Team Dynamics and Leadership in Business: A Report on British Airways

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Developing Teams in Business
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................4
P1 Describe different types of team and the benefits of teams for an organization...................4
P2. Explain how to build cohesive teams that perform well......................................................6
P3. Define the attributes and skills needed by a team leader.....................................................8
Task 2.......................................................................................................................................10
Conclusion................................................................................................................................16
References................................................................................................................................17
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Introduction
The success of the firm depends on the effectiveness of employees or staff members working
in the organization. The efficiency of the firm increases when the employees work in a team
to achieve any suitable task or goal. Team if created and functions properly then it leads to
achieving tasks goals for the firm more effectively in less amount of time. Effectiveness of a
team depends on the utilization of the team and team leader is responsible for this. British
Airways is the firm selected for better understanding and need and motive of the team in the
organization. The report highlights the benefits of teams for making the business more
effective and successful. According to the type of organization and functions performed
teams are of various types. The attributes and skills for the team members are also explained
in the market. Every individual should understand their role and its importance is evaluated in
the following case study. The team works according to functions and goals to be achieved.
Receiving and giving feedback is also important and its influence is explained in the report.
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Task 1
P1 Describe different types of team and the benefits of teams for an organization
A team is a group of people who are work together to reach particular goals and targets of an
organization. In the team, there are approximately more than two members who can properly
perform each task. There are different types of the team which is described as under:
Formal teams – Such teams are developed and formulated for some specific motive such as
providing best customer services or facilities (Brooks, El-Gayar and Sarnikar, 2015). A team
needs a manager who can set their particular tasks or work status in a better manner. For
example, British Airways need to follow all rules and regulations which must be followed by
formal team members.
Informal teams – It is that team which is less structured as compared with formal teams.
This is quite similar to the formal team method but it is not much structured like that.
Temporary teams – It is one of the useful methods for developing and creating new
initiatives to undertake specific work within an organization. Such teams are finishing their
tasks in a limited period after that they do not spend a long time to perform work for a
company.
Virtual teams – There are various association and organization who are performing
voluntarily work in all over the world. The main motive of this team is to serve the solution
to the society people. For example, British airways can adopt such a team which helps them
in analyzing external community behavior and attitude in a better manner.
Temporary teams – It a team which is established for reaching with particular goals but
temporary is developed for a short period (Smith, 2016). Usually, such teams are stays
together for achieving some specific objectives and targets of an organization.
Permanent teams – This is a team which has been establishing for achieving desired goals
but it stays together for a longer period. Such teams are not dissolving after completion of the
task but they are work to reach with potential goals and targets of the firm.
Benefits of teams:
There are various benefits for an individual within a team. Firstly they are contributing
towards enhancing British airways productivity and profitability effectively. Contribution
means various people will provide ideas and opinions which help the team in achieving
desired goals and it can lead towards increasing organizational productivity. The major
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benefit of the team is to set target and monitoring, in which one member of the team is work
on specific goals and another one is trying to achieving such objective (Alliger and Vessey,
2015). Another benefit of teams is to share expertise which helps them in gaining various
skills and knowledge from different persons effectively. At last, the benefit of teams is to
develop and identify talent which means when a person in a team, the people in the team are
seeing their talent and try to improve their skill accordingly.
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P2. Explain how to build cohesive teams that perform well.
Cohesion is the situation where different team members came together to reach with desired
work and tasks. For developing a cohesive team, it is essential for all team members is to get
along. For example, British airways try to achieve a specific task where all the team members
can interact and communicate in a better manner. However, it is essential that every team
member is encouraged and motivated to gain success and growth. At the time of developing a
cohesive team, team leader requires to give accurate roles and responsibility to each member.
This is vital that the team leader needs to know the major strength and weaknesses of every
member who can perform the desired task in British Airways.
Recruitment procedure:
This is that process when an organization selects and hires a new person to their business
concern. With this, they can choose the right candidate for the job and it is important for them
is to perform god work for the company (Timmerman and Morris Jr, 2015). The Belbin
theory explained various factors which are required to build an effective team that is
described as follows:
• Plant – It was the initial team role which is help in easily reaches with potential goals and
targets effectively. This refers to an individual who is highly creative and appropriate for
resolving the main issues differently.
• Monitoring and evaluating – It is an effective method which assists in evaluating team
members performances and monitor them according to their performance. This will help in
developing impartial judgments which can improve the team.
• Coordinator – It is required for team members are maintaining coordination and
collaboration within a team. This is necessary for each member is to focus on major goals and
objectives in a better manner.
• Implementer – This is needed for British airways company is to execute the plan and also
develop effective work for completing it in a given period.
• Team worker – In an organization, team workers are such individuals which assist the
team in stay together and strong and it will find out main work which has to be done (Dwyer,
2015).
• Shaper – A person is a discharge for making and developing an effective team which
does not focus and distracted in such a specific task. They are responsible for formulating an
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appropriate team which is developing them a good person who complete particular work in
the defined period.
• Resource investigator - In an organization, they were in charge of eliminating major risk
factors which resolve risk aspects in a better manner. They remind the team members what is
their main goal and objective and how to achieve such for gaining high income.
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P3. Define the attributes and skills needed by a team leader
In an organization, a leader must have appropriate attributes and skills through which they
can handle and manage all employees. It is necessary for the team leader is to develop and
maintaining a team who can easily reach with desired goals and targets. There are various
attributes and skills which are necessary and it will help them in properly performing
different functions. These are described as follows:
Attributes of team leader:
Attributes Definition
Self confidence In British Airways, there are various
challenges which are faced by the company
and things through which they do not
complete their work in a given period. A
confident leader is capable to keep their
employees calm and motivate towards
reaching with desired goals and targets. If a
leader is not stressed or panic in a difficult
situation so members can choose a similar
feeling and this will assist them in freely deal
with any complex conditions.
Honest A good team leader can be a role model of
their team members within an organization.
If a leader is being honest so team members
are easy to follow their steps (Weissbrod and
Bocken, 2017). The leader will create a
positive environment and motivate them to
reach with desired goals.
Commitment A leader, who is motivated, encouraged and
committed towards work so they are capable
to spread positivity within an environment of
the company. British airways team members
are respecting their leader who is provide fair
leadership to all the members.
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Skill of a team leader:
Skills Definition
Decision making British airways leader should have decision
making skill which helps them in taking the
right decision regarding any situation of the
firm. A leader must be well-developed
decision-making abilities which can make
them able to perform effective work in a
better manner (Hunt and Weintraub, 2016).
In the company, leader conduct meeting for
analyzing their follower's views and reviews
in a proper way.
Communication skill A leader has effective communication ability
through which they can motivate their staff
members towards achieving potential targets.
A confident leader is capable to make their
employees calm and relax while doing work.
This will easily spread positive energy by
making sure each issue will be resolved in
the given period. A leader is always ready to
help their team members to maintain the
work.
Source of positivity and Enthusiasm A good team leader must have the ability to
develop a positive source of energy among
employees (Hawkins, 2017). They have such
quality and skill which are applicable for
properly developing the effective team. They
are confident and powerful which inspire
others and make the appropriate team.
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Task 2
P4. Demonstrate working as part of a team towards achieving specific goals.
British Airways is one of the most stable and successful organizations in the airline's
industry. Having such a competition in the airline's industry, the firm can achieve goals and
have an impact on the industry. Efficient employees and staff members are the main strengths
of BA, due to which firm is achieving outcomes in the market. Working in a team is very
essential for achieving goals for the organizations (Pearsall and Venkataramani, 2015). In
firms like British Airways, the functioning and performance of the organizations are very
complex and vast. To make these functioning considerable it is very essential that teams are
prepared and employees in these teams should be efficient. The main motive of making these
teams is goals and targets of the organization could be achieved in minimum time and
ineffective way.
The role of the team member in any team is to work according to the task to be accomplished
and the demand of the team leader. For instance, British Airways have various departments
and teams are present in these departments. The role of any team member in these
departments is to achieve goals for the department and to maintain the workflow of the firm.
As a team member the working of an individual as a team member should be:
 Mutual Understanding with other employees – It is very essential that mutual
understanding should be there with other employees of an individual. It makes the
workplace more effective and removes communication barriers and conflict chances
between the employees. Team members should communicate with each other and
must clarify any doubt that can create any issues.
 Contribution in achieving goals – Team is prepared to achieve goals and targets for
the organization. Contribution of each team member is very important for this.
Individuals should perform their best for achieving goals for the firm. In British
Airways a significant number of employees works (Taplin, et., al., 2015). All of these
employees contribute to the betterment of the firm and this was the reason that outputs
are achieved by them.
 Should learn skills for performing in a team – Skills are necessary for achieving goals
for the firm. These skills make them more efficient and they can perform more
effectively and can also contribute more to their company. These skills should either
learned while training or with experience.
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Role of team leader in the team for achieving goals are:
 To provide direction – The direction to the team is given by its team leader. A leader
should have the ability to make its teamwork in a given direction. The strategy should
be decided for providing direction. For instance, if BA decides to introduce any
modern technology. Thus, the team leader should set a strategy to achieve this goal
and give direction and duties to the employees.
 Giving clear instructions to team members – This is the quality of team leader that
should be present. TL should have the ability to distribute work and instruct its team
members to achieve specific tasks. This ability is important to possess completion of
the task depends significantly on it (Taylor, 2013).
 Manage the flow of work – When any goal is given to a team then a time limit should
be set by the team leader in which the goal should be achieved. TL should make a
plan ion such a way that flow of work for achieving that goal should be maintained
and all the team members work according to the time set by the TL for achieving that
particular goal.
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P5. Demonstrate working as part of a team towards achieving specific goals, dealing
with any conflict or difficult situations as a team leader.
 Conflicts in an organization, affect significantly on its operations and outcomes.
Conflicts can be in small as well as in large organizations. But it has been observed
that it is generally observed in large companies. For example, BA is having
employees in a large number (Taylor, 2013). Several employees are there in different
departments like crew members, finance department, marketing department, etc.
Thus, due to this large number of departments sometimes misunderstanding is created
between the employees due to lack of communication or other factors. It is the
responsibility of team leaders that conflicts can be minimized between the employees
and mutual understanding between the employees could be maintained. There should
be regular meetings between Team leaders and team members (Taplin, et., al., 2015).
TL should lead these meetings and should explain different ways in which conflicts
can be decreased and outputs can be achieved by the organization. Various steps
should be followed by leaders if any conflict arises between team members. Conflict
should be identified quickly by the leader and then its impact should also be
measured. After identifying conflict and its impact, the next step should make the
employees communicate with each other and should work to achieve. When the
employee agrees to communicate then it is the responsibility of the team leader that
conflict is solved completely and should not be repeated.
 During tough times of the organization, the role and work of team leaders is very
important and decides the outputs of the organization. In established organizations
like BA ups and downs of the company is very common. Thus, team leaders should
have the ability and skills to handle this kind of situations and must of the capability
of solving these issues or difficulties. During difficult times of the organization, it
becomes essential that trust among employees and team members should be
developed. Leaders should create this trust among their employees. The trust makes
employees create belief infirm and outputs can thus be created in the organization.
Compassion is another quality that should be there in the leader during difficult times.
Team members should be motivated for their work and team leader should make their
employees or team members motivated (Pearsall and Venkataramani, 2015). Stability
is a very important trait that should be there in leaders and it makes them open-
minded and they can handle and take effective decisions during difficult times. These
traits help in performing and overcoming various issues. Feedbacks by employees or
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