Monday, 24 September 2012
Week 8 - Working with Others
A big part of making a success of an entrepreneurial venture is to find the right people to work with and to create an environment in which you can all work well together as a team. For this week's blog post I want you to read the article (on the Vula site under Resources/Readings) titled 'The Team as Hero', and share you thoughts regarding the article and how you would build a team for your entrepreneurial venture.
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With respect to individual vs. teamwork there are various interesting points both negative and positive for each.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main benefits of team work that stands out for me is that implementing an idea should be easier when in a group as more people = more connections. Therefore, slightly easier to get idea off the ground when looking for funding etc when there are multiple eyes on the lookout.
Another very beneficial and interesting point of teamwork, is that people are more determined to impress and strive for excellence when in a group as not to disappoint others involved.
There isn't however only one solution. Many legendary pioneers have proved that teamwork is not essential in the beginning stages of entrepreneurship.
In my opinion, you need to be in the right place at the right time. You may have followed every rule in every rule book and you should theoretically be successful but if you are not in the right place at the right time, there is nothing you can do about it!!! (This is all true to a certain extent).
In my opinion teamwork is pivotal in the success of big projects. The saying: two head are better than one is extremely true. There are many upsides to teamwork. You can distribute the workload and therefore alleviate the pressure on workers. It creates participation and involvement from everybody and incorporates every body’s ideas. I believe that team work leads to better decision making and leads to a diversity of ideas.
ReplyDeleteFor my entrepreneurial venture, teamwork is essential in getting the work done efficiently and effectively. Firstly we would come up with a vision and make sure that our goals and objectives are in line with each other. Then I would make sure that everybody in the team has a fair say. Everybody in the team must commit to the project and have no setbacks. We must all be able to trust each other and not hold anything back. We as a team must devise a strategy to reach our goals.
Obviously individuals can come up with great inventions/projects themselves but in my opinion it depends on factors such as how big the project is and how long it will take and what sort of thing does it involve and these will determine if teamwork is necessary.
The article outlines perfectly how not only product, but teams need to adapt with the times.
ReplyDeleteNo longer can we just sit on our own, waiting for a great idea, and the expect workers to mindlessly produce our idea while we sit back and reap the benifits. As is constantly mentioned, that sort of thinking is a thing of the past, a myth.
If you were to follow Horatio Alger's ideal now a day, you might make a quick buck, but not big bucks, because with technology moving forward at such a rapid pace, your product will be improved and made much more efficiently and cheaper that you could dream of keeping up with.
I would base my team around a much more Modern approach, even more so than Tracy Kidders. At the head of any company shouldn't be a dictator wiht a single idea, it should be a person that is a great delegator and judge of character.
Choosing your team is of utmost importance, and in each department, no longer do we want drones, we want people that can think for themselves and be just as innovative with their part of the whole, as the person who delveloped the idea. All these people should work together well and feed off each other bettering the company as a whole, while the head of the company is just in charge of making sure that there is the best person suited for each job, and himself playing an integral role.
It was summarised perfectly in one sentence "...the whole of the effort is greater than the sum of the individual contribution".
It starts by looking at the difference of team vs an individual "hero" on the road to success. It goes onto say that to be able to compete in modern society it is more beneficial to work as an entrepreneurial team to reach a specific goal rather than reach the goal with individual efforts.
ReplyDeleteWith this said though, there are many cases in this reading where rare individuals are required for the formation of new ideas or innovations and due to their unique personalities have the ability to form or reform successful companies. On the other side of this theory you have the "drones" that just follow orders and lack the creative spark that is present in "hero's". That it goes onto say that this system is obsolete due to many factors!
The main general reason behind this theory no longer working in the modern society is due to globalisation and the world’s interconnectivity. And it is due to this that there is a great need for more creativity and adaption of the workforce which can be brought about by teamwork. It’s with teamwork that companies can overcome this and work as unit, overcoming problems and formulating ideas as a team to fulfil a common purpose.
The article is a clear indicator of how the human mindset generally differs from how it relates to more common success in production and performance.
ReplyDeleteAll people secretly have a glimmer of hope that they possess something special within or something that will cause the result of a breakthrough. This was talked about with how popular table-top topics and legends, of Mavericks penetrating the market and producing something amazing, plant that pipe dream in many young people's minds. Even though this sense of entrepreneurship has died, it is still the primary stepping stone when one thinks of becoming an entrepreneur or successful.
But what has been shown to be much more successful is grouping the individual qualities and characteristics of many people and forming a 'group entrepreneurial' process of development. This way people may develop off the ideas and qualities of different people whilst still developing themselves! It's a mix of being that Maverick whilst still incorporating only the slight behaviour of a 'drone'.
With regard to building a team, I would obviously try to find the best possible mix. Barring general team working skills, I would pick out the go-getters and the purple cows in the groups, but still maintain decorum with the diligent, 'drone-like' types. Of course it would be imperative to be able to work well with each other but as long as there is an entrepreneurial flair for success and direction then the team would work well in developing ideas and working off each others qualities.
I enjoyed reading the article and found it enlightening. It made me think of the video we watched in class about the innovative company who allowed all their workers freedom of creativity, and recognised that it could only benefit the company to allow its workers to play on their individual strengths. I agree that the business world is moving away from putting all the praise on management and senior individuals, and towards making the team responsible for the outcome of a project. By pulling on the individual's strengths and combining them, a greater outcome can be achieved. For my entrepreneurial venture, I would build a team that consisted of members who were open-minded, visionary, but my main focus would be whether or not they could work in a group environment. This factor is necessary because if they are comfortable working as a team, then their productivity has the potential to exceed levels that are normally expected. On that note, I would not disregard management completely, but would employ a person who was skilled at facilitating the work of others and getting them to perform to the best of their ability, to harness their individual strength's.
ReplyDeletethis article is very interesting and made me think at first that team work is not always the best way to make a success of an entrepreneurial venture.
ReplyDeletei do feel that often big teams can result in a lot of conflict and many mistakes if not monitored correctly. however, i recently read a article that said "great people are overrated," and " a great engineer is worth 100 average engineers"
the article did enlighten my thought about that fact that not many people come up with single great ideas and have a great success with it, which is true. the only person that comes to mind is Mark Zuckerberg (but did he really just work alone to make it all happen?)
Team work is important and does result in a lot of new innovations and ideas. in selecting my team, i would be ensure the team is small and people who are willing to work 110% all the time, i think this is essential otherwise there will always be someone having to pick up the mess.
The article was a most thought-provoking read and raised a number of pertinent issues. Central to the discussion was the implicit question – (going forward) which will we celebrate: individual heroes or teams? The article postulates that a paradigm shift is necessary from the old notion of the workplace comprising solely of ‘heroes & drones’ to one reflective of ‘collective entrepreneurship’, in which the talent, energy and commitment of a team is the vehicle through which economic success is achieved, and not through the ingenuity and boldness of a select few assertive mavericks at the top of the corporate ladder.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this notion to a large extent. In many instances, the drones play a supporting and unheralded role, and are seldom granted the opportunity to demonstrate any form of creativity or ingenuity. Such a circumstance is by no means positive or motivating, and success cannot possibly be optimally attained if one feels they are part of a monotonous cycle for which they will receive no recognition or reward. As these ‘drones’ are the parts that keep the company going, their work experience should be enhanced by any means necessary
As such, an emphasis needs to be placed on ‘collective entrepreneurship’, which requires a team of individuals who essentially become partners in the company’s future, and hence have a commitment to the company’s success through their active participation in its evolution.
• I would go about building a team for my entrepreneurial venture by:
o Selecting participants from a vast array of disciplines who contribute to different parts of the business process (as it is ideal to have a good mix of perspectives when it comes to idea generation)
o Selecting members who display ‘entrepreneurial-hero’-like traits irrespective of their rank, such as: self-assertiveness; creativity; imagination; fearlessness; determination; faith; courage; self-reliance
o Selecting members who are optimistic, willing to run risks and ready to try anything.
o Incentivising members to put forward ideas with the promise of fiscal reward – be it through: profit sharing; gain sharing or performance bonuses
o Celebrating the supportive and unheralded workers in the corporation, so as to attract new members (since their stories are more relatable to the masses), by publishing company reports celebrating the successes of teams of engineers; production workers and marketers who are directly responsible for innovating new products and services, not just the CEO’s who are merely the face credited with the company’s new innovations
In this way, entrepreneurship will become a capability and an attitude that is diffused throughout the enterprise such that co-ordination and communication replaces command and control.
I enjoy leading groups of people towards a common goal. I enjoy analyzing the current market and thinking about putative future changes. And I’ve realized that the business world can have a significant effect on its consumers, for better or for worse. I plan on becoming an entrepreneur.
ReplyDeleteThe topic of this article has recently been on my mind. I am a very independent worker. I struggle with team work and I am not the best at communication. I see this as my biggest weakness in becoming a business leader and this article confirmed that concern. It confirmed that the American idea of leadership through ‘command and control’ hinders a business’s success, and that ‘coordination and communication’ help a leader create a strong business team. In other words, independent action is inferior to interdependent action. In interdependent action, each individual is “self-reliant and capable” and realizes that “you and I working together can accomplish far more than, even at my best, I could accomplish alone” (Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, 1989).
For a small business, teamwork is essential. So, for an entrepreneur, knowing how to create and maintain an interdependent group means the success or failure of the business. In throwing around ideas about my future business, I’ve thought about how I would build my team. There were a few parts of this article that really stood out to me in this regard. The first is that “any job that could be fully prepared for in advance is, by definition, a job that could be exported to a low-wage country or programmed into robots and computers (81)” and the line that Toyota “uses technology to allow workers to focus on those important tasks where choices have to be made (82).” From this, I learned that my business’s work environment needs to be set up such that each one of my team members has an effective work space where they can use their minds as efficiently as possible.
I also enjoyed the line that “workers at all levels add value not solely or even mostly by tending machines and carrying out routines, but by continuously discovering opportunities for improvement in product and process (81). This resonated with a book I’m reading titled “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist” by Ray Anderson (Interface Carpet, founder). In his book, Anderson talks about initiatives Interface used to encourage all of their workers to submit ideas on ways to improve their production processes. He outlines all of the money Interface saved by integrating some of the suggestions into their business. This meant that the company’s individual workers received a larger paycheck, but more importantly, that the company had additional money to invest back into its team. I think this idea is epitomized in the article’s line that “competitive advantage today comes from continuous, incremental innovation and refinement of a variety of ideas that spread throughout the organization (80)”.
So how will I build a team for my future entrepreneurial venture? First of all, I’ll find people from a diverse background so that the minds creating ideas come from a variety of pasts and understandings. Secondly, for any new graduates, I won’t be concerned with university rankings or a couple bad grades, noting that “formal education may prepare people to absorb and integrate experience, but it does not supply the experience (81).” But more importantly, I’ll be looking into the person’s character. Are they honest and open-minded? Are they driven and proactive? Can they work with a team in an interdependent manner? These are a few of the character traits of utmost importance to me, and to the future success of my business.
This article clearly indicates how innovation within the working environment is needed in order for a business to keep up with the increasingly efficient and cut throat world market.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that globalization has become a driving force in virtually every market has caused for competition of services and products to go through the roof. If your business is not efficient enough to compete internationally then you will just get swallowed up by the low cost production innovations in Asia or elsewhere.
This brings about the main point of the article where a unified team effort is needed in order to become more efficient and compete with world markets. We should move away from an individual doing everything on his own, to a situation where the team is recognized for the achievements. This means that all team members will buy into the situation as they are made to feel part of the product and are allowed to be individuals within a team rather than part of a conveyor belt where one person gets the credit. In today's markets a business cant afford have members who just go through the motions as somebody else will be doing it better and for cheaper. Increased competition through globalization has caused this.
A team needs to comprise of:
-A diverse array of people bringing different perspectives to the table.
-Optimistic members
-Innovative members
-Members who will create rather than just replicate
-Members who will buy into the culture of the business
Entrepreneurs unlike traditional employers have a vision in their heads of where it is they want their business to go. They therefore need to build a network of team players to reach that goal. If there is any sort of disagreement in that team then the goal cannot be reached. Therefore the team is of vital importance to the success of entrepreneurial ventures.
ReplyDeleteI think that for a team to be at its best there will have to be a variety of personalities so that different views can be explored. However, members in the team will have to possess the quality of adaptability so that other’s ideas will not get shut down but rather considered and possibly be used as a base. A team needs to have enthusiastic members that are able to explore their creativity.
The size of the team also plays a role because too many views will cause chaos. I would prefer to select a smaller group to ensure that the essence of the idea is not lost.
The article focuses on the difference between teamwork and individual work. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
ReplyDeleteStudying a degree such as Property Studies, it has taught me how important teamwork can be. Some projects just cannot be done alone and with help from a sufficient team the job can sometimes be done better. Different ideas, personalities, abilities and talents combined together could produce something that could never be achieved by only one person.
The Other advantages of teamwork is that the individual only focuses on the areas that they are comfortable with and are good at. This gives the individual an opportunity to perform their tasks to their best ability and to produce the optimum outcome overall.
The advantages of doing an individual project can be that there will never be different opinions which could lead to arguments. Your decisions never have to be discussed first and the individuals opinion will be the only one that matters. However, one could probably never get the help that they need and would not be able to produce the optimum outcome.
with the help from a professional team, for example when developing a huge project, it could lead to the best outcome overall. Teamwork definitely does play a very important role for many businesses to perform to their best ability.
The article shows that in order for us to reach our objectives whether they are business one or not, it is sometimes neccessary to work as a team as it would not be possible to get the job done, having a reliable team is also very important. If you are not able to trust your team you will end up doing the work elegated to others. This then goes against the reason for having a team. The other advantages to being in group is that there are more people to come up with ideas and solutions to certain problems.
ReplyDeleteHaving a good method of discussing different ideas and coming to a conclusion is also very important. so as to make the experince positive outcome not negative.
A well streamlined/run team will alwways be better than a single person. this is one of the main goals of corpartions, to be as synergetic as possible.
I found this article both interesting and well written (although it was a bit biased towards America). It talks about how success is no longer achieved by one individual but rather by a group of people working together to build a company and achieve a common goal. There is no longer the case of the main entrepreneur being the most important person in the company because he can not achieve his goals without the people that work for him. As Reich (2001) states: "Collective entrepreneurship thus entails close working relationships among people at all stages of the process."
ReplyDeleteHence, when building a company it is important to make sure that the team is both efficient and valued. The concept of a worker being dispensable does not promote team spirit and in the end will not encourage people to work their best, if they feel that they could easily be out of a job. Nowadays it is timeous and expensive to train people and this process should be done with the goal of keeping that individual in the long term, This will promote loyalty in your staff and ensure that they know everything there is to know about the business, making your staff indispensable. If a person feels valued they are more likely to do their best. A person I know feels undervalued in their workplace and doesn't care if they take too long in their lunch break or arrives late for work as they feel no one notices the work they put in. This situation is ineffective for both parties, as the worker is unhappy in their job and the boss is not receiving the highest output from their staff. Therefore I believe when building a company it is important to make sure that your staff feels valued, is happy in their job and promote loyalty for your company. Look at the situation with Lido Iacocco, he was fired from Ford and went on to make Chrysler a success. By ignoring your staff's potential you are not encouraging them to feel loyalty to your company and they could go on to help your competitor succeed where you did not.
Despite the article being written over 10 years ago (see copyright 2001 at the bottom), key points it mentions are still valid and very relevant today which shows despite the world evolving rapidly, human interaction and management of people doesn’t change. Methods of how you handle certain people might have been adapted but that need to do so is still very much there. If you look at many of the successful entrepreneurs over the years you see that it’s not just their product that was a sure thing and they stumbled upon the sales and the opportunity, but it is rather their characteristics they have such as their will and dedication to drive forth their productive. Not only this but how they handle people and how they get the best from their staff to achieve maximum utility from what they set out to do.
ReplyDeleteDespite the brilliance of one individual, he/she can only do so much as there are time limitations. Trying to do everything yourself in the aim of perfection can lead to a downfall. A famous football coach once told his star player to go run with the ball to the other end of the pitch, although he was very fast, the speed of passing a ball to your teammates at the other end of the pitch is much quicker than running there yourself. This shows how teamwork can have a greater impact on the acquired result you set out to achieve.
The saying of ‘too many chefs spoil the broth’ can often apply in a team situation where there are too many opinions and views that are not turned into productivity and as a result the team and product suffers. Which is why having a mediator and someone who handles conflict management of the group can channel that enthusiasm and potential conflict into a common goal within the group in order to succeed in what they set out to do.
How I would build a team is I would look at the initial aim/target of what is required and then assess how to get to that aim/target. Having a blend of people who are dedicated, flexible, enthusiastic, but then also have people who are analytical and may lack in the creativity but you can depend on them to deliver what is needed which is essential. Personally I focus more on the process and the effort put in to reach the goal, as generally speaking if people put in the effort and work then they will achieve the end result.
An interesting approach I am personally looking into is one that our lecturer Mr Jonathan Marks brought up, that being the approach of Ricardo Semier (wrote the book Maverick), showing how the team can be self-governed through various implementations.
The article considers the two different approaches to economic success. One approach being that of individual economic success and the other being that of team success. I understand that we can't all be the next Bill Gates. Many individuals try their whole life only to end with a list of failed start-ups however I disagree that we should not celebrate those individual entrepreneurship that do manage to attain economic success. The corporate world is headed towards a team orientated approach and it is evident in the success of modern companies such as Google. I do not deny that a combined effort is better that that of an individual but the article is biased in the sense that it says "there is a very small salary difference between junior and senior managers." Everybody’s needs are different and the corporate world is a balance of time vs. incentives where an employee’s salary reflects their commitment to their company. The view that no one employees contribution can be better than another’s in a team and the notion that "the team did a great job" as opposed to "john and his team did a great job" puts all employees on the same level as no employee will put in added effort with such a void in the praise for his self worth.
ReplyDeleteI do however agree with the notion that all employees within a company’s structure can and should be involved in the company’s projects. There is no reason why a new, young employee does not have a better idea on how to solve a problem than the se3nior manager. The idea of combining skills and backgrounds towards a common goal in order to find the optimum solution is vital and the article does well to convince the reader of this view.
In building a team I would combine employees from different fields in order to gain the maximum amount of skills and knowledge in order to approach a project. I would encourage the co-operation of all employees from the youngest intern to the most experienced manager. I would mix employees from different generations in order to maintain the fresh, creative approach of the youth as well as the experience and conservative nature of the older generation. I would differ in my approach in that although being team driven, individual incentives for added input in the form of salary and free time would be included. I believe this approach will create the best possible approach to economic success.
The article emphasises how one person can't change everything anymore and that entrepreneur is turning into entrepreneurs!
ReplyDeleteWhen deciding on how to put together a team I would first look at the different team skills i would need to complete the project.
Every team needs an emergent leader or a natural leader to keep the team focused and to avoid caos. I would need creative people, so that many different ideas can be explored. i would need people that are motivated and that can motivate as well as people who have great time management skills so that they will not slack behind or keep a project from being completed. It is also essential that every one in the team get along so that we will work like a well oiled machined together.
The article considers the evolution of entrepreneaurship and the keys to success with regard to team work. It also emphasises the importance of team work and how it has improved the success of businesses.
ReplyDeleteIf i were to build a team as an entrepreneur i would expect my team to work according to a schedule, to have respect for each other and each others tasks in order to avoid conflict between team members or their work. good communication skills would be a vital part of my teams characteristics. I would expect each team member to do their tasks willingly and to speak up when there is a problem or when they are unable to complete their work. Other qualities that they would need to have is they would have to be creative, motivated, responsible and reliable and would need to be able to work well under pressure in order to complete tasks efficienty and effectively.
Working conditions are constantly evolving. People are continuely finding smarter ways to improve consumer goods and services in such a way that creates an advantage over its competitors. Cheap wages in developing countries and the ability of these countries to produce innovatively is affecting America's economy.
ReplyDeleteThe article is based on the American economy and how they have one of two options which will allow for America to continue to compete on the world stage of production and innovation. The one approach is cheaper wages, which will lower real income of American citizens OR collective entrepreneurship, which is the most effectie way forward for American businesses.
The days of the one man show is over. Businesses (concentrating primarily on American businesses) need to move on from the 1950's idea how a business functions. The idea of the 'men at the top' barking orders down to the drones on the floor is an inefficient way of opperating a business in this day and age.
A collective entrepreneurship approach is a much more effective business design. Doing away with the division between the Heroes and the drones, and creating an environment where everyone positively contributes to the growth of the business through innovative change and effective ideas. Workers are now given the opportunity to help evolve the business in such a way that alows for growth and adaption in this intergrated economy.
This change in business structure allows for useful employees to have a greater leg to stand on. If you are an effective hard worker with great innovative ideas - you are an asset in a collective entrepreneurship business and therefore you can make a big impact in this particular business. There is no place for drones in this innovative environment and therefore useful workers are in a better position than before.
Having said this, if I were put in the position to select a team for my entrepreneurial ventures, I would take the following into consideration.
* Diversity. A group of 'different' individuals. Ranging from qualifications to personalities. Having a team of different indiviuals allows for broader deployment of ideas instead of being limited to a certain category of thought.
eg. If everyone on the team were 25 year old males with a degree in marketing, there would be a similar thought process and this would limit the effectiveness and growth of the business.
* Risk takers. Like most things, a business requires a degree of risk. I would want there to be people on the team who aren't affraid to take risks. Generally, the higher the risk, the greater the reward and if a business or team of entrepreneurs are affraid to risk undertaking an opperation, they will fall short in this competitive environment.
* Innovative individuals. Fresh ideas which will help the team move forward is required. Optimistic about ideas and encoraging of others. Pesimitic workers only encourage negative energy which is not ideal for any collective organisation.
* "Its not what you know, its who you know". Having peole on your team who can create valuable opportunities which may not have been possible without a certain relationship would certainly help with the progress of the venture. While you cannot rely entirely on personal relations, it does play a role in initial and further stages of a business.
Along with assessing the type of qualities required for my entrepreneurial venture; there would also need to be short and long term goals for the team and for each individual. By making everone aware of what is required of them gives each person direction and the opportunity to apply their own skills to improve what is required of them.
Most opperations require certain short and long term goals. Goals are a form of direction and aim. If a group on entreprenuers can collectively come up with goals for the future, then they have a target and can assess whether they are reaching those goals or not.
Horatio Alger's notion of success is the traditional one : the familiar tale of triumphant individuals, of enterprising heroes who win riches and rewards through a combination of Dale-Carnegie-esque self improvement, Norman Vincent Peale-esque faith, Sylvester Stallone-esque assertiveness, and plain, old-fashioned, good luck. Tracy Kidder's story, by contrast,teaches that economic success comes throught the talent, energy, and commitment of a team, through collective entrepreneurship.
ReplyDeleteIn the previous century, man was awarded success by his own personal achievements. You become what you are capable of becoming! Individuals were successful on their own accord. This is the same for today, as in any industry, one's success is determined by their own individual drive, determination and skills. These attributes contribute to the well-rounded individual who is " going to make it" in life. So this thought of individual is following Horatio Alger's words of inspiration.
However, in todays world, qualified individuals are needed in groups as many of th different industries are designed around goup work. Each individual brings his/her own skills and sense of motivation to the table, and collectively, the group becomes a success and productive with the combined effort of all the individuals. This is the majority of the working industry today and follows Tracy Kidders line of thinking.
I would build my team, on the facts that, each individual needs to be well-qualified, driven and determined to produce not only adequate work but work that advances the company as a whole. Bearing this in mind, the company will be built around group work, with easily accessible lines of communication between the different chains of command, monitoring individuals performance, so as t avoid slacking and inadequate work. The phrase, "A team is only as strong as it's weakest link" will be the philosophy my company abides by, encouraging each individual to contribute their best efforts to the group and enhancing the company as a whole!
The article tells two stories that illustrate the American way of thinking about entrepreneurship. The first is the story of the entrepreneurial hero found in every story by Horatio Alger who uses energy, effort, daring, and good luck to rise in the world. But the story has an unhappy ending. The second story holds more promise, focusing not on the individual but on the team, as in Tracy Kidder's description of how a group of engineers pooled their talents to design a new computer. The differences between these two versions are profound. The first celebrates the individual and the second celebrates the group, even the organization.
ReplyDeleteFor my entrepreneurial venture, in building a successful team that creates effective, focused work teams, requires attention to each of the following:
1.Clear expectations- management communicating its expectations for the team’s performance and expected outcomes.
2.Context- Team members understanding why they are on the team
3.Commitment- Team members being committed to accomplish team mission and expected outcomes
4.Communication- Team members should communicate clearly and well with each other
The article "Team as a Hero" analyses the history of entrepreneurship in the United States by stating the success of using a centralized or decentralized form of management. After reading the article I noticed a background focus on the standard of living of the employees. Through the implementation of a more decentralized form of management the employees would experience an increase in job security and management would be provided with more sources of innovation for the company. The article states that this results in a rise in real income which is highly beneficial for the US economy.
ReplyDeleteAlthough to achieve this positive scenario, the decentralization must implemented at the right time with an appropriately skilled workforce. If not done at the right moment and not with the right workforce then this could lead to time delays and losses experienced by the company. For my business venture I will promote communication and on-the-job training. The high levels of communication will be designed to discourage bureaucracy because the lack of a hierarchy will allow employees to be able to get an idea directly to the decision maker. The value of on-the-job training will increase the level of understanding of employees so each individual will be capable of contributing to the work.
The article outlines the positives regarding teamwork and how important it is to work as a team as many things are unachievable if we all were to work as individuals. Working individually and as a team both has their pros and cons.
ReplyDeleteWorking as a group allows for the project to be more productive and also it is dealt with in more than a single persons view. Group work allows each person to deal with a specific topic rather than to deal with the whole project and be a jack of all trade, master at none. A group also allows for one to encourage one another and also provide support which makes the working environment joyful and fun.
Individual work can be stressful as you are expected to attend to every task and don’t have help from anyone else and can’t rely on any guidance. Individual work enables one to get on with the project rather than to wait for others to do their part of the project. Individual work can also be more time consuming.
When building a team for my entrepreneurial venture, I would look at the task needing to be done and analyze what sorts of characteristics are needed. Once I have got these down, I will get people who are completely different from one another as they will all see the project differently and will allow for combinations of various ideas. We also need these people to be team players as a major success to working as a team is to treat one another as you would want to be and take each other in consideration.
Teamwork is essential in business. Think of the six thinking caps De Bono came up with when modelling how to structurally minimize conflict and maximize performance in brainstorming. Now this theory would totally be nullified if teamwork was not necessary.
ReplyDeleteTwo minds are better than one - it goes without saying, but this is so true. Take the Ford motor company for instance; Henry Ford did not get one or two men to help himm build his cars, he developed the system of specialisation in the workplace.
This system of specialisation is teamwork at its best and is now used worldwide in many different professional fields.
Just to expand on this system, Ford developed the sytem where one person was designated to fit the doors on a car, and only the doors, then passed on to the next phase in the production process. This allows for smooth operations and the whole team involved know their allocated task.