People are among the most important assets of any organization. So it is crucial that they be deployed to best effect. They need to be in a job they are comfortable in, to have the knowledge and skills necessary to do it, and to display the kinds of attitudes and behaviours that are appropriate.
But work in most organizations is essentially collaborative in nature; so people often have to work in teams. Simply putting people together and expecting them to work as a team is not enough to ensure that they will. In particular, an effective team member understands the role that he or she can play in the team, when and how to let another team member take the lead, and how the team as a whole can compensate for individual shortcomings. In short, team work is a skill that can be taught and learned.
The UN System Staff College has negotiated a special arrangement for access to one of the best known techniques for team building: namely, e-interplace from Belbin Associates.
e-interplace is a computer-based, expert system designed for human resource management and team building. e-interplace is based on more than 20 years of research and development, and is now in its 6th edition.
e-interplace analyzes data about people and their jobs and then makes recommendations for team building. The data are collected through a standardised process of self-perception, peer assessment, job requirement analysis, and external observation. These four inputs are fed into a computer programme, and the result is a customized recipe for strengthening team performance. Details are available from the Belbin Associates website at www.belbin.com.
