guidance. There might be issues that are beyond your control or outside the remit of your team that your line manager might be aware of, but is unclear of their impact on the achievement of your team’s goals.

Taking action to minimise disruptions to business activities

Minimising disruption to business activities is a necessity in any team. There are conflicts in any team and you need to search for the best solutions to problems and challenges. Here are some of the things that are needed to minimise business disruption.

• Transparent communication

• Thought showers or sharing ideas in the team

• Agreeing to a change of strategy, direction or priorities

• Clear evaluation of the problems and challenges

Resolving problems

It is always a good idea to talk to your team members about the team’s problems and challenges. Get them involved in describing the problem from their points of view and deciding on possible courses of action.

Five steps to resolving problems

Step 1: identify the problemIs there a problem? What is it? How significant is it?

Step 2: analyse the problemWhy is it happening? Who/what is involved? When does it happen? How?

Step 3: develop a plan of action What are you going to do about it? What can you do to resolve or minimise the problem? What are the possibilities?

Step 4: implement the planAre you doing what you said you would do? How do you know?

Step 5: Evaluate progressDid the plan work? Do you need to do anything else?

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Understand the principles of effective team working

Q1 -

Outline the benefits of effective team working.

I n d e p e n d e n t E n q u i r e r s

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Q2 -

Describe the SIX steps to giving constructive feedback.

I n d e p e n d e n t E n q u i r e r s

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Q3 -

Explain when and why each of the listed conflict management techniques might be used to resolve team conflicts.

I n d e p e n d e n t E n q u i r e r sTe a m Wo r k e r s

R e f l e c t i v e L e a r n e r s

Forcing

Collaborating

Compromising

Withdrawing

Accommodating

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Q4 -

Explain why it is important that a team member has the opportunity to discuss their work-related issues that they have with their colleagues and/or manager?

I n d e p e n d e n t E n q u i r e r sS e l f M a n a g e r sTe a m Wo r k e r s

E f f e c t i v e P a r t i c i p a t o r s

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Q5 -

Explain why it is important to warn colleagues of problems and changes that may affect them.

I n d e p e n d e n t E n q u i r e r sTe a m Wo r k e r s

E f f e c t i v e P a r t i c i p a t o r s

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Notes

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Notes

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Highfield Unit Mapping The following mapping reference provides a guide for assessors on suggested coverage of unit criteria within this kit. Where indicated on the Unit Kit Question column with a QXX, this refers to a question within the kit that could provide coverage for the identified criteria. However, it should be noted that it is still the responsibility of the assessor to ensure the answer provided by the learner is of the appropriate standard to meet the criteria in full. For those criteria that have no Unit Kit Question linked, further assessment guidance is provided below.

Learner’s name:

Centre’s name:

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UnitCriteria Unit Kit Question Additional Evidence

1.1 Qu. 1

1.2 Qu. 2

1.3 Qu. 3

1.4 Qu. 4

1.5 Qu. 5

2.1 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

2.2 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

2.3 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

2.4 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

3.1 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

3.2 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

3.3 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

3.4 N/A Competency to be assessed through Learner’s performance

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Assessment Confirmation

Quality Assurance Confirmation

Learner’s name:

IQA’s name (if sampled):

Assessor’s name:

EQS’s name (if sampled):

Learner’s signature:

IQA’s signature (if sampled):

Assessor’s signature:

EQS’s signature (if sampled):

Due to the unit requiring performance evidence it is not possible to provide fullcoverage via question and answer. It is therefore recommended by Highfield that performance evidence is gathered to ensure the unit is fully completed.

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