The winning team (3): The dynamics of teamwork equipping the team   

By John S. QUAISIE

For a team to work efficiently and effectively, there is the need to create a positive and conducive work atmosphere for its members.  This is a must for every company or organization which is determined to make significant impact among its benchmarks and competitors.

Doing Business in a Digital World

In well-meaning companies and organizations, the work environment is used to an advantage.  Day-to-day business is usually carried out at the company’s head office, and branch offices located in other parts of the country and across the world.  In today’s world, however, online meetings and digital communication tools have become an integral part of the work environment of companies, organizations, educational institutions and other organized bodies. Working from home and from outside the office space, has gained serious momentum, especially in times of serious challenging situations (as experienced during the  Covid-19 pandemic) which call for restrictions in physical movement.

In today’s fast-moving world, important business activities such as job interviews, staff meetings and conferences can easily be organized physically and online.  Such an approach helps companies and other corporate bodies to gain more time space and reduce operational cost. Organizations, which underestimate online business and rely only on physical presence at the workplace, would be missing a good opportunity to grow their business.

Employees must therefore be well oriented and equipped with the right knowledge and relevant skills to add more value to their job areas.

Equipping Team Leaders

With all the changes taking place in a fast-moving world, there is the need to prepare team leaders to deliver value-added services and product, to support the vision and mission of their companies or organizations.

In order to repackage and revitalize their businesses in more effective ways, some corporate entities design special leadership and management training and orientation packages for heads of department, managers and supervisors.  Some organizations plan yearly or half-yearly programmes to brainstorm on very important issues relating to:

• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Leadership Succession Planning
• Long-term and Medium-term Strategic Planning
• Future Growth and Development.

Strategic Choice of Venue

Sometimes, such leadership training sessions are located strategically, outside the office space, to ensure that participants devote the needed time and attention to derive maximum benefits from the sessions.  A change in geographical location, away from the well-known office premises, offers the leadership team a good opportunity to achieve the following:

• Engage maximum attention of members.
• Avoid distraction from normal business errands.
• Enhance Confidentiality.
• Enhance Creativity and Innovation

One of the lessons I valued in my work with World Vision International (a Christian non-governmental organization) was the use of new environment for major strategic meetings such as,

• Senior Management Retreat, organized for managers and coordinators in the areas of project management, monitoring and evaluation, resource mobilization, administration and human resource development.

The meetings were planned for a time space of 3 to 14 days. Most of the important strategic planning meetings in Africa were held in rural locations, where we enjoyed the freshness of the natural vegetation. Participants also had the opportunity to visit famous monuments like Mt. Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro in East Africa and Lac Rose (a lake with natural pink colour) in Senegal, and the beautiful Busua Beach located in the Western Region of Ghana.

After such management team engagements outside our usual office locations, we returned to our work seats, highly motivated, more committed and ready, as leaders, to apply our new learnings and ideas to improve the performance of our teams – divisions, departments and units.

Model Leaders

In Biblical account, one business executive stands out as a model leader, who maintains positive relationship with his workers.  This is Boaz, a wealthy and  godly man who gained the respect of his community through his noble character.  Let us watch him as he interacts with employees who are working on his farm.

The first thing Boaz does, on approaching the workers on his farm is to address them warmly,

“The LORD be with you.” (Ruth 2:4 NIV).

The workers also respond,

“The LORD bless you.” (Ruth 2:5 NIV).

Some critics might consider this interaction as a normal way of greeting in Hebrew community.  However, if we consider how Boaz reacts to the presence of a stranger on his farm at that time, we would agree that this businessman deserves special commendation.  On seeing Ruth, a stranger among the workers, he did not address her directly; he rather contacted his supervisor first, to find out what was happening.  Having received adequate briefing from the supervisor, he then proceeded to address the stranger’s issue.  This is a leader who respects his managers and supervisors, who have been entrusted with responsibility.

Servant Leadership

Servant leadership style stands out among the others as a unique way of managing a team.  Servant leaders aim at the greater interest of the team, rather than what the leader can gain.  It focuses on serving the members of the organization or the corporate entity, instead of the benefits the leader would derive from it.

In John 13, Jesus Christ demonstrates true servant leadership by washing the feet of His disciples.  He shows us a leadership model which puts the wellbeing of others ahead of that of the leader.  He leaves His disciples with the following words,

^“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  (John 13:14-15 NIV.).

Jesus Christ explains further, in Matthew’s Gospel,

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant…” Matthew 20: 25-26 NIV).

If the leadership of nations, organizations and business entities would make use of Jesus’ servant leadership model, the world would be freed from unnecessary conflicts, civil wars and regional battles which tend to cause social evils such as cheating, murder, hunger and deprivation.

John is a HR/Management Practitioner

Phone/WhatsApp No. 0244599628

E-Mail: [email protected]

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