SayPro SUPPORTING TEAM MEMBERS

Productive team members not only communicate constructively and have learned to trust each other, they help each other! Your fellow team member has learned to count on you as a reliable counterpart who has been an active participant, gets work done, and does his/her fair share to work hard and meet commitments. The question is…when do you reach out and offer help?

When you realise that a fellow colleague is struggling, it is important to provide support to team member and ensure that workgroup goals are met. Providing support to team members may take the form of:

• explaining or clarifying policies, procedures, instructions etc
• helping colleagues to complete tasks on time, especially if you have completed your own tasks ahead of schedule
• assisting with solving problems
• providing encouragement in order to foster a positive attitude,
• providing feedback to another team member, and
• Undertaking extra tasks if necessary.

Keep in mind that there are team members who don’t actually want help or support— they want someone to just listen, understand them, and recommend.

Effective communication is a vital part of any team, so the value of good listening skills can’t be underestimated.

v Your team members will appreciate your “listening ear” and come back when they need additional support or to solve a problem.

v Team members need a support person who can absorb, understand, and consider ideas and points of view from them without debating and arguing every point.

v Team members need someone to listen first and speak second so that a meaningful exchange of ideas can occur. Ask probing questions and acknowledge what’s said by paraphrasing points that have been made.