How To Build An Effective Team?

How to Build an Effective Team?

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

How to Build an Effective Team?

Introduction

Every big organization is made up of various teams. There are mutiple departments in every large organization which keep the organization running and ensure that all the functions and the activities in the organization are going on smoothly. These departments are run by various teams that are made up of an efficient and competent workforce that is qualified and well-experienced in handling the jobs assigned to them.

These employees or the workforce, in a team, are carefully selected keeping in mind the job requirements of the post and the competence required for the position. They are chosen in accordance with multiple factors, and every team member needs to be chosen with care so that he or she can add value to the team or the company. Team building is not an easy job. It is very tough to choose members for a team as there is always a risk of whether that member will prove to be fruitful for that team or not (Adair, 2009). Moreover, the toughest stage comes after that; managing the team. Once the team has been formed, it is even tougher to keep it bonded together and get the maximum out of them while keeping them motivated and energized

Team building and management is an activity performed by every leader or the manager of any company. Any person who is serving at a leadership role or a managerial position performs the role of team building and team management on a regular basis (Bryant, & Albring, 2006). In order to better understand the process of team building and how to manage an effective team, an interview was scheduled with the Brand Marketing Manager of Google, Mr. Kyle Gray. Kyle Gray has been serving at the above-mentioned position since 2013 and has a vast previous experience in the field of marketing and advertising as well. He has managed multiple teams till date and is still managing a huge team for brand marketing and management at Google Head Quarters, San Francisco, Bay Area.

Discussion

Mr. Gray was kind enough to take out a little time from this packed schedule and answer some of our queries regarding team building and management. When asked about how exactly he took a team or how he would like to define a team, Mr. Gray had a very clear and comprehensive answer. He told us that according to him, a team was a group of individuals, working together, towards a common goal or an objective. He regarded team as a unit of closely bonded people, who work in harmony and togetherness to achieve a goal that is beneficial for both the organization and themselves.

The next question was about team building. When asked that how did he select an employee to be a part of his team and how did he come to know that a particular employee will prove to be beneficial for the team, he answered that he was very selective about his team. He carefully picked his team whether while inducting any team member from some team or hiring him or her from the very first time in the company. He said that he looked towards the past performance of the employee if he was an employee at the company and if the individual came from some other organization, he would pay close attention to his past experiences. Mr. Gray also claimed that he cross-checked from the previous firm that whether the particular employee was a good performer or not.

On asking how he kept his team motivated, he remarked that there were various strategies that he implied to keep his followers motivated. In the first place, he claimed using the various techniques of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, so that the employees can be attracted towards the work and give out their best. Moreover, he said that he keeps arranging recreational activities for his team so that they can keep themselves refreshed. He said that such activities help him to de-stress his employees and keep them more focused.

The process of team management does not only include leading and motivating the team but also keeping harmony among the team members. A good manager ensures that all the team members are at peace with each other and there is a harmonious environment within the team. The role of a good manager includes resolving conflicts and keeping the proper flow of negotiations within the team (Dyer Jr, 2015). When asked that what conflict management strategies he uses to keep harmony among his team members, he appreciated the focus of the question and also accepted that conflict management is an essential part of any team management process. In order to keep peace among his team members, he said, he makes sure that there is proper communication among him and the team members. Mr. Gray claims that whenever there is a confusion in the group or the team, he prefers to discuss it with the people involved and tries to reach any final decision by the mutual consensus of the people. Moreover, there are pre-defined rules and regulations for the team members to respect each other’s privacy and opinions. He said that he has established a zero-tolerance policy among his team for any kind of racist or harassing attitude or comments.

Conclusions

It was a great session with Mr. Kyle Gray as he shared great and valuable information regarding the process of team building and team management. He is a man with very humble and down to earth personality, but a great vision. The interviewing team learned a lot from his quotes and experience. Due to privacy concerns, he did not share his number but said that he could be contacted through LinkedIn, the link for which has been mentioned below.

Kyle Gray

Brand Marketing Manager at Google

San Francisco Bay Area

Marketing and Advertising

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-gray-377a428

References

Adair, J. (2009). Effective teambuilding: How to make a winning team. Pan Macmillan.

Bryant, S. M., & Albring, S. M. (2006). Effective team building: Guidance for accounting educators. Issues in Accounting Education, 21(3), 241-265.

Dyer Jr, W. G. (2015). Team building. Wiley Encyclopedia of Management, 1-2.