Creating Positive Team Dynamics
by Suzanna Laurent, Associate Fellow, Oklahoma Chapter
Do the people at work frustrate you repeatedly? Do they disappoint you by not following through on commitments or upset you with insensitive comments? If so, you’re not alone. Creating positive team dynamics within a group of diverse people poses a significant challenge in today’s workplace.
Professionals today must work closely with more people than ever before. On the job, teams are more common these days, and getting results is a challenge, especially when the team is diverse. As a team member, you’re often charged with satisfying your customers, ensuring that the deadlines are met, and that the results meet certain standards.
In this session, I’ll explain how you can help others develop commitment and motivation, create positive team dynamics by using team norms and values, and discuss the six components that you use to build successful teams.
Developing Commitment and Motivation
Anyone who is at least 2 years old knows that people don’t always act the way we think they should. When our different expectations are not met, we become confused, frustrated, or even angry—and sometimes that results in conflict.
One powerful way to avoid confusion, frustration, and conflict when working with others is to agree on what is mutually important to you and how you want to work together. Discussing motives, why people do what they do, and what each member expects of the others helps create positive relationships. Team members can then focus their attention on optimal performance: getting work done faster, with better quality and less cost.
To get commitment to the project, first you must understand what people want to get out of their work and their association with you. So, let’s talk about the Expectancy Theory. Victor Vroom developed this theory long ago, and it is still very effective because it is mainstream psychology, it is simple and practical, and it works!...