1. ANUSHA PALANIANDY - 0323665

2. SUKHPREET KAUR A/P JASWANT SINGH - 0324109

3. ESHWAARR SINGH A/L SARANJIT SINGH - 0323970

TUTORIAL GROUP : SECTION 1

MODULE CODE & NAME : HRM 30105 ; PEOPLE AND ORGANISATION

TITLE OF ASSIGNMENT : INTEGRATED ASSIGNMENT

Strong team players are the backbone of any team. When others fail, these are the people who venture on with strong resolve and persistence, committed to getting the job done. Most people can list the qualities of bad team members without struggling too hard, but to be a successful team player we need to have some good traits in ourselves in order to make a great team. Below are the traits that a good player need to have.

1. Good communicator

2. A reliable and a trustworthy person.

3. Good listener

4. Positive attitude

5. Creativity

6. Integrity

7. Commitment

8. Good problem solver

9. Treats others in a respectful and supportive manner

10.  Shares openly and willingly

To be a great team player, one does not have to be extroverted or indulge in self-promotion. In fact, great team players sport all kinds of personalities. One just needs to be an active participant and do more than his/her job title states. Putting the team’s objectives above theirs and taking the initiative to get things done without waiting to be asked is a portrayal of a good team player. In return you will build positive perception, gain more visibility, and develop influential connections to get ahead in your career.

Cross-Functional Work Teams

Sometimes teams need to be formed by combining multiple, functional teams into one. These cross-functional teams are composed of experts from various functional areas and work cooperatively towards some organizational goal. Because these members are considered experts of their individual functional area, they are usually empowered to make decisions on their own without needing to consult management. Cross-functional teams are believed to improve coordination of interdependent activities between specialized subunits.

Functional Work Teams

Functional teams are composed of organizational members from several vertical levels of the organizational hierarchy who perform specific organizational functions. A typical functional team will have several subordinates and a manager who has authority to manage internal operations and external relationships of a particular epartment or division of the organization. Accounting, marketing, finance and human resources are examples of functional work teams. Functional team members usually have different responsibilities but all work to perform the same function of the department. Most organizations that have different functional areas are arranged in functional teams regardless of the size of the company.

The first interpersonal communication which I recommend for leaders and followers is movement and gestures. For instance, here is an easy formula to remember, you should begin in a neutral position with hands at your sides. That keeps you open to your audience, so that influence flows freely in both directions. Gesture sparingly, using defined or "clean" hand movements; and make them strong. This is very important show to professionalism in a work place between a leader and a follower.

Besides movement, gestures are important too. If we are listening we should nod and our upper body movement will support and amplify that you are receiving the message of the speaker. A listener should give more eye contact than the speaker. Research suggests that if we want to have good rapport you should maintain eye-contact 60 to 70 percent when someone is speaking to us. A follower or the leader should keep contact when they are listening when they communicate.

Another interpersonal communication that leaders should have is dealing with objects and technology. When you deal with objects in a presentation, from a remote clicker to a handout to the slide screen itself, find a way to help that object further your message and its impact.

Moreover, the voice is a very important thing that I would recommend to practice. As aforementioned, your voice is physical, so it's obviously a component of effective body language. In fact, aside from your brain your voice is the most flexible communication instrument you own.So you should learn how to use your voice to influence others. An electrifying voice is very important for a leader as they have to use it to motivate the employees.

In a work environment almost everybody within the workplace is likely to be a member of one or more teams. They can be in formal or informal teams. Efficient team-working can transform the workplace. It can help create clear open channels of communication, improve productivity, help keep morale high and provide individuals with a sense of identity and purpose. Apart from that, every team consists of one leader. A good leader is an individual who gives importance to his followers too instead of being self-oriented. However, it is not just the leader who makes a good team successful. The team players play a significant role too in working environments. There are many traits an efficient team player can possess such as positive attitude, integrity, commitment and etc. to enhance productivity in an integral working environment. Moreover, there are many different types of work teams that can be practised in a company. For instance, cross functional work teams whereby several functional groups work together to produce a collective result. Lastly, certain interpersonal communication can be practised by leaders and followers for an effective leadership. For example, movement, gestures and etc. The above were some of the information that has been discussed by our group for this assignment.

Different types of leadership styles exist in work environments. Advantages and disadvantages exist within each leadership style. The culture and goals of an organization determine which leadership style fits the team best. Some companies offer several leadership styles within the organization, depending on the necessary tasks to complete and also the departmental needs. The following are some of the different types of leadership styles that we can have in a team:-

1. Laissez-faire leadership style

This French phrase (laissez-faire) means "leave it be," and it describes leaders who allow their people to work on their own. This type of leadership can also occur naturally, when managers do not have sufficient control over their work and their people. Laissez-faire leaders may give their work teams complete freedom to do their work and set their own deadlines. They provide team support with resources and advice, if needed, but otherwise do not get involved. This leadership style can be effective if the leader monitors performance and gives feedback to team members regularly. It is most likely to be effective when individual team members are experienced and skilled self-starters. The main benefit of laissez-faire leadership is that giving team members so much autonomy can lead to high job satisfaction and increased productivity. The downside is that it can be damaging if team members do not manage their time well or if they do not have the knowledge, skills, or motivation to do their work effectively.

2. Autocratic leadership style

Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where leaders have absolute power over their workers or team. Team members have little opportunity to make suggestions, even if these would be in the team's or the organization's best interest. The benefit of autocratic leadership is that it is incredibly efficient. Decisions are made quickly, and work gets done efficiently. The downside is that most people resent being treated this way. Therefore, autocratic leadership usually leads to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover. For some routine and unskilled jobs, the style can remain effective because the advantages of control may outweigh the disadvantages.

3. Charismatic leadership style

A charismatic leadership style can resemble transformational leadership because these leaders inspire enthusiasm in their teams and are energetic in motivating others to move forward. This ability to create excitement and commitment is an enormous benefit. The difference between charismatic leaders and transformational leaders lies in their intention. Transformational leaders want to transform their teams and organizations. Charismatic leaders are often focused on themselves, and may not want to change anything. The downside to charismatic leaders is that they can believe more in themselves than in their teams. This can create risks to a project or even an entire organization as it might collapse if the leader leaves. A charismatic leader might believe that he/she can do no wrong, even when others are warning her about the path they are on and this feeling of invincibility can ruin a team or an organisation. In addition, in the followers' eyes, success is directly connected to the presence of the charismatic leader. As such, charismatic leadership carries great responsibility, and it needs a long-term commitment from the leader.

Managementstudyguide.com, (2015). Virtual Teams vs Traditional Teams. [online] Available at: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/virtual-teams-and-traditional-teams.htm [Accessed 18 Nov. 2015]. 

Qualitycoaching.com, (2015). Top 10 Qualities of an Outstanding Team Player. [online] Available at: http://www.qualitycoaching.com/Articles/team.html [Accessed 20 Nov. 2015].

Study.com, (2015). Types of Work Teams: Functional, Cross-Functional & Self-Directed - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com. [online] Available at: http://study.com/academy/lesson/types-of-work-teams-functional-cross-functional-self-directed.html [Accessed 1 Dec. 2015].