16 Maintenance Operations teaching others, leading, negotiating, and working as a member of a team. Getting along well with others can require great eff ort on your part, but it is essential for accomplishing your employer’s goals. Teamwork Employers seek employees who can eff ectively serve as good team members. Due to the nature of most work today, teamwork is necessary. A team is a small group of people working together for a common purpose. Often cooperation requires fl exibility and a willingness to try new ways of doing things. If someone is uncooperative, it takes longer to accomplish tasks. When people do not get along, strained relationships may occur, which gets in the way of fi nishing tasks. A big advantage of a team is its ability to develop plans and complete work faster than individuals working alone. In contrast, a team usually takes longer to reach a decision than an individual worker does. Team members need some time before they become comfortable with one another and function as a unit. You will be more desirable as an employee if you know how to be a team player. Creative ideas often develop from building on another person’s idea. Honesty and openness are essen- tial. Also, trying to understand the ideas of others before trying to get others to understand your ideas is an eff ec- tive skill to develop. Leadership All careers require leadership skills. Leadership is the ability to guide and motivate others to complete tasks or achieve goals, Figure 1-14. It involves communicating well with others, accepting responsibility, and making decisions with confi dence. Employees with leadership skills are most likely to be promoted to higher levels. Leaders often seem to carry the most responsibil- ity in a group. Other group members look to them for answers and direction. Th e most important role of lead- ers is to keep the team advancing toward its goal. Lead- ers do this by inspiring their groups and providing the motivation to keep everyone working together. Good leaders encourage teamwork, because a team that is working together well is more likely to reach goals. Th ey listen to the opinions of others and make sure all team members are included in projects. Leaders also want to set a good example by doing a fair share of the work. In these ways, leaders cultivate a sense of harmony in the group. Confl ict Management When you work with others, disagreements are likely to occur. More serious disagreements can lead to confl ict. Confl ict is a hostile situation resulting from opposing views. It is important to know how to handle confl ict to prevent it from becoming a destructive force in the workplace. Th is is called confl ict management. A team leader has a special responsibility to prevent confl ict among the team members. Several steps can be followed in managing confl ict, Figure 1-15. Sometimes the cause of a confl ict is not so simple or easily understood. Use a positive approach and try to under- stand the problem from the other’s point of view. Avoid jumping to conclusions and making snap judgments. Treat others with respect and in the same way you would like to be treated. Explore positive and negative aspects of each pos- sible solution. If progress falls short of expectations, bring the parties back together and repeat the process. Many dis- agreements in the workplace can lead to productive change. Steps in Managing Confl ict 1. Know when to intervene. 2. Address the confl ict. 3. Identify the source and the importance of the confl ict. 4. Identify possible solutions. 5. Develop an acceptable solution. 6. Implement the solution and evaluate. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 1-15. Confl ict can be healthy in the workplace, as long as the confl ict remains professional and coworkers with differing opinions maintain an open mind. Resolving a confl ict often leads to a better solution. ALPA PROD/Shutterstock.com Figure 1-14. This technician exhibits strong leadership by directing her teammate to follow the proper steps in maintenance protocol. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.