Coordinate with Colleagues

Notes

14
COORDINATE WITH COLLEAGUES

The organizations of today have become lean with minimal hierarchical structures
defined within the organization. This has lead to increased importance of inter personal
skills, both with our colleagues and superiors in order to obtain smooth work flow and
achieve the company targets in an efficient way. This lesson is about the salient points
which are required for individual’s level of communication with colleagues and other
departments within the organization. It lays down objectively the qualities and abilities
which determine the ability to work as a team member to achieve the required deliverables
on schedule.

OBJECTIVES
After reading this lesson you will be able to:
z interact with superiors smoothly.
z coordinate with colleagues efficiently.
z explain teamwork and multitasking.
z make decisions.

14.1 INTERACTING WITH SUPERIORS OR SUPERVISORS

In the workplace, interacting with other employees is one of the most critical aspects of
synergy. When it comes to interacting with your immediate supervisor, the quality of your
relationship can have an impact on every aspect of your job and the surrounding
workplace. It can impact you and other employees in several ways.

The immediate supervisor of a department helps to set the tone for everything that goes
on there. When you interact with your supervisor, the way that she/he treats you will
determine how you work. So it’s important to develop a cordial relationship with the
supervisor. This will lead to a much more soothing and cooperative environment in the
organization. It will also lead to excellent results for the organization as well as individual.

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To have a good coordination and communication with the supervisor, the individual must
proactively focus on following aspects:
Notes
z Understand and assess work requirements
z Understand the targets and incentives
z Understand new operating procedures and constraints
z Report problems in the field
z Resolve personnel issues
z Receive feedback on work standards and customer satisfaction
z Communicate any potential hazards at a particular location
z Meet given targets
z Deliver work of expected quality despite constraints
z Receive positive feedback on behavior and attitude shown during interaction

Understand and Assess Work Requirements

All employees need to know what is expected from them at work and know how they are
doing. No one can do their best without clear direction and ongoing, constructive feedback
on their work performance. An employee has the responsibility to ensure that she/he
understands the work objectives and strive to meet them.

Understand the Targets and Incentives

Fully participate in performance discussions and meetings, welcoming them as opportunities
to discuss your achievements, areas where you can improve, and your career interests.

Understand new Operating Procedures and Constraints

In general, employees should thoroughly undergo training programs that have very
specific and quantifiable goals, such as operating a particular piece of machinery,
understanding a specific process, or performing certain procedures with great precision.
They should interact with the supervisors if some part of the process or procedure is not
clear to them.

Report Problems in the Field

When a problem pops up or a mistake occurs, respond to it proactively and don’t keep
your supervisor in the dark. Communicate your own proposed solutions when you present
the problem so that you and your supervisor have basis to start a problem solving
conversation.

Resolve Personal Issues

To share a personal problem with your supervisor, you need to ensure the situation is
something you should share. Before you disclose personal information, you need to ask

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yourself whether the details you are about to convey would be better left unsaid. After
analyzing the matter beforehand, you find that you must express problems of a personal
nature to your superior, then be polite and ask for an appointment and thank your Notes
supervisor for the help and time he has provided.

Receive Feedback and Customer Satisfaction Findings

Your manager/supervisor will monitor your progress in achieving the required
improvements by the deadlines specified in your action plan. At the end of this period, she/
he will indicate in the action plan whether you have succeeded in achieving these
improvements and will provide his or her comments on your efforts. As an employee, it’s
always good to ask your supervisor to provide timely feedback. The feedback should be
discussed and one should be open towards both criticism and suggested improvements.

Communicate any Potential Hazards

Every employee has the responsibility to bring notice of their supervisors any potential
hazard or unwanted effect on surroundings and environment due to procedures, processes
or unexpected events in their working location. It will prevent potential damage to the
organization and supervisors in general will be very receptive towards such suggestions
from employees.

Meet given Targets

Although discussions about your performance should occur throughout the year, take
advantage of your mid-year review to discuss with your manager/supervisor whether
your work objectives and/or learning and development plan should be adjusted. Once the
targets are set after mutual discussion and agreement, employee should try her/his level
best to achieve those targets as that will reflect positively for the supervisor. In case there
are issues in achieving the targets even after putting up his/her best effort, the employee
should consult the supervisor and discuss the future plan.

Deliver Quality Work even under Constraints

You should clearly understand that in organizations, things are many times not perfect or
ideal to execute a project. There can be different constraints, in terms of resources, cost,
technology, skill set etc. As an employee, you should strive hard to deliver quality work
under these given constraints. You should be upfront in discussing these constraints with
the supervisor and get insights from them regarding best possible approach under the
given circumstances. Normally, supervisor will be able to provide guidance which will be
very useful as he/she might have faced similar situation earlier.

Receive Positive Feedback for Behavior and Attitude

Most often supervisors do recognize the hard work, good attitude and positive behavior
in the employees. A frank and open discussion should be done by the employee with their
superiors as far as an honest feedback is concerned. They should clearly communicate the
times when they have shown good or ideal performance in terms of attitudes and
behaviors.

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14.2 COORDINATING WITH COLLEAGUES

Notes Business organizations are, by definition, groups of people, but the formal use of teams
as a way of organizing work has grown tremendously in the past half-century. The
implication for anyone who wants a career in business is clear: it is virtually impossible
to be successful in business without being successful in groups. Team communication is
consistently named as a key skill for business success.

Many employers define “good communication” as an ability to get along with others and
behave pleasantly in the workplace. This attribute might seem more a personality trait
than a communication skill, but for many employers it counts for more. Fortunately, you
can learn to project a positive attitude, regardless of how you actually feel, and that in
itself is an important business communication skill.

Willingness to communicate and coordinate with colleagues is a developed skill, not

something most people are born with. Even when they are busy with important work, you
will find them more willing to work with you if they are comfortable with the personal
relationships.

In turn, you should consistently show that you are willing to help others, get their work
done. Some people worry more about being taken advantage of others than they do about
the welfare of the group. Most co-workers consider this kind of an attitude as a
“negative” one, and it will virtually always lose you the support of others–and often your
job.

Apart from above mentioned general guidelines, to have an effective coordination and
communication with the colleagues, the individual must proactively focus on following
aspects:

z Interact with colleagues from different functions and understand the nature of the
work.
z Pass on customer complaints to colleagues in respective geographical area.
z Assist colleagues with resolving problems.
z Resolve conflict for smooth work flow.
z Follow company policy for cross functional interactions.

Interact with Colleagues from Different Functions

When coordinating at the organization level, you need to reach out to other departments,
request comments and negotiate approval. The challenge is to overcome opposition and
gain acceptance. You won’t win them all. If not, get a written explanation from the
dissenter. Present the objections to the supervisor for a decision on how to proceed.

Pass on Customer Complaints to Colleagues in respective geographical area

Many contact centers exist to provide information and support to customers using a range
of services or products. Providing that support requires detailed knowledge and

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understanding of the services and / or products together with the communication skills to
deal with customers. It also involves teamwork so that colleagues learn from each other
as the organization gains experience and services and/or products develop. Notes

Assist Colleagues with Resolving Problems

One of the most important hiring criteria for many companies is the ability to work as a
team player. Teamwork in general is part of performance management system. So it’s
important for anyone not only to seek help of peers and superiors but also to readily offer
help to colleagues who are in need for resolution of technical and other problems in the
organization. Although some people believe it is best to keep work life and personal life
separate, and therefore avoid making friends with colleagues, for most people, having
strong friendships makes work more fun.

Look forward at work by supporting and developing your colleagues. You can begin with
showing genuine interest in their lives, asking them for opinions and caring about them.
Share about yourself and build trust. Involve others in your projects or collaborate on
ideas. Share your knowledge and proficiency while learning from your colleagues. You
will make work a better place to be.

Resolve Conflict for Smooth Work Flow

Coordination helps to minimize the conflicts, wastages, delays and other organizational
problems. It ensures smooth working of the organization. Therefore, with the help of
coordination an organization can achieve its objectives easily and quickly. Handling and
resolving conflicts that arise in the workplace is one of the biggest challenges managers
and employees face. Typically there are two responses to conflict: run away (avoidance)
or ‘battle it out’. In either case, you often feel uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the
results because no resolution has been achieved. By learning to constructively resolve
conflict, you can turn a potentially destructive situation into an opportunity for creativity
and enhanced performance.

Arriving at a positive resolution of conflict is always the ultimate goal. In resolving

conflict, it is important to make sure you do the following:

z Clearly express the causes of the conflict – openly acknowledging there will be differing
perceptions of the problem(s).

z Make a clear statement of why you want the conflict resolved and reasons to work on
conflict.

z Communication of how you want the conflict resolved.

z Address the issues face-to-face (notes, email correspondence, memos are not a
productive way to resolve differences).

z Stick to the issues. In trying to resolve conflict, it is tempting to resort to name

calling or bring up issues from the past. It is important to address specific behaviors
and situations if change is to take place.

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z Take time out if necessary. In the resolution of a conflict, our emotions may interfere
with arriving at a productive resolution. If this transpires, take a time-out and resume
Notes resolving the conflict at another designated time.

Follow Company Policy for Cross Functional Interaction

Cross-functional teams provide an organization with some significant advantages. You
can greatly increase creativity and problem solving with the use of cross-functional teams
because of their composition. Members of cross-functional teams come with a diversity
of experiences, expertise and knowledge. This diversity can help broaden perspectives
and create a synergy - where interaction of the members create a greater effect than the
sum effects of each member acting alone - leading to a high level of creativity. Companies
have consciously developed policies and incentives for cross functional roles. One should
be aware of these policies and should discuss the same with colleagues and supervisors if
anything is not clear.

Receive Feedback and Customer Satisfaction Findings

Check with your superior and colleagues from quality department, about the ratings,
feedbacks, comments and observations you and your team has got from customers, clients
and other groups dependent on you. Take the feedback in positive spirit, both good and
bad. Appreciate your team for the good feedback being received, discuss the negative
feedback with a sense of improving the quality of services and deliverables. Do not try to
argue or start blame game in case the feedback received in not on expected lines. It does
not serve any purpose. There is always a scope of improvement and you along with your
team should focus on that.

14.3 ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

While most employees are aware of a company’s general mission upon getting hired, the
precise details should be spelled out and distributed to each employee. Mission statements
include things such as sales goals and marketing initiatives, where a company has been
and where it hopes to go. This should include top management’s vision of the company.

Employees should orient themselves towards companies goal while understanding the
company policies and also improving upon their knowledge with respect to the skill set
required to accomplish the tasks effectively.

14.4 UNDERSTANDING COMPANY POLICIES

All employers set general policies regarding employee conduct. This includes guidelines
on what is considered appropriate behavior between two employees, as well as employees
and managers and employees and customers.

Employees have a wide range of pay, but those who work for the same company are often
paid on the same day. Policies and procedures are outlined when employees will be paid.
Employees should also be aware if direct deposit is available, as well as the guidelines on
bonus pay and reimbursement for mileage and other work-related expenses.

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Companies that offer health benefits also include key aspects, such as pricing for
individuals and families, in their list of employee policies and procedures. Many
companies also have a mandatory waiting period of anywhere from 30 to 90 days before Notes
benefits become available to an employee. Employees should be aware of these policies
and should discuss with HR or other concerned department in case of any confusion.

Employee policies and procedures consist of every imaginable situation and topic,
ensuring that employees understand all aspects of working for a company. That includes
policies on acceptable attire, safety, termination and resignation, working from home and
overtime. It is important that employees are trained on these aspects from time to time and
it’s the responsibility of the employees to discuss these with colleagues and superiors if
required.

14.5 INDIVIDUALS ROLE IN WORKFLOW

Understanding your job role and description is the most important aspect when starting
a new job. This will ensure that you ultimately understand the tasks and duties that you
are expected to fulfill in order to earn your remuneration and also add value to the
company you work for.

Make sure you understand:

z The job duties you are expected to perform;

z Your supervisor’s expectations for your job performance; and

z The performance review process that will be used for your position.

Talk to your supervisor if you are unsure of the work that you are expected to perform or
the standards you are expected to meet in order to gain a better understanding of his or her
expectations. If there are things you think you need help with to be successful, discuss
them with your supervisor. These could be instructions, training, support/cooperation
from coworkers, etc.

14.6 REPORTING STRUCTURE

Reporting structure refers to the authority relationships in a company — who reports to
whom. For small businesses with only a couple of employees, that structure is often self-
evident: Everyone reports to the owner. With enough new employees, though, coordinating
everyone’s efforts will likely demand a formal organizational structure. This framework
establishes who is in charge of different tasks, departmental areas and the organization as
a whole. These authority boundaries and the relationships among people in authority
serve to create the reporting structure.

Organizational structure provides guidance to all employees by laying out the official
reporting relationships that govern the workflow of the company. A formal outline of a
company’s structure makes it easier to add new positions in the company, as well,
providing a flexible and ready means for growth.

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14.7 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Notes The success of an individual in a team depends greatly on the extent to which she/he can
engage in effective communication. Faulty communication in organizations can lead to
lowered efficiency and effectiveness at the organizational as well as individual level.

Skill to communicate depends on the capacity of an individual to convey ideas and

feelings to another to evolve a desired response. In management, communication is a
mixture of personal attributes and organizational aspects. Good communication is
necessary for all organizations as management functions in organizations are carried out
through communication.

Effective management is a function of effective communication. Interpersonal

communication takes places every time we interact with others. Communication is
considered effective when it succeeds in evoking a desired response from the other person.
Moreover failures in communication can be very costly for the organization by way of
reduced co-operation and subsequent ill feeling between employees. Communication, to
be effective, cannot be a random process. It has to be planned and executed so that it
evokes the desired response.

Communication in organizations has the following role

z Helps in fostering motivation fucntion of control
z Aids in the function of control
z Provides information for making decisions
z Gives vent to one’s feelings
z Helps in the satisfaction of social needs

Measuring the effectiveness of your communication is just as important as delivering it.

Measurement is key to understanding the success of your communications and an
opportunity to invite feedback.

You can measure communications in many ways using informal and formal channels. A
good communicator makes use of the measurement systems available within your
organization, but also uses the most powerful form of measurement – feedback. By
inviting feedback you can not only measure the success of the communication, but also
enter into valuable two-way dialogue, which will help your future communications and
engage the audience with your message and the company.

14.8 BUILD TEAM COORDINATION

Coordination is the act of organizing and enabling different people to work together to
achieve an organization’s goals. It is a managerial function in which different activities of
the business are properly adjusted and interlinked.

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Employees within the functional divisions of an organization tend to perform a specialized

set of tasks, such as engineering. This leads to operational efficiency within that group.
However, it can also lead to a lack of communication between various functional Notes
groups within an organization, rendering the organization slow and inflexible.
Increasing coordination internally can be accomplished by keeping all moving parts of the
organization on the same page. There are a number of ways to improve upon the
coordination of different departments, work groups, teams, or functional specialists.
These include creating a well-communicated and accurate mission statement; clearly
defining strategic objectives; monitoring and evaluating each functional group; providing
company-wide updates and communications from each department; and, wherever
possible, promoting cross-departmental meetings and projects.
Structure is a central determinant of effective coordination across an organization as it
enables communications, underlines responsibilities, and provides concrete authority in
decision-making.

14.9 TEAM WORK AND MULTITASKING

Team projects often arise in the workplace whether one likes it or not. Being successful
with this skill means working productively with a variety of people, utilizing the various
skills within the group, and overcoming any differences between members. Being able to
communicate and relate effectively with your coworkers is not only beneficial to you but
your employer as well. Relationship building with coworkers makes work more enjoyable
for you and saves your supervisors from having to resolve conflicts between employees.
Businesses are always happy to drive down costs, and the best way to do this is by hiring
fewer individuals who can multi-task. It is often the case that one efficient employee can
do the work of two typical employees. Employees are paid for the hours they work, and
employers want to get the most out of what they pay. An employee who can complete
multiple tasks at once is the solution.
The best way to use multitasking skill is:
z Use your past experience while carrying out a new task even if the previous task was
not related to the current assignment, there’s always the scope of applying past learning
in the current situation. Look out for such opportunities.
z Prepare a list of projects that required you to separate tasks into clusters that could
be addressed simultaneously. Use these to carry out multi-tasking assignments.
z Show a willingness to take on many responsibilities. Any worker can pick up one or
two, but if you can pick up more without getting spread too thin, you become a
valuable asset.

14.10 DECISION MAKING

Decision making can be defined as the process of making choices among possible
alternatives. The skills considered important to effective decision making are based on a
standard model of decision making, which prescribes how decisions should be made.
These skills include: 1) identifying the possible options; 2) identifying the possible

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consequences that follow from each option; 3) evaluating the desirability of each of the
consequences; 4) assessing the likelihood of each consequence; and 5) making a choice
Notes using a “decision rule”.

Problem solving and decision-making are important skills for business and life. Problem-
solving often involves decision-making, and decision-making is especially important for
management and leadership. There are processes and techniques to improve decision-
making and the quality of decisions.

z Define and clarify the issue.

z Gather all the facts and understand their causes.
z Think about or brainstorm possible options and solutions.
z Consider and compare the ‘pros and cons’ of each option - consult others if necessary
or useful - and for bigger complex decisions where there are several options, create
a template which enables measurements according to different strategic factors.
z Select the best option - avoid vagueness and weak compromises in trying to please
everyone.
z Explain your decision to those involved and affected, and follow up to ensure proper
and effective implementation.

An important area where decision making process becomes critical is at the time of
unforeseen disruptions in the work flow. Employees should be able to take informed
decisions at such times. Normally, every organization develops its own set of best
practices to deal with such emergency situations. Employees should be aware of such best
practices and should be able to communicate to the supervisor if that is required. They
should be aware of their responsibilities and should make appropriate judgment regarding
whether to inform the superior or to handle the situation along with other colleagues.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 14.1

1. Which of the following is important for good coordination with supervisor?

A. Understand and Assess Work Requirements

B. Meet Given Targets
C. Resolve Personal Issues
D. All of the above.

2. Resolving conflict for smooth workflow requires:

A. Articulating the causes of the conflict

B. Reading company policy
C. Understanding compensation policy
D. Deliver quality work

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3. Reporting structure defines:

A. Nearby police station telephone numbers

Notes
B. Who reports to whom in organization
C. Details guidelines for employees
D. Peer to peer interaction

WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

In this lesson you have learnt about important skills on coordination and communication
which are required for effective workflow in the organizations. In particular the learning
include:
z How to effectively interact with supervisors.
z Efficient coordination with colleagues.
z Importance of understanding company policies, delivery standards, ethics.
z Reporting structure and individual’s role in workflow.
z Effective communication tips.
z Teamwork and multitasking.

After going through this lesson, you can apply these principles at their respective
workplace to make it more robust, dynamic and interesting place to work.

TERMINAL EXERCISE
1. Suggest important ways in which organizations can foster team work and team
coordination skills within the employees.

2. What are the important aspects which are required for smooth work flow for cross
functional interaction?

3. Suggest best practices for fruitful interaction with supervisors.

4. Briefly elaborate the three important professional skills.

ANSWER TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

14.1
1. D 2. A 3. B

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