Professional Skills: Team Roles, Communication, and Decision Making

Running Head: PROFESSIONAL SKILLS 0
Professional Skills
Student Details
4/9/2019

Professional Skills 1
Part 3: Written Discussion
We have assigned a task of presenting a group project in front of our class based on exploring
management. To prepare our presentation, first we have to select a topic then perform
research, compilation of draft, and then development of a final draft. These all stages of
presentation require contribution of various members of our team. In order to perform the
task without any tensions between the group members, it is required to assign roles to each
member. I have used Belbin’s team role theory to identify roles for several members. I am
starting with myself; I identified myself as a ‘Plant’ for the team as through introducing
confident and innovative presence. I fit in this character because I am very innovative.
Another member of our team is identified as ‘finisher’ as he handled the final draft of the
presentation and made improvements in its large parts1. Another member was identified as
‘specialist’ in the team due to his ability of knowledge and conducting research. The final and
fourth member of our team I identified him a definite co-ordinator. This member took charge
of team organization and allocated delegating tasks. He recognised my ability of presenting
confidently and set me this task. He took part in all processes that is in collecting research,
compiled it in first draft, and then gave it to finisher for preparing the final draft. He was very
trusting and believed in all team members.
Creativity is encouraged in team when people are allowed to work without any interruption.
But working in teams is also required for an organization’s success. Thus instead of
collectivism, collaboration should be facilitated. Collectivism leads to group think while
collaboration leads to innovation2.
1 (Suncountry.sk.ca, 2019) <https://www.suncountry.sk.ca/gsCMSDisplayPluginFile/show/id/390/menu_id/88/
lang_type/en_US/page_type/service/page_id/200> accessed 9 April 2019.
2 'How To Nourish Your Team’S Creativity' (Harvard Business Review, 2019) <https://hbr.org/2017/05/how-to-
nourish-your-teams-creativity> accessed 9 April 2019.

Professional Skills 2
Team roles are divided into primary and secondary in Belbin’s theory. As my primary role in
the team was to present our research, but due to my visionary and innovative thinking I also
assist my team member in research process and draft preparation3. Before also in tower
building task I contributed in team efforts by providing innovative ideas.
Task 2: Professional Ethics
1. Code of Conduct
Team of Experts
To work effectively and without any tensions between team members, our team ‘Team of
Experts’ have set certain rules and regulation for its functioning. These rules are given below:
1. All members are Co-workers: Every member in a team is equal, opinion of every
member of team will be considered thoughtfully, all commitments will be kept by
each team member by agreed upon due date4.
2. Communication for team members: Every team member will talk to each other
respectfully and will not try to talk down each other, will recognize contributions of
each other and thank for it5.
3. Team conflict resolution, problem solving and decision making: Decisions will be
made by consensus by team members, if timely consensus is not reached then
majority will rule, conflicts with a person will be resolved directly.
Our group project presentation as mentioned above included several steps and allocated
various responsibilities to different team members. Our team included three members as I
mentioned above. However, as I have skills of presenting so I was assigned to present the
3 R. MEREDITH BELBIN, TEAM ROLES AT WORK (ROUTLEDGE 2017).
4 'Code Of Ethics And Professional Conduct [With Examples]' (Betterteam, 2019)
<https://www.betterteam.com/code-of-ethics-and-professional-conduct> accessed 9 April 2019.
5 'Effective Communication & Team Work' (Smallbusiness.chron.com, 2019)
<https://smallbusiness.chron.com/effective-communication-team-work-3167.html> accessed 9 April 2019.

Professional Skills 3
project but there was lack of co-ordination between our team. According to me co-ordination
between us was lacking due to poor communication between us because as I am an introvert
person while working in a group, hence I was not open to communicate comfortably6.
Initially one of our team members ‘finisher’ did not understand this and talk me down many
times which led communication gap between two of us. But later co-ordinator understood the
issue and tried to resolve our conflict. Our co-ordinator tried his best to effectively co-
ordinate the team but somewhere we lack there. I think if we have managed team co-
ordination in better way, our presentation would have been much better.
6 'How Smart People Ask Great Questions (And Get Better Answers)' (Inc.com, 2019)
<https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/how-smart-people-ask-great-questions-and-get-great-answers.html> accessed
9 April 2019.