Topic 1.10.6 Teamwork
TEAMWORK
1.Warm up
In pairs, discuss the following questions.
- What parts of your job need teamwork?
- What do you enjoy about teamwork?
- What do you not enjoy about teamwork?
- Are you good at teamwork? Why/Why not?
2.Vocabulary
3.Listening for gist
Listen to three people talking about teamwork. Click here.
4.Listening comprehension
5. Discussion questions
- In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge when working in a team, and how can it be overcome?
- How should a team adapt when unexpected changes or challenges arise?
- In what situations is it more important to listen than to speak in a team context?
- What are some communication strategies to ensure everyone in a team understands and contributes to the discussion?
- What role does respect play in effective leadership? How can managers show respect to their team members?
- How do you think leaders can balance being approachable while maintaining authority within a team?
6.Speaking activities
- Role-Play: Team Project Management
In pairs or small groups, look at the following scenarios where you have to plan and manage a team project:
- launch a new project
- organize an event
- create a customer service improvement plan
- an option of your choice
Each student takes on a different role within the team (e.g., project manager, team member, leader, etc.) and has to discuss their responsibilities and how they will collaborate. You must negotiate and share ideas about how the project will be executed.
- Teamwork Case Study
Scenario: In a large company, a team of employees from various departments (marketing, product development, sales, and customer service) are tasked with launching a new product. The project requires close collaboration, but there are several challenges:
- Conflicting Priorities: Each department has its own set of priorities. The marketing team is focused on launching a targeted ad campaign, the sales team is concerned with preparing for client demos, and the product development team is still finalizing features. There’s tension about which tasks should take precedence.
- Communication Breakdowns: Because the team members are spread across different locations (some work in the office, others are remote), communication is often unclear. Some team members feel they are left out of important discussions, leading to delays and misunderstandings.
- Resource Constraints: The company has a limited budget and manpower, which makes it difficult to meet everyone’s expectations. Each department wants more resources dedicated to their aspect of the launch, but there are only so many resources available.
- Unclear Roles and Responsibilities: Due to the cross-functional nature of the team, there is some overlap in responsibilities, which leads to confusion about who is accountable for certain tasks. This results in duplicated efforts and missed deadlines.
Teamwork Challenge: To overcome these obstacles, the team must:
- Establish clear goals and priorities for the product launch.
- Improve communication through regular meetings and project management tools (e.g., Slack, Asana).
- Negotiate and agree on resource allocation in a way that satisfies the needs of each department while staying within budget.
- Clarify roles and responsibilities to avoid duplication of work and ensure accountability.
Discussion Points:
- How should the team handle conflicting priorities and ensure that the project stays on track?
- What strategies can the team use to improve communication and ensure everyone is aligned?
- How can the team allocate resources fairly when there is limited availability?
- What steps can be taken to clarify roles and responsibilities to prevent confusion?
7.Reading for gist
8.Reading comprehension
9.Discussion
- Collaboration vs. Manager Control: In the first section, the article emphasizes the benefits of collaboration and moving away from a traditional “boss” role. How do you think this approach affects team dynamics and productivity? Can you think of any examples where collaboration helped solve a problem more effectively?
- Employee Strengths and Micromanagement: The second section discusses allowing employees to work in a way that suits their strengths and avoiding micromanagement. Do you agree with the idea that employees should have freedom in how they approach tasks? How can managers ensure employees still meet objectives without being overly controlling?
- Employee Motivation: The article mentions the importance of thanking employees for their hard work to maintain motivation. How do you think regular recognition impacts employee morale? Are there other ways to keep employees motivated and engaged in their work?
- Signs of Team Problems: In the third section, the article highlights signs that a team is not working well, such as constant conflict or lack of creativity. What do you think is the root cause of these issues, and how can managers address them before they escalate?
- Problem-Solving in Teams: The article talks about how diverse perspectives help problem-solving in teams. Can you share an experience where a team with different perspectives helped find a solution to a challenging problem? What role did communication play in that success?
- Addressing Team Conflict: When a team is facing conflicts, the article suggests addressing issues individually before meeting as a group. What do you think is the benefit of this approach? How can managers ensure they are being fair to all team members while resolving conflicts?
10.Vocabulary 2
11.Talking point
In pairs, discuss the following questions.
- Do you think you are someone who is good at problem-solving? Why/why not? Can you think of an example where you were successful?
- Do you need to be flexible to do the job you do? In what ways have you been flexible recently?
- What do you think is the best way to deal with conflict at work?
- Do you think there are any problems with productivity in your company? How could productivity improve? What do you think are the reasons for low productivity in your industry?
- Do you think you are suited to your job? Is there any other work that you think you would be better suited to?
- Would you say you are really invested in your work? Why/why not?
Extended activity/Homework
Write an email to your manager saying why you have good skills for teamwork. Consider the following questions.
- What do you do really well?
- What skills do you have that other people may not have?
- What tasks are you most suited to?
- What kind of tasks are you not really suited to?
You should:
Write at least 150 words
Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation