Discuss the advantages of working in teams, and identify and discuss tools to improve communication with team members

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: When teams are successful, they can improve productivity, creativity, employee involvement, and even job security. Teams are often at the core of participative management, the effort to involve employees in the company's decision making. One advantage of successful teamwork is increased information and knowledge. By pooling the experience of several individuals, a team has access to more information in the decision-making process. Another advantage of successful teamwork is an increased diversity of views. Bringing a variety of perspectives can improve decision making–as long as these diverse viewpoints are guided by a shared goal. Teams also have an increased acceptance of a solution. Those who participate in making a decision are more likely to support it and encourage others to accept it. Effective teams have higher performance levels and can be better than top-performing individuals at solving complex problems. To improve team interaction, trust and communication skills are essential. A lack of trust can result from team members being suspicious of one another's motives or ability to contribute. Poor communication can also result from basic differences in conversational styles. For example, some people expect conversation to follow an orderly pattern in which team members wait their turn to speak, whereas others might view conversation as more spontaneous and are comfortable with an overlapping, interactive style. Conflict can be constructive if it forces important issues into the open, increases the involvement of team members, and generates creative ideas for solving a problem. Even teams that have some friction can excel if they have effective leadership and members who are committed to positive outcomes.