Make a summary of the text “Internal Communications” using the active vocabulary.

                                        TEXT 2

Read the text given below and be ready to discuss the following issues:

1. Being a good player may help you get promoted and go up the career ladder.

2. These days people no longer compete with each other in a company but try to beat the commercial rival all together as a team.

3. It is not that easy to become a good team player, but it pays off in the long run.

4. Group productivity is more important than individual achievements.

5. Teams have their own patterns of behavior that are worth studying and analyzing.

6. The influence of cross cultural issues on the efficiency of a team’s performance.

 

 

  NONE OF US IS AS SMART AS ALL OF US

                                   By Howard Cant

A good team player has the key to success. Being the smartest, being the brightest, being the hardest; all of these attributes that worked so well in business in years gone by, now will not push you up the career ladder as promptly as you might desire. How good a team player you are and how well you share your knowledge with your colleagues is the all-important factor in growing your career today. If you can build a company culture that does not worry about who gets the credit for something, think about what you could achieve! To survive in the big bad tough working environment of today you don’t need to have your own people competing with each other. It is the commercial “enemy” against whom all their energy should be focused.

It’s not always easy to be a good team member and compromise your own views for the good of the whole, but it works for the improvement of the company. You have to believe in the workings and power of the team and recognize where your own strengths and contribution fit in. You have to be honest, both with yourself and with your team members. You will have conflict within the team and as long as this is controlled, then it can be a very healthy element for both the team and the development of the business. Research into high-performing teams shows that each member cares for the development of his team mates. This appreciation of each other’s learning and development is key to the success of a team and the commitment of each member to the other.

Over 70% of a manager’s time is spent in some form of group activity, often in meetings with others; relatively little time is spent in supervising of single individuals or on one-to-one discussions, thus the need for team building. Indeed, the success of individual managers depends on how well that manager’s team or teams improve in quality and productivity on a continuous basis. In reality, group productivity is more important than individual task accomplishment. The most effective teams are able to solve complex problems more easily than one person can, for many capable minds are brought to bear on an issue. However, all teams must be managed well by a capable facilitator who understands that every team is unique, dynamic and ever-changing. Moreover, teams have behavior patterns, just as individuals do and, just as children develop into adults, teams have developmental stages, being more productive and efficient at one stage than another.

It is also extremely desirable for team members to have the following attitudes: “I know what I have to do and the team’s goals are clear”, “I’m willing to share some responsibility for leadership”, “I am an active participant”, “I feel appreciated and supported by others”, “Other team members listen when I speak and I respect the opinions of others”, “Communication is open, new ideas are encouraged and we are having fun working together”.

Teams soon develop a clear problem-solving approach that can be applied again and again as long as their leader initially creates a common purpose and vision, pointing the team in the right direction.

Cross-cultural issues can assail and impact the working of teams, but it is necessary to remember that, despite culture, most team members have similar objectives in life, objectives that relate to happiness and health, to success and recognition, to love and being well-accepted by others. The clever team leader recognizes and plays upon these similarities while moulding the cultural differences to benefit the team. For example, Thai team members place a greater focus on personal relationships in everything they do, while Western team members are looking more for personal achievement.

Do the following test, then compare your results with those of your group mates and think of the roles and tasks you can perform as a team member:

                 WHAT SORT OF TEAM PLAYER ARE YOU?

Doers VS Thinkers

a) I consider what I say.

b) I contribute a lot in discussions.

c) Action is more important than reflection.

d) I listen to others before I say anything.

e) Discussion gives me energy and ideas.

f) I don’t say a lot at meetings.

Details VS Ideas

a) I often come up with unusual solutions.

b) It’s important to be realistic.

c) People see me as a creative person.

d) I like practical solutions.

e) You shouldn’t overlook details.

f) You shouldn’t get lost in details.

Mind VS Heart

a) I like to think logically.

b) I keep emotions out of decision-making.

c) I avoid confrontation.

d) I sometimes tread on people’s toes.

e) Understanding people is as important as being right.

f) I care about other people’s feelings.

Planners VS Improvisers

a) Meetings have to be prepared for carefully.

b) I like surprises.

c) I hate time-wasting at meetings.

d) Too much time can be spent on preparation.

e) People say I’m a punctual person.

f) I need a deadline to keep me going.

 

                               TEXT 3

Read the text about some teambuilding activities and say whether you consider them effective in getting to know your team members better:

                TEAMBUILDING GAMES & ACTIVITIES

Teambuilding activities are loads of fun, but they can also be tools for strengthening your group. They can be good icebreakers for the beginning of a meeting or a way to build stronger ties with members you already know. Some involve a lot of teamwork and can result in tighter friendships among the people with whom you work. There are many gradations of teambuilding activities:

 • Beginning – focus on remembering names and getting acquainted

 • Middle – focus on having fun and getting along

 • End – focus on strengthening the team, understanding others’ strengths and weaknesses

Beginning

These games and activities would regularly be used at a first meeting, at the beginning of a gathering, or at the start of a conference or workshop. With little physical contact, these games help loosen people up, remember names, and get more comfortable with people they’ve just met.

Whose Shoes?

Focus: Introductions

Have everyone sit or stand in a circle. Ask them to take their shoes off and immediately toss them into the middle of the circle. Begin by having one volunteer pick a pair of teambuilder’s shoes; describe the owner (without knowing who it is). Ask for things such as age, hobbies, or attitude. When he is done describing the owner, he must guess whom the shoes belong to. Then, the real owner comes forward and continues the activity.

Action Intros

Focus: Learning Names

Make a standing circle. Have one person start by saying an action and their name. The action should start with the same letter as their name, like energetic Eric or jumping Jill. When they say their action and name, they can also act out their action. So, jumping Jill would jump up and down. Have the entire group go around and repeat everyone’s actions and names each time a new person introduces him or herself.

Middle

These activities and games are for people that have become more comfortable with each other. People aren’t as concerned about looking silly as long as other people are doing it too. More contact-oriented games are sometimes okay, but this must be gauged by watching the participants and their reactions. Sometimes these activities are good for the end of a shorter meeting.

Two Truths and a Lie

Focus: Getting to Know One Another

Go around the group and have everyone say two true statements about themselves and one false. The rest of the group has to guess which one is false. If participants find it hard to think on the spot, give them index cards and let them write it down. Then, toss the cards into the middle of the circle so you have to guess who the person is and what is false. You may be surprised. You can learn some crazy things about each other!

60 Second Speeches

Focus: Getting to Know One Another, Speaking Skills

Have different topics pre-written on pieces of paper about all sorts of different things (candy, state advisors, television, summer, parents). One by one, participants will pick a topic from you and must give a 60 second speech however they would like. The only rule is that they must not stop talking or hesitate for the entire minute. You’ll be amazed at what some people end up talking about in just one minute!

End

Near the end (or sometimes middle) of the outing, conference, meeting, or among people that have spent a lot of time together, these activities are a great wrap up. Some are very physical and require lots of trust among the group.

Human Knot

Focus: Teamwork

Everyone stands in a circle and puts their right hand into the middle. They clasp hands with someone across the circle. Then, everyone puts their left hand into the middle of the circle and clasps the hand of a *different* person. The group is now in a “knot”. The object is for the group to untangle itself without releasing anyone’s hand.

Highs and Lows

Focus: Getting Personal

An activity like this is good for a small group or a group that is coming to the close of a year. Hand out pipe cleaners to each participant and begin by doing the activity yourself. Start by tying a knot on one end and saying where you born, when, and to whom. Then, go through your past and identify the highs and lows you’ve experienced, while moving the pipe cleaner to display the ups and downs. Other variations that can make people more comfortable with the activity include describing only high school or this past year.