Leading and Managing Effective Teams

This essay explores the application of teamwork theories in leading and managing effective teams, with a focus on a rescue operation. It discusses the importance of teamwork in a complex scenario, the effectiveness of international teamwork, and the role of team learning in the success of the mission.

Running Head: PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
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Principles of Management
Leading and Managing Effective Teams
(Student details :)
4/29/2019

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Contents
Leading and managing effective teams......................................................................................2
Part A: Application of Teamwork Theories...........................................................................2
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
The importance of teamwork in such type of scenario......................................................3
International teamwork effectiveness................................................................................3
Team-work theories to understand the international leading and management.................4
Role of team learning in the success of the rescue mission...............................................4
Part B: Reflection on Teamwork............................................................................................5
Description.........................................................................................................................5
Feelings..............................................................................................................................6
Evaluation..........................................................................................................................6
Analysis..............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................6
Action plan.........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7

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Leading and managing effective teams
Part A: Application of Teamwork Theories
Introduction
The essay is focused on researching an event of rescuing a soccer team with the help of
online resources. To do so, this paper will utilise different teamwork theories to explore the
answers of many important queries related to the rescue event.
In this context, during this unit we have learnt about leading and managing effective teams
with the help of understanding, studying and utilising several theories of management
(Bersin, 2016). Hence, in these discussion different theories of management will be used for
interpreting situations, events, trends and experiences. Thus, with the help of this paper a
variety of theories on teamwork will be explicitly referred in order to explain various
components of the rescue operation (ABC News, 2018).

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Source: (ABC News, 2018)
The importance of teamwork in such type of scenario
An effective teamwork has played an important role, as it was a complicated rescue
operation. In this context, regional government officials reported that 13 foreign divers as
well as 5 members of Thailand's navy unit took part in this dangerous and long operation to
rescue the 12 young soccer players along with their 25-year-old mentor (ABC News, 2018).
Teamwork was essentially required as well as important because the boys and rescuers had to
struggle with circumnavigating tight passageways jam-packed with strong currents and
muddy water. In addition, the Thai cave in which 12 soccer team boys stuck was having
oxygen-depleted air, which was very dangerous for the both rescuers and soccer team. Prior
the rescue event, a former Thai navy SEAL died while doing the dive there hence it was
wholly a critical situation to be handled with care and great supervision (TV Tonight, 2018).
The rescue operation could not have executed easily without an effective teamwork, as it was
hugely difficult to extricate soccer team boys from that Thai cave. Moreover, post reflecting
over how they rescued those 12 boys and their coach, we found that rescuers had to teach
them how to dive, when to dive or wait for the monsoon water for the successful execution of
the rescue event (Belbin, 2012).
Source: (Bonebright, 2010)
International teamwork effectiveness
In this context, post several days of pumping water through the cave system as well as a
respite through rain, the rescue teams raced for getting everyone from the soccer team out

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prior the upcoming monsoon rain. A monsoon rain was expected to bring a minimum of
52 mm (2.0 in) of extra rainfall, which was anticipated to begin on 11 July. In this way, a
team of thousands of people worked to save the lives of 13 people including coach and 12
soccer team boys. The rescue team has become an example of international effective
teamwork and collaboration because of the Thai Govt. integrated efforts for rescuing the
boys. In this context, various diving organizations and teams tied up with the Thai
government, from all over the world to combine their efforts in order to rescue the soccer
group. This teamwork has rescued with the efforts of more than 10,000 people, counting
more than 100 divers, rescue workers, agents from around 100 parliamentary agencies, more
than 900 police officers, as well as 2,000 soldiers. The above is the reason that this rescue
operation could not be completed without an international team-work as the above mentioned
rescue workers as well as other team members came from different areas of the world.
Besides, the rescue event required 10 police helicopters, more than 700 diving cylinders, and
7 police ambulances, along with the pumping of a billion litres of water out from those Thai
caves. The effective teamwork of the global people from all over the world rescued all of the
boys and their coach in since 8th to 10th July, from the cave with an international team of
thousands of people.
Team-work theories to understand the international leading and management
There are so many teamwork theories, which are helpful to get the teams to work efficiently
and effectively.
Source: (Berlin et al., 2012)

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Firstly, STAR teamwork model is clearly providing the content to the different stages,
situations, and surroundings of the international teamwork theory for effectively determining
what a team as well as the team leader require focusing on. In this rescue operation context,
the strengths, teamwork, alignment of the Thai Govt., global rescuers, diving agencies, and
police have been used for getting the R of the STAR; that is results. Likewise, Tuckman’s
team development, Belbin’s team roles (Belbin, 2012), and John Adair’s Leadership model
are applicable to an international teamwork in case of the rescue event of July 2014.
In this way, the above theories are perfect for explaining how leadership as well as
management within an international context worked out to save the lives of soccer team.
Role of team learning in the success of the rescue mission
The rescue mission was an extraordinary international operation with hundreds of rescue
experts, caves, and military people belonging to several different nations, like US, pitching
in. In this way, team learning played a critical role to make the rescue mission successful. In
addition, international rescue divers demonstrated team learning by delivering food and
medical supplies to stuck soccer team (ABC News, 2018). Later then, divers delivered an air
tube to the soccer team boys for making sure that they had adequate oxygen for breathing
with the help of medical officers’ suggestions and guidelines. Finally, the team then escorted
the boys out of the cave over stretchers directed by many expert divers, one by one. In this
way, they all police officers, team members, machine drivers, and other people demonstrated
team learning for making the rescue mission successful (Sundstrom et al., 2010).
Part B: Reflection on Teamwork
With this discussion, I am reflecting upon my experience of learning through this
international teamwork experience with this course. In addition, I would be reflecting over
those lessons, which can assist me within my current as well as future career development
(Pelegrini & Marie, 2014). While working into teams during the BBA102 tutorials, I realized
the importance of teamwork and team building for the future career development into
business management (Colenso, 2012).

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Source: (Gibbs, 2016)
In order to reflect upon teamwork during the BBA102 module, I am using Gibb’s reflective
cycle so that I can integrate all lessons in a way that they can assist me during my current and
future career growth. Hence, based on (Gibbs, 2016), Gibb’s reflective model can be used as
follows:
Description
While I was attending as well as participating into the module’s tutorials, in which reflection
and teamwork activities have been scheduled, I learnt how to be an effective team-worker. I
have completed many tasks assigned for the tutorials with the help of my team. I attended
many seminars and tutorials so that learning in a team can be executed effectively (Borrego et
al., 2013).
Feelings
While my team was forming and growing as per the Tuckman’s group development theory,
then I felt some major changes into my thoughts, beliefs, values, and personality, which all
were positive and constructive. During the storming stage of my team’s development, I felt
that I am having good negotiation as well as cooperation skills. In addition, I realised that I
am an innovative person with creative thoughts, which all are to be explored one by one
gradually.

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Evaluation
While I evaluated my experience of attending and participating into BBA102 module then i
found the best part as it has evolved my personality for good. I realized my own powers,
values, and importance from the perspective of future career development. My professional
communication skills were updated and I learnt to be an effective team-worker, which will
ultimately allow me to lead and manage effective teams at future organizations.
Analysis
I have become aware of the importance of a teamwork exercises and activities from the
perspective of future career and personality development (Hirsch & McKenna, 2008).
Conclusion
An analysis of the whole teamwork experience suggests that if I had studied the teamwork
theories and management theories in advance with the help of academic journals and online
resources then I would have acted in a better way.
Action plan
Based on the learning occurred from the reflection on teamwork, my future action plan will
be as follows:
 I will read a lot about successful teamwork cases, events and international businesses,
which have been succeeded because of an effective teamwork.
 I will update my knowledge over teamwork theories and several management theories
with the help of theory as well as practice.
 I will try to incur leadership skills into my own personality so that I can better lead
and manage effective teams in future.
Conclusion
In whole, the essay has demonstrated a concrete understanding about learning by doing with
the help of reflective framework given by Gibbs. With the help of analysing the case of
rescue operation held in July 2014, this paper has successfully extracted the main learning
from the event from the perspective of international teamwork and management.
References

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ABC News, 2018. OUT OF THE DARK: FOUR CORNERS. [Online] Available at:
https://tv.press.abc.net.au/out-of-the-dark-four-corners [Accessed 29 April 2019].
Belbin, R.M., 2012. Team roles at work. London: Routledge.
Berlin, J.M., Carlstrom, E.D. & Sandberg, H.S., 2012. Models of teamwork: ideal or not? A
critical study of theoretical team models. Team Performance Management: An International
Journal, 18(5), pp.328-40.
Bersin, J., 2016. New Research Shows Why Focus On Teams, Not Just Leaders, Is Key To
Business Performance. [Online] Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2016/03/03/why-a-focus-on-teams-not-just-leaders-
is-the-secret-to-business-performance/#6a294dea24d5.
Bonebright, D.A., 2010. 40 years of storming: a historical review of Tuckman's model of
small group development. Human Resource Development International, 13(1), pp.111-20.
Borrego, M., Karlin, J., McNair, L.D. & Beddoes, K., 2013. Team effectiveness theory from
industrial and organizational psychology applied to engineering student project teams: A
research review. Journal of Engineering Education, 102(4), pp.472-512.
Colenso, M., 2012. High performing teams in brief. London: Routledge.
Gibbs, G., 2016. Learning by Doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. London:
Further Education Unit.
Hirsch, P.L. & McKenna, A.F., 2008. Using reflection to promote teamwork understanding in
engineering design education. International Journal of Engineering Education, 24(2), p.377.
Pelegrini, M. & Marie, B., 2014. Trust tokens in team development. Team Performance
Management, 20(1), pp.39-64.
Sundstrom, E., De Meuse, K.P. & Futrell, D., 2010. Work teams: Applications and
effectiveness. American Psychologist, 45(2), p.120.
TV Tonight, 2018. Four Corners: July 16. [Online] Available at:
https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/07/four-corners-july-16-2.html [Accessed 29 April 2019].