There's no 'I' in team, but where has it gone in time?

Recently I have been feeling like I’m spread pretty thin, with mounting essays and group work, along with holding down a part time job. Everything is starting to feel rushed and the word stressed firmly springs to mind.

Although we had begun to set the ball rolling on our brief after synchronising diaries, it became apparent that what little time we had left to put the final touches to our piece would have to wait until the last minute. Fortunately, being ‘Team Workers’ (Belbin), we got the job done (and to a high standard if I do say so myself), all in the name of Nando’s!

Enjoying some well deserved downtime with the girls.

Right now, I feel like something or someone else is controlling how I spend my days and ‘me time’ has become a thing of the past. Believing the word ‘work’ is managing my life (and desperately disliking this fact), I got to thinking – how can you manage someone else’s time without the word ‘begrudge’ rearing its ugly head? What makes a good team leader? How can you delegate and not dictate?

It is all about respect, trust and confidence. Just like in Public Relations, you want your voice to be heard and make sure your key players are on your side, whether you are speaking to a colleague, journalist or even your target audiences. I do think I am a natural leader when it comes to work and I think it is more than safe to say that my friends and peers see a different side to me. It’s not that I want to take control as such; I just want tasks to be completed to a standard that I would consider satisfactory when carrying out my own individual work. Does that make me a control freak? Probably a little bit – yes – but I like to think that doesn’t make me a bully. After watching the film ‘Horrible Bosses’, I can categorically say I come across as mild mannered!

Davis suggests the purpose of Public Relations is communication and leadership. He states “A successful leader, in any environment, has to be an effective communicator in order to arouse confidence, sustain credibility and generate excitement.” I strongly believe that I am a communicator and that I do prefer to guide rather that control, listen rather than speak.

Interested to find out whether I was perceived the same by others, I asked my friend to speak honestly of how he saw me. Prompted by blurting out the phrase “am I a control freak?!” he said what he thought. I braced myself for the worst, as you do when you invite someone to tell you what they really think, the sudden realisation that maybe you aren’t the person you thought you were strikes and panic sets in. To my relief he stated that I just like what I like and I know the way I think things should be done. Close friends also stated similar answered.

When I put some thought into it I came to conclusion that my task emulated that of PR practitioners. It’s all about how you want to be seen and how people perceive you, making sure the scales are balanced. This statement is true whether within Public Relations, leadership, relationships or just life in general. Though between you and me, I’ll never complain if the scales are tipped in my favour!

Over and Out!
Rhi x

Building Relationships. Is there a quick fix?

Assessments are always scary whether it’s the longevity of writing an individual essay, or the nail-biting revision timetable in preparation for that make or break exam. Despite this, group assessments take the word ‘pressure’ to a whole new level. You are the master of someone else’s fate and, even more terrifying, they are the master of yours.

Although first year touches upon group work – fifteen percent graded here and another twenty percent there – during second year you are certainly pushed to ‘up the stakes’. You are presented with figures such as fifty or sixty percent, ultimately determining, rather than contributing to those crucial end of year results.

So, how are you able to secure those essential group assessment grades? It’s all about finding the right people for you. Imagine you are a PR practitioner and your first year is a key networking event – it all starts there. It is all about building mutual relationships, finding out who you work well with and who can contribute to what you are trying to achieve. It’s only by interacting with each other or even working with one another that you can truly identify the people who are on your wavelength.

This makes second year easier in terms of group work, right? In theory, I would agree, but in practice you are still taken on that ever-increasing learning curve. Cutlip et al. states “Public Relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its publics on whom it’s success and failure depends”, a statement that could not be truer in this situation. I am lucky enough to be working with three girls whom I consider to be both great workers and even greater friends. But is my judgement correct?

Theory suggests yes. Dr. Meredith Belbin provides a key evidence of team role theory, explaining that there must a balance of personalities in order to work effectively from start to finish of a task.  Interestingly, the Belbin test revealed that all four of us were ‘team workers’ but that we all brought an individual trait to the mix. Identified as a ‘completer-finisher’, the test revealed that I had a great capacity to follow through with work to the highest degree of attention. Other members were revealed to be ‘plants’ (the brains of the operation) and ‘co-ordinators’ (the ‘calm and controlled’ members of the group).

Confused? Why not give it a try and find out what your team role will be?

Unfortunately, you can’t hand a questionnaire to everyone you meet. Sure, it would initially save time, but in the long run relationships simply aren’t that black and white. Relationships are built from the quality of time spent together, not just the quantity. Friendships (whether personal or working), just like Public Relations, are there for the long haul. They must be constantly worked on in order to develop not only a good reputation, but also to build up trust. The Belbin test may provide insight into both yours and the work ethics of those around you, but ultimately there is no quick fix. In all honesty though, where would the fun be in that?

Working in teams provides the perfect metaphor for Public Relations, a concept I plan to explore over the next eight weeks as I am asked to work within a group of four, not only to create a brief for an agency but to become one of those agencies ourselves. But let’s save that for another day.

Over and Out!
Rhi  x

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