Leadership and Teamwork in the Public Services

Any Public Service looks for examples of Teamwork. Teamwork and Leadership are vital parts of working in a group, because it shows that a group are able to work together efficiently and safely when completing a task. Take Linnet Clough for example, we all had to work together to complete any tasks that were thrown at us.

The Tuckman Theory

Forming - When teams are first put together and are polite.

Storming - Groups start to clash as they become familiar.

Norming - Teams settle into their roles.

Performing - Teams are on task and perform effectively.

ten years later Tuckman added a final stage:

Adjourning - This is about the completion and disengagement, both from the task and group members.

Mourning - Upset about something e.g. working together at a camp then leaving.

What Makes a Good Team?
There are many aspects that make a group a good team, but it is mainly that they need to be able to communicate and work together. Here are a few aspects:

• Able to listen to instructions.
• Able to work together to achieve a task.
• Ask questions if they need any help.
• To be adaptable to the task set.
• Have good communication skills.
• to be able to Help each other.
• Everyone should contribute in discussions
• To get involved and not sit back and let everyone else get involved.
• Help each other with their weaknesses.

being able to work together effieciently means, that the task can be done quickly and safely. The Fire and Rescue and the Ambulance services are good teams, because the are able to work together to help the casualties/victims if there is an emergency.

What Makes a Good Leader?
Being a good leader, is a skill that all publice service personnel need, they need to be confident and be able to stay calm in emergency situations.

Aspects of a good leader:

• Able to give instructions clearly.
• able to control their team.
• able to help the team if they need it.
• able to answer any questions that they have been asked.
• have good communication skills.
• makes sure that everyone is involved in discussions.
• supports the team.
• confident.
• optimistic.
• listens to everyones opnions
• thinking on your feet.

If the best teams have leaders, such as the Red Arrows, their leader or Red One as he is known,lete the team know which move is next in the sequence, when they do an air display. He makes sure that the whole team knows, what they need to do and gets everyone one involved when they have team discussions. If the Red Arrows didn't have a leader, they wouldn't know what they were doing,and would consantly argue, about what moves they would during an air display and it could end up in an air collsion.