Teams and Team Players in a User Support setting

Teams and Team Players in a User Support setting

1. Importance

   • Number of available products
     • Everyone trying to sell their products giving buyers big choice; all products have their unique features and functionality – difficult to be an expert in them all
   • Rate of technological change
     • Impossible for individual to keep up with changes occurring in a single market segment – ie hardware and even less chance of understanding all the possible issues surrounding integration of these products in the business environment
   • Need for business knowledge
     • Increasing requirement for support staff to understand the business segment that they are servicing so they can offer specific, tailored help
   • Increasing complexity of the business world
     • Different levels of educated user in companies; cultural differences; links to outside organisations such as vendors, service agencies
   • Need to use resources efficiently and effectively
     • Business managers demand high productivity and quality; support staff need to be able to ‘solve’ problems quickly, first time – no time to ‘think about it’ so need collaboration between ‘problem solvers’

2. Characteristics of a Successful Team

   • A clear sense of purpose
     • Mission and goals of team must be clearly defined and understood and accepted by all
     • If mission and goals are not clearly set out then support process can fall prey to the idea of ‘all things to all people’ – and end up satisfying few!
   • Diversity
     • Misconception – to be successful all team members must be alike – i.e. agree on all things and get along without conflict
     • Experience shows – most successful teams are made up of individuals all having something unique to offer
     • Need lots of different skills that work together in a synergistic way (i.e. the whole is greater than the sum of its parts)
   • Openness and trust
     • Being able to communicate within a team is just as important as being able to communicate with customers
     • Need to be willing to: share knowledge/ experience give and receive constructive feedback express feelings freely listen as well as talk ask for/give help when required
     • Demonstrate integrity – so can rely on each other to get job done
   • Positive relationships with other support groups
     • Not only accountable to other members of team but also to the ‘greater team’
     • IT User Support depends upon others for knowledge, tools, credibility
     • If IT User Support lacks credibility – others suffer

3. How are teams built?

   • Forming
     • Team members selected and process of team ‘growing’ begins:
       • Team’s mission and goals are defined
       • Team members’ roles and responsibilities defined
     • Team members experience range of emotions
     • Not much achieved
       • energy spent on team members getting to know each other and understanding team’s purpose
     • Team members on ‘best behaviour’
     • Team leader – active in providing direction and resources needed by team to grow
   • Storming
     • Team
       • begins to face ‘reality’ of turning mission and goals in actionable plans
       • May feel goals are unrealistic
       • Questions whether team leader is up to the job
       • Politeness starts to disappear as members get to know each other
       • More willing to disagree
       • Team members may experience feelings of: Frustration, Self-doubt
       • Defensiveness and competition may be exhibited
     • Team leader – coaches and counsels; reminds team to stay focused on goals
   • Norming
     • ‘Calm after the storm’
     • Conflict mostly avoided as team members seem content to accept and seek feedback (in earlier stage would have seen it as ‘criticism’)
     • Team leader – steps away from team to allow it to move forward –m only intervenes when needed to support it
     • Team Members
       • Take ownership for team’s performance
       • Begin to have confidence in team’s abilities
       • Begin to have sense of camaraderie
       • Exhibit team spirit
   • Performing
     • Team achieving goals
     • Team members participating fully in team activities – all pulling together
     • Spirit of: Collaboration, co-operation, mutual trust (between each other and team leader)
     • Team members feel sense of pride and satisfaction
     • Team become close-knit community
     • Team leader – acts as head cheerleader; encourages team to avoid complacency, to keep improving

4. Parker’s (1996) model of team player styles

   • Challenger
     • Acts as team’s ‘devil’s advocate’
     • Questions team’s goal’s, methods, and procedures
     • Useful at outset of team’s growth (Forming) – will push team to set high standards; question validity of goals etc – encourage team to ask questions (and find answers for themselves)
   • Collaborator
     • Goal-oriented
     • Willing to do whatever needed to get job done
     • During ‘Norming’ stage – contributor will help the team stay organised and do research needed for team to succeed
   • Communicator
     • A good listener
     • Encourages others to participate in team discussions and decisions
     • During ‘Storming’ stage – useful to facilitate discussion and encourage conflict resolution
   • Contributor
     • Task-oriented
     • Does everything possible to provide team with skills, knowledge, information needed to achieve its goals
     • Useful at Performing stage when team is making its biggest contribution to organisational activities