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Discovering the ME in TEAM

17/04/2015
As teams expand and evolve, the dynamic shifts, expectations change and pressure mounts to achieve results. It is important that the team can adapt and collaborate effectively, using the various strengths to its advantage whilst being wary of potential disconnects. Appreciating where and when team members perform best and where they may need support is a good place to start and something we ourselves have been through recently following three years of growth. Let us go back in time to 2011 when we set up a formal Regional HQ in Singapore. Whilst we started off small (and this worked for a period of time), we quickly became well known across the region, won a number of key multi-year contracts and before too long, we were on the lookout for fresh new talent. Towards the end of 2014 it became apparent that we needed to take a closer look at expanding our permanent team along with our Associate network. I was tasked with the role of reviewing our recruitment framework and processes to ensure the highest standard of quality in whomever we bring in to work for and on behalf of Cegos. Last year we managed to recruit a new group of Associates whom we have the pleasure of working with. We have also had 3 new people join our permanent team here in the Singapore office – James Siew (joins us as Regional Consulting Director), Yusoff Iskandar (joins us as Regional Solutions & Services Manager) and Parima Jasina (Pam) who joins us as our Administration Executive. As you can imagine, bringing different people together, creates a different dynamic but one we have been ready for. One that we have wholeheartedly embraced. Most of us come from different cultural backgrounds, different professional backgrounds, different age groups, different religions and the list goes on. We recently came together for our own team workshop during which we undertook an exercise to help us better understand what motivates each of us, how we react under pressure when things aren’t going well and discovered (most importantly) how we think as individuals can be used to support each other, help us to achieve our aims and improve the way in which we operate as a team. It was interesting to see that whilst my colleagues tend to be more flexible when under pressure, I tend to withdraw, deal with the stress and take some time to analyse and think through what has happened and how to arrive at a decision after more careful analysis. This has helped my colleagues to understand that whilst it seems like I may be ‘shutting down’ I’m in fact taking some time to think it all through. We discussed how this can be used as a strength for the team’s benefit and how my tendency to do this can in fact help others (who might be more reactive for example) to think things through in order to make a more thought out decision. We learnt that the very differences that others (and our very own selves!) see as weaknesses can be turned quite easily into strengths once we understand what really motivates us to behave and respond the way we do. If you haven’t already taken the time to do this with your own team, I highly recommend it. What you learn about each other can really alter the way you think and interact with those you spend most of your day with!As teams expand and evolve, the dynamic shifts, expectations change and pressure mounts to achieve results. It is important that the team can adapt and collaborate effectively, using the various strengths to its advantage whilst being wary of potential disconnects. Appreciating where and when team members perform best and where they may need support is a good place to start and something we ourselves have been through recently following three years of growth. Let us go back in time to 2011 when we set up a formal Regional HQ in Singapore.Whilst we started off small (and this worked for a period of time), we quickly became well known across the region, won a number of key multi-year contracts and before too long, we were on the lookout for fresh new talent.Towards the end of 2014 it became apparent that we needed to take a closer look at expanding our permanent team along with our Associate network. I was tasked with the role of reviewing our recruitment framework and processes to ensure the highest standard of quality in whomever we bring in to work for and on behalf of Cegos.Last year we managed to recruit a new group of Associates whom we have the pleasure of working with.We have also had 3 new people join our permanent team here in the Singapore office – James Siew (joins us as Regional Consulting Director), Yusoff Iskandar (joins us as Regional Solutions & Services Manager) and Parima Jasina (Pam) who joins us as our Administration Executive.As you can imagine, bringing different people together, creates a different dynamic but one we have been ready for. One that we have wholeheartedly embraced. Most of us come from different cultural backgrounds, different professional backgrounds, different age groups, different religions and the list goes on.We recently came together for our own team workshop during which we undertook an exercise to help us better understand what motivates each of us, how we react under pressure when things aren’t going well and discovered (most importantly) how we think as individuals can be used to support each other, help us to achieve our aims and improve the way in which we operate as a team.It was interesting to see that whilst my colleagues tend to be more flexible when under pressure, I tend to withdraw, deal with the stress and take some time to analyse and think through what has happened and how to arrive at a decision after more careful analysis. This has helped my colleagues to understand that whilst it seems like I may be ‘shutting down’ I’m in fact taking some time to think it all through.We discussed how this can be used as a strength for the team’s benefit and how my tendency to do this can in fact help others (who might be more reactive for example) to think things through in order to make a more thought out decision.We learnt that the very differences that others (and our very own selves!) see as weaknesses can be turned quite easily into strengths once we understand what really motivates us to behave and respond the way we do.If you haven’t already taken the time to do this with your own team, I highly recommend it. What you learn about each other can really alter the way you think and interact with those you spend most of your day with!This post has been contributed by Cegos Asia Pacific's Director of Business Operations, Meng Bannister.