An Analysis of Teamwork and Leadership in John Lewis Partnership

This report provides an in-depth analysis of teamwork and leadership within the context of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), a major UK retailer. The report begins by defining teamwork and explores the features of an effective working team, referencing Belbin's team role theory. It then evaluates the author's own team and skills within the social media team at JLP, highlighting the importance of understanding social media content, creative mindsets, and leadership skills. The report compares different theories of team development, including Tuckman's stages of team development and a comparison of Maslow's Need Hierarchy and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory. Furthermore, the report compares leadership attributes and skills, emphasizing the importance of team support and motivation. Finally, the report evaluates the author's own skills as a team leader and discusses the effectiveness of specific team performance, with a focus on training and development within an organization.

TEAMWORK AND
LEADERSHIP

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Features of an effective working team.............................................................................1
1.2 Evaluation on own team and skills...................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Comparison on attributes and skills of a leader ...............................................................5
2.2 Evaluation on own skills as a team leader........................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Effectiveness of specific team performance.....................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Teamwork in an organisation can be termed as collaborative team work which revolve
around some major aspects of business that are effective way of communication, solving
problems and sharing a common goal (El-Sofany, Alwadani and Alwadani,2014). These three
aspects form a strong team in a workplace in which every members contributes equally to
complete a project as per given time framework. Therefore, in such a group, leaders play an
important role by keeping the team accountable, empower each member, simplify and streamline
decision making process etc. In this regard, a report has been presented on teamwork and
leadership in John Lewis Partnership, one of a largest retail company of UK. Different skills
needed by a leader, effectiveness of group members, some theories of motivational and team
development etc. are discussed in this assignment.
TASK 1
1.1 Features of an effective working team
Teamwork is the most crucial part of managing a workplace in which each member used
to cooperate each other to work in efficient and effective manner (Brunckhorst and et. al., 2015).
Team can be defined as the combined action of group of persons who work to achieve a common
goal. In this manner, it is essential for a letterhead that each performer has clear responsibilities
and will do at its best. As It would help management of a company like John Lewis Partnership
in building a strong team. According to Belbin theory which was given by Dr Meredith Belbin,
team role can be defined as, “A tendency to contribute, behave and interrelate with each other in
a specific manner.” In addition to this, team role is basically based on behaviour of people and
their interpersonal styles. Features of an effective working can be described in following eight
roles:- Monitor-evaluator: This kind of features shows behavioural style of a person which is
associated with dispassionate, analytical, evaluative as well as critical thinking. Such
people in a team applies high critical thinking skills to provide objective analysis of a
particular task. Therefore, this feature is considered as a part that play a crucial role in
teamwork. If aims and objectives of a project is not made in suitable manner then it will
affect performance of the company.
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 Plant: Those members of team who tends to be highly creative and good in solving
problems through unconventional ways. They are creative and imaginative persons who
provide different ideas to team-leader and give solution to difficult problems also. Team-worker: These are the most important person in a group who play different role in
increasing effectiveness of teamwork by encouraging cooperation with others. Team-
worker are being able to communicate ideas and share knowledge with each other so that
a project can be completed on time in desired manner. Implementer:These people in team used to implement strategy or turn ideas into action
as well as organise entire work which needed to be done in efficient manner (Goetsch and
Davis, 2014). In addition to this, they implement taking decision into meaningful
information and manageable task. So, with this kind of features, team-workers can
understand in what manner they have to work. Resource investigator: These people use inquisitive nature to gather information from
different sources and then from all possible alternatives, choose the best one. In general,
resource investigators are sales people of a team whose research help in carry out
operations in effective way. Co-ordinator: They are the one in team who set objectives for team members on daily
basis, reminds them part of task to be done and combine entire work in proper way. This
would help in determining how much part of project is completed so that remaining work
can be accomplished on time. Shaper: They give essential direction and guideline to group member so that team keeps
on moving in right manner. Therefore, these people play challenging and dynamic role as
well as thrives on pressure.
 Finisher: These persons search out errors and polishes the tasks by subjecting it to obtain
highest standards for controlling the quality of work. In teamwork, finisher used to keep
reminding to all people to work before deadline.
1.2 Evaluation on own team and skills
John Lewis Partnership is the largest retail company of UK therefore, for being a part of
such kind of big organisations, people should have gained high order skills and knowledge
through which they can contribute efforts in maintaining its reputation. In this regard, I am
working in social media team of marketing department where every member has own role and
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responsibilities in a clear and concise manner (Kivunja, 2014). Main task of our team is to build
brand awareness, attract traffic to business site, improve relationship with customers, provide
them effective services and encourage sales by performing all above activities in efficient
manner. Therefore, being a manager of this team I have performed various duties like to take
important decision in using proper platform such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and
more. Types of content need to promote, time manner for post and share, adjustment of strategy
as per requirement etc. In JLP Company, we use Facebook platform most for posting information
about services, offers and so on, to inform customers who linked with us on this social media
sites. In this process, a sample of posting strategy given by me is given below:-
Skills required to perform roles by social media manager: Understanding way of contents works on social web- Under this process, I have
persuaded right skills to know what kind of contents need to be post on social media
which reveals brand of business in a proper manner. Creative mindset: In this process, I used to provide content in creative manner that tough
heart of customers through which they can be engaged with us in right manner.
 Leadership and communication skills: Through this kind of skills, I used to update team
members with necessary information, motivate and encourage them on regular basis. In
addition to this, engage all people with common goal is main responsibility of mine
which shows effective presentation skills in both verbal and written manner also.
1.3 Comparison of different theories of team development
In order to achieve objectives and targeted goal on time, management of a company used
to develop skills and knowledge of team on regular basis (Angouri, 2017). In this context,
management of JLP Company use Tuckman theory for team development. It was given by Bruce
Tuckman in 1965 according to which, team can be built by passing on five stages that are:-
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Forming: It is an initial stage in which members of a group are interacted with other first time
and get informed about what kind of roles they have to play. This would help them in analysing
how they will cooperate each other to complete assigned tasks in given time framework.
Storming: It is generally characterised as interpersonal issues under which various kinds of
problems in team can be occurred as conflict, polarisation and more. Therefore, it is a most
challenging stage for each team members as well as managers and leaders also. Therefore, during
this phase, skills necessary for managers are conflict management, relationship building and
listening actively.
Norming: In this steps, conflicts and other kinds of issues are much solved after which people in
group start to cooperate each other and concentrate on how to complete project in required
manner.
Performing: Group members have developed good relations under this stage and shares skills
and knowledges with each other which results in obtaining high performance (Al Sayah and et.
al., 2014).
Adjourning: It is the last stage which also terms as mourning in which team-leader need to
arrange a celebration party. Managers should provide appraisals and appreciations to members as
per their performance.
Comparison of two motivational theory for team-development:
Basis of Comparison Maslow's Need Hierarchical
Theory
Herzberg's Two-Factor
Theory
Objectives This motivational theory stated
that for boosting morale of
team-members it is essential
for managers to identify their
needs and complete the same
in effective manner
It defines factors which causes
job satisfaction or
dissatisfaction among team-
members by which managers
can use measures for reducing
this
Nature Descriptive Prescriptive
Order of needs Hierarchical No order or sequence
Motivator Unsatisfied needs of people Only higher order needs of
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who are associated in a team team-member
Based on Need and satisfaction level of
people
Reward and recognition
Division Deficiency and growth factors Motivator and hygiene factors
TASK 2
2.1 Comparison on attributes and skills of a leader
Leader Attributes Skills
Team support The main role of leaders in a
team is to lead people. In this
context, they are required to
stay in contact with all
members i.e. what problems
their team-people face in
completing a task and take
feedback from them on regular
basis (Cha and et. al., 2015).
Similarly, leaders should be
capable of developing new
opportunities, direct group
efforts with clear vision, use
effective way of
communication and more.
As leaders are those people
who do things in workplace in
right manner, therefore, to
support team they should have
good communication skills,
managing discipline abilities
and topmost priority is
delegation. This would help in
providing support to team-
members in a proper manner.
Motivation to subordinates For inspiring people, abilities
require in leaders are honesty,
integrity, high commitment
and passionate. In addition to
this, they should have enough
confidence level to make
In order to encourage persons
in a team, leaders are needed
to provide pleasant
environment to them, offer
opportunities through which
they can develop self-
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ensure that team member can
follow their rules.
confidence, foster
collaboration within group as
well as encourage happiness in
them.
2.2 Evaluation on own skills as a team leader
John Lewis Partnership is known for giving its best qualitative products or services in UK
market area. Therefore, all people associated with this company are needed to work in efficient
manner so that reputation of business can be maintained. In this context being a leader of social
media team, I have performed different kinds of roles and responsibilities like lead and grow our
customer facing social media team, provide coaching around best practice, monitor online
activity, manage channels by focusing on presence of business. Therefore, for performing these
activities in required manner, I have possessed excellent social media skills and knowledges.
In addition to this, for working in such a large company especially in social media group,
I am able to present my views with compelling content and share such post which increases
visibility of business in valuable manner. Strong communication skills and focuses on every
conversation with customers and team members help in providing information to them in proper
manner. Along with this, high commitment and taking feedback of people shows plus point of
mine in keeping motivational level of workplace high.
TASK 3
3.1 Effectiveness of specific team performance
Training is needed to be given in organisation with every change to people belongs to any
category whether they play role as a leader, manager or an employee. This would help in
developing skills and keep updated knowledge of team members in proper way (Avvisati,
Jacotin and Vincent-Lancrin, 2014). In this regard, management of John Lewis Partnership used
various techniques to increase effectiveness of team. It generally includes the combined efforts
of visionary leaders and motivated group members. Effectiveness of team can be shown if all
workers utilise resources in both internal and external manner. They contribute highest efforts in
increasing success of business and accomplishing goals in given period of time.
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In increasing effectiveness of team, management of JLP used two systems most that are
appraisals and external observation. Through appraisal system, they can motivate workers by
increasing their salaries, promoting them on new position and more. It will help in keeping up
motivational level of group as well. While by external observation, superiors of this company
used grading system to provide ranks to employees as per their contribution in accomplishment
of targeted goals. Through this system, they can monitor performance of each in concise way and
can analyse level of capabilities of each people. Therefore, getting top position in grading system
aids people in increasing their motivational level while who receive the lowest need to work
hard. In this manner, management can raise performance level of team as well as of business in
higher manner.
CONCLUSION
From this essay, it has concluded that for achieving success of business and build good
image of company, management needs to engage people to work in team. In this regard, they
need to use various procedures for developing and building a strong team so that high
performance of them can be gained. In addition to this, leaders and managers are needed to
develop own skills as per changing in trend through which they can help working their abilities
too.
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REFERENCE
Books and Journals
Avvisati, F., Jacotin, G. and Vincent-Lancrin, S., 2014. Educating higher education students for
innovative economies: what international data tell us. Tuning Journal for Higher
Education, 1(1). pp.223-240.
Cha, J., and et. al., 2015. Transformational leadership and inter-team collaboration: Exploring the
mediating role of teamwork quality and moderating role of team size. Group &
Organization Management, 40(6). pp.715-743.
Al Sayah, F., and et. al., 2014. Nursing perspectives on factors influencing interdisciplinary
teamwork in the C anadian primary care setting. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23(19-20).
pp.2968-2979.
Angouri, J. ed., 2017. Negotiating boundaries at work: Talking and transitions. Edinburgh
University Press.
Kivunja, C., 2014. Do you want your students to be job-ready with 21st century skills? Change
pedagogies: A pedagogical paradigm shift from Vygotskyian social constructivism to
critical thinking, problem solving and Siemens’ digital connectivism. International
Journal of Higher Education, 3(3). p.81.
Goetsch, D. L. and Davis, S. B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Brunckhorst, O., and et. al., 2015. The relationship between technical and nontechnical skills
within a simulation-based ureteroscopy training environment. Journal of surgical
education, 72(5). pp.1039-1044.
El-Sofany, H. F., Alwadani, H. M. and Alwadani, A., 2014. Managing virtual team work in IT
projects: Survey. International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning (iJAC). 7(4).
pp.28-33.
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