Teamwork

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It is of interest to note that both teamwork and conflict are two of the more common workplace issues today. Obviously in the emergency services, teamwork is critical.

As we briefly discuss teams, types of teams, and teamwork as found in the emergency services, let's begin by defining the word "team." Muchinsky (2002), in his book entitled Psychology Applied to Work, defines a team as "a social aggregation in which a limited number of individuals interact on a regular basis to accomplish a set of shared objectives for which they have mutual responsibility."While various types of teams are recognized in the literature, emergency services teams and while there may be aspects of the other "types" of teams involved in specific situations, are likely to be "tactical" ones when responding to an emergency service incident and perhaps more likely to be "problem solving" or "creative" teams in day to day interactions when not responding to an emergency incident.

Using definitions found in the Muchinsky (2002) text, the three types of teams are characterized as follows:

The "tactical" team is one which exists for "executing a well defined plan or objective," in this case, appropriate response to the emergency incident. The "problem solving" team is one whose focus is upon "the resolution of a problem or issue." The "creative" team is one whose focus is upon "developing innovative possibilities or solutions."

Examining the three different types of teams identified, it is important to understand that each has dominant characteristics and emphasis. In the case of tactical teams, clarity is the dominant feature and the emphasis is upon highly focused tasks, clearly defined roles, clearly defined operational standards, and accuracy.

Muchinsky identifies five principles associated with the tactical team. They are as follows:

1. Members give feedback to and accept feedback from each other in a climate of openness free from obstacles associated with power and status.
2. There is a "willingness, preparedness, and proclivity " on the part of team members to "back fellow members up during operations."
3. Team members "see" and "feel" themselves as a group and recognize that success is dependent upon their collective interaction and performance as a team.
4. Team members adopt the value of "interdependence" and believe it to be a strength in respect to team performance.
5. "Team leadership makes a difference" in regard to the performance of the team and "team leaders serve as role models " to encourage feedback (and its acceptance) and cooperation among team members.

While not specifically identified with the tactical team but rather as the dominant feature of the problem solving team, obviously the development of virtually any team requires trust. Interestingly, trust is identified by Muchinsky (2002) and Yeatts and Hyten (1998) as a process (vs. a somewhat stagnant noun). Yeatts and Hyten (1998) define trust as " the belief that even though you have no control over another person's behavior toward you, that person will behave in a way that benefits you." Another critical interpersonal process required for teamwork is frank, continuous and regular communication informally and formally. The other two interpersonal processes deemed present in teamwork are cohesion (loyalty to the team and other team members) and conflict.

As a manager or supervisor, to foster teambuilding and teamwork, it is critical that you be a team member, even though you are the leader. While you may hold the "authority" and "status," you cannot successfully "order" individuals to become a bonafide team as described above.

References

Muschinsky, P. Psychology Applied to Work. Seventh edition. Belmont: Wadsworth / Thomson Learning.

Yeatts, D. E. & Hyten, C. High-Performing, Self-Managed Work Teams. Thousand Oaks: Sage , 1998 , as cited in Muchinsky.

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