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Trouble with Teamwork
Mary Owen examines the role and efficiency of teams
Recruiters say that candidates who can give examples ofwork they have done as
members of a successful team are in asstrong a position as those who can point
to significant individualachievement. Indeed, too much of the latter may suggest
thatthe person concerned is not a 'team player' - one of the moreserious
failings in the book of management.
The importance of being a team player is a side effect of the increasing
interaction acrossdepartments and functional divides. Instead of pushing
reports, paperwork and decisions aroundthe organisation, 'teams provide a
dynamic meeting place where ideas can be shared and expertisemore carefully
targeted at important business issues,' says Steve Gardner, in his book
KeyManagement Concepts. He adds, 'Globalisation has added a further dimension to
teamwork.Multinational teams now study policy decisions in the light of their
impact on the local market.'
But is teamworking being overdone? 'Some managers are on as many as seven or
eightdifferent teams', says Dr Cathy Bandy, a psychologist who recently ran a
conference on thesubject. 'They take up so much time that managers can't get on
with core tasks.' Forming teamsand having meetings has, she says, become an end
in itself, almost regardless of purpose. There isalso the danger of an unhealthy
desire to keep the team going after the work has been done. 'People feel the
need to belong, and team membership can provide a kind of
psychologicalsupport.'
The idea behind teamworking is that, when the right group of people is
brought together, a'force' develops which is greater than the sum of their
individual talents. This is often true in sport,where good players can reach
unexpected heights as members of an international team.However,few business
situations have as clear a set of objectives, or as clear criteria of success
orfailure, as winning a match.
'In business, everyone needs to be clear about what the challenge is and
whether a team isthe right way of approaching it', says Steve Gardner.
'Unfortunately, people focus instead on whothe members of the team should be and
what roles they are to play' Dr Bandy agrees. 'There isalways a danger that
teams can turn into committees,' she says. 'In a lot of situations, one or
twoindividuals would be much more effective.'
So what makes a successful team? There are some general qualities that have
been identified.Steve Gardnerrecommends that in every team there should be
someone who is good atresearching ideas and another who is good at shooting down
impractical ones. There should bethose who can resolve the tensions that
naturally occur in a team and others who are focused ongetting the job done.
Also, providing a clear and achievable target at the outset is the best way
ofensuring that the team will move on to greater things.
13、 What point does the writer make about teamworking at the beginning of the
article?
A It is the most successful form of management.
B It has changed the recruitment procedure in companies.
C Well-run teams still allow individuals to demonstrate their talents.
D Being a team player is now considered an essential management skill.
14 、According to the article, teamwork developed within companies as a
response to
A modern office design.
B changing work practices.
C a reduction in administrative tasks.
D the expansion of international business.
15 、In the third paragraph, Dr Bandy suggests that
A many employees do not enjoy working in teams.
B some managers are not very effective team leaders.
C some teams are created unnecessarily.
D few teams are well organised.
16 、According to the writer, teamwork is more effective in the field of sport
because the players
A know what they want to achieve.
B are more competitive by nature.
C have more individual talent.
D can be driven by national pride.
17 、Steve Gardner and Dr Bandy agree that when a business team is created
people do notpay enough attention to
A the structure of the team.
B alternatives to the team.
C selecting the team members.
D directing the team's activities.
18、 What is Steve Gardner's advice on operating a successful team?
A Maintain a flexible approach to membership.
B Allow personalities to develop within the team.
C Select people who fit naturally into certain roles.
D Make every effort to avoid conflict between members.
In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than
at any time in the peacetime history of any country – from 82 to 110 million
between 1973 and 1985 – that is, by a full one third. The entire growth,
however, was in manufacturing, and especially in no – blue-collar jobs…
This trend is the same in all developed countries, and is, indeed, even more
pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed
countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion
of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in
farming – at most, 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million
people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010, the number is
likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be
even sharper. It is quite unrealistic, for instance, to expect that the American
automobile industry will employ more than one –third of its present blue-collar
force 25 years hence, even though production might be 50 percent higher.
If a company, an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century
sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce
the blue-collar work force, it cannot hope to remain competitive – or even to
remain “developed.” The attempt to preserve such blue – collar jobs is actually
a prescription for unemployment…
This is not a conclusion that American politicians, labor leaders or indeed
the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even
more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different
shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution
of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few
decades ago, we now speak of “robotization “ or “automation.” This is actually
more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford
introduced the assembly line in 1909, he cut the number of man – hours required
to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years –far more than
anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is
no doubt that we are facing a new, sharp acceleration in the replacement of
manual workers by machines –that is, by the products of knowledge.
1.According to the author, the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force
demonstrates______.
A.the degree to which a country’s production is robotized
B.a reduction in a country’s manufacturing industries
C.a worsening relationship between labor and management
D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country
2.According to the author, in coming 25years, a developed country or
industry, in order t remain competitive, ought to ______.
A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force
B.preserve blue – collar jobs for international competition
C.accelerate motor – can manufacturing in Henry Ford’s style
D.solve the problem of unemployment
3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.
A.confusion in manufacturing economy
B.an increase in blue – collar work force
C.internal competition in manufacturing production
D.a drop in the blue – collar job opportunities
4.The word “prescription” in “a prescription for unemployment” may be the
equivalent to ______
A.something recommended as medical treatment
B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty
C.some measures taken in advance
D.a device to dire
5.This passage may have been excepted from ________
A.a magazine about capital investment
B.an article on automation
C.a motor-car magazine
D.an article on global economy
Read the text about career-planning services.
Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps
.
For each gap 9– 14, mark one letter (A-H) on your Answer Sheet .
Do not use any letter more than once .
There is an example at the beginning .(0)
Your Career Path Can Lead You Anywhere
We used to be advised to plan our careers. We were told to make a plan during
the later stages of our education and continue with it through our working
lives.(0)_____ some people still see careers in this way. However, to pursue a
single option for life has always been unrealistic.
Planning for a single career assumes that we set out with a full
understanding of our likes and dislikes and the employment opportunities open to
us. (9)____ For most people this degree of certainty about the future does not
exist.
Our initial choice of career path and employer is often based on inadequate
knowledge and false perceptions. But with age and experience, we develop new
interests and aptitudes and our priorities alter. The structure of the
employment market and, indeed of employment itself, is subject to change as both
new technologies and new work systems are introduced (10) _____ We must face the
uncertainties of a portfolio career.
It is clear from the recent past that we cannot foresee the changes which
will affect our working lives. The pace of change is accelerating , as a result
of which traditional career plans will be of very limited use. (11)_____ They
will need updating to reflect changes in our own interests as well as in the
external work environment. Flexible workers already account for about half the
workforce. (12)______ We are likely to face periods as contract workers,
self-employed freelances, consultants, temps or part-timers.
Many employers encourage staff to write a personal development development
(PDP) (13)_____ Although some people use it only to review the skills needed for
their job, a PDP could be the nucleus of wider career plan –setting out
alternative long-term learning needs and a plan of self-development.
A report issued by the Institute of Employment Studies advises people to
enhance their employability by moving from traditional technical skills towards
the attainment of a range of transferable skills. (14)_____ Instead, special
schemes should be established to encourage people to examine their effectiveness
and to consider a wider range of needs.
0 A B C D E F G H
A This dual effect means that the relationship between employers and workers
has evolved to such and extent that we can no longer expect a long-term
relationship with one employer.
B. It carries an implicit assumption that we ourselves, and the jobs we
enter, will change little during our working lives.
C. This growth suggests that a career plan should not be expressed only in
terms of full-time employment but should make provision for the possibility of
becoming one of the.
D this is a summary of one’s personal learning needs and an action plan to
meet them.
E Consequently, they must now accommodate a number of objectives and enable
us to prepare for each on a contingency basis.
F However, it warns that employers often identify training needs through
formal appraisals, which take too narrow a view of development.
G . Such a freelance of consultant would be constantly in demand.
H We were expected to work towards that one clear goal and to consider a
career change as a bad thing.
Passage 4
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:
I recently wrote an autobiography in which I recalled many old memories. One
of them was from my school days, when our ninth grade teacher, Miss Raber, would
pick out words from the Reader’s Digest to test our vocabulary.
Today, more than 45 years later, I always check out “It pays to Enrich Your
Word Power” first when the Digest comes each month. I am impressed with that
idea, word power. Reader’s Digest knows the power that words have to move
people—to entertain, inform, and inspire. The Digest editors know that the big
word isn’t always the best word. Take just one example, a Quotable Quote form
the February 1985 issue: ”Time is a playful thing. It slips quickly and drinks
the day like a bowl of milk.”
Nineteen words, only two of them more than one syllable, yet how much they
convey! That’s usually how it is with Reader’s Digest. Small and simple can be
profound.
As chairman of a foundation to restore the Statue of Liberty, I’ve been
making a lot of speeches lately. I try to keep them fairly short. I use small
but vivid words: words like “hope”, “guts”, “faith”, “dreams”. Those are words
that move people and say so much about the spirit of America.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against using big words, when it is right to do
so, but I have also learned that a small word can work a small miracle—if it’s
right word, in the right place, at the right time. It’s a “secret” that I hope
never forget.
16. The passage is mainly about .
A. one of the many old memories
B. using simple words to express profound ideas
C. Reader’s Digest and school speeches
D. how to make effective speeches
17. It seems that Reader’s Digest is a magazine popular with .
A. people of all ages B. teenagers C. school teachers D. elderly readers
18. The example the author gives in the second paragraph might mean .
A. one spends his day playing and drinking
B. don’t waste your time as one does
C. time slips easily if you don’t make good use of it
D. time is just like drinking milk from a bowl
19. The author’s “secret” is .
A. to avoid using big words at any time
B. to use words that have the power to move people
C. to work a miracle by using a small word
D. to use small and simple words where possible
20. Accoeding to the author, well-chosen words can give people .
A. hope, courage and ideas
B. confidence, determination and strength
C. pleasure, knowledge and encourage
D. entertainment, information and power
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:
