Cooperating and Leading

-Cooperating with others

Cooperating is working with other people to reach a common goal; it could also
be called teamwork. In business, companies have found that teamwork really pays
off because teams tend to be more productive than the same number of employees
working separately. Greater productivity means greater profits. Other business
benefits include: improved uality and customer service, increased employee
morale and, fewer layers of management.
!eam members also report the following rewards:
"Greater job satisfaction. !eams often rotate tasks among members. !his variety
reduces boredom and allows each team member to develop an array of skills.
"Improved self-esteem. #s a rule, each team member is given the authority to help
make and carry out decisions. $any team members report that the most satisfying
parrot of their %obs is feeling in charge of their own work. Of course, team members
must be self"starter. !hey have to work with out always being told what to do.
"Better communication. &ere's an e(tra bonus. )hen people work in a team,
they've got to talk. #s a result, they get to know each other better. )orkers learn
about each other's behavior, attitudes, and ways of thinking. !hey get along better
and are not so uick to %udge one another. !ension and conflict among workers are
reduced.
-Taking leadership
What makes a leader
")hether you are a supervisor, a team facilitator, or simply the person in charge of
training a new intern, you are a leader. *eaders are necessary if workers are to
achieve their ma(imum potential. +eople have different ideas about what makes a
good leader, but most agree on certain ualities.
,. !ccountabilit"" willingness to take both the credit and the blame for one's
actions.
-. !nticipation" ability to predict, on the basis of e(perience, what is likely to
happen.
.. Competitiveness" the drive to succeed or to be the best.
/. Courage" the ability and willingness to face difficulties and take risks.
0. Credibilit"" trustworthiness.
1. #ecisiveness" clarity of purpose and determination.
2. #ependabilit"" stability and constancy.
3. $motional %trength" mental alertness, evenness of temper, ability to recover
from disappointment.
4. $mpath"" identification with and understanding of others.
,5. $nthusiasm" eagerness, passion and e(citement.
,,. &onest"" truthfulness and sincerity.
,-. Imagination" creativity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness.
,.. Integrit"" soundness of moral character and sticking to one's values.
,/. Lo"alt"" faithful commitment and fidelity.
,0. 'h"sical %trength" good health, vigor, energy.
,1. 'ositive !ttitude" optimistic outlook on life.
,2. (esponsibilit"" reliability and accountability.
,3. %elf-Confidence" 6elief in oneself and one's ability to succeed.
,4. %ense of &umor" ability and readiness to see the comic side of things.
-5. %tewardship" ability to take care of resources, including human resources.
-,. Tenacit"" unyielding drive to accomplish one's goals.
--. Timing" ability to %udge the best moment for action.
-.. )ision" clear idea of where one wants to go.
-Leadership %t"les
,. #irecting, or giving others specific instructions and closely supervising tasks.
-. Coaching, or closely supervising but also e(plaining decisions and asking for
suggestions.
.. %upporting, or sharing decision"making responsibility and encouraging
independent completion of tasks.
/. #elegating, or turning over responsibility for decision making and completion
of tasks.
7ou already know how important communication is for team
members. It's twice as important for a team leader. 8o matter how
clear your vision of a business goal, if you cannot communicate it,
your team will never reach it.
&ere are some tips for supervisors on what to do and what not to do
when you are in charge:
"provide enough training and be a patient teacher.
"give clear direction.
"know when to intervene.
"don't be afraid to admit when you have made a mistake.
"be consistent in what you say and do.
"treat workers fairly and eually.
"be firm when necessary.
#sk students who play sports how teamwork is essential when playing as a team.
#C!I9I!I:;:
Cooperation"
#ssign students in respective groups and have them choose writers, designers, and
researchers and create an advertisement for a new line of shoes and have them present
it in class.
*eadership"
#ssign students in groups of two, and have the first group of students wait in the
hallway while you tell the rest of the students to teach their partners about a topic
using good leadership styles.
Create scenarios where students learn to deal with problems that leaders are faced
with.