Learning Team Skills

Learning Team Consultant Firm Paper Michelle Beyers, Earl D. Burgess, Cherie Settle GEN/480 June 21, 2010 Ashleigh Graham

Learning Team Skills Learning Team Consultant Firm Paper

Companies look for the right person to fill positions in different fields. Specific skills and strengths attribute to the success of any business. Every employer is looking for a specific set of skills from job-seekers that match the skills necessary to perform a particular job, (Quintessential Careers, 2010, para. 2). Leadership and team skills are good qualities to acquire for most business careers. Team D has listed skills and strengths they have learned or experienced since their education has started with University of Phoenix. The skills that Team D has learned will help with many career paths. Event planning can be fun, exciting, challenging, and overwhelming. Corporations require banquet facilities for employee appreciation events, training seminars, fundraisers, and conferences. The special events industry has grown enormously in the past decade, (Entrepreneur, 2010, para. 1). Consulting firms specializing in banquet style restaurant facilities will have their hands full with the constant demand from corporations looking to empress clients and employees. Team Design Consulting Firm has the experience and education to succeed in the corporate event restaurant consulting business. The classes offered with University of Phoenix have been essential in teaching students the skills required for many careers. Team Skills Summary Effective teamwork begins the instant you begin any interaction, whether in person, through the electronic media or through the design of a product some unknown party will eventually use, (Learning Center, 2010). The members of this team could list strong team skills and leadership skills. In the business world, being a team player is a good quality. Characteristics of team-oriented individuals include execution of tasks to help the goal, resolving conflict between team members, and strong communication skills. Public speaking is a good leadership

Learning Team Skills

skill that two out of the three team members possess. Leadership skills listed also include leading by example, identifying skills in others, and earning the respect of employees. Team members also site organizational skills, multi-tasking, and attention to detail, which is important in many lines of work. Education and experience have led to the development of other skills and abilities. Two out of the three team members can list computer skills as an asset. Critical thinking and process analysis are skills learned from both experience and education. The work background of the team includes coach, supervisor, sports journalist, human resources, food trainer for retail establishments and restaurants, restaurant services, and site lead. The teams experience with work and education create a strong skill set for many areas of industries. Possible Consulting Firms Our team consists of members with diverse backgrounds and positive attributes that could benefit organizations from many different industries. A Restaurant Services firm could definitely benefit from the backgrounds held by our three team members. The team-oriented aspects and the background already in the field of Restaurant Services could help companies generate new ideas to boost revenue. Backgrounds in journalism could help companies generate articles and reviews that highlight menus and services that companies have to offer. An Event Planning firm is another type of firm that could benefit from the skills possessed by the members of our team. Many of the reasons are the same reasons that a Restaurant Services firm may consider using the members of our team from consulting. Strong communication skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail are attributes needed when trying to plan an event successfully.

Learning Team Skills A firm the deal with Team Building/Leadership Training could also benefit from the skills possessed by this group. Backgrounds in coaching, human resources, supervision, and as site leads provide the team with essential attributes needed to help an organization develop leaders for the company as well as groom employees to understand the importance of teamwork and trust among their employees. Opportunities for Skill Development Several varieties of strengths were identified among the members of the team as well as opportunities that presented themselves. To have a well-rounded group and to incorporate as much potential for success as possible, the opportunities the team exhibits will need to be

learned, developed, and successfully woven into the team skill set. The following is a combined inventory list of the traits the team is currently deficient in: Lacking in computer literacy Difficulty with handling conflict and holding low performers accountable Keyboard skills Often antisocial in nature Much better at understanding the numbers than practicality Impatient when dealing with conflict resolutions Patience with coworkers and customers Has problems with emotional reactions to situations and conflict Does not trust people to do what they say they will Difficulty identifying the difference between passive voice and active voice in academic writing Speaking in front of groups

Learning Team Skills The team will attend career training seminars, enroll in classes provided by the local community colleges, and seek to gain comfort levels with the above areas. This will be done through online reading, participating in workshops and be present for speaking engagements by proven professional at area establishments. Matrix The following matrix provided in the visual diagram below represents the strengths and areas of excellence that each individual team member has identified as his or her personal professional attributes:

Business Specialties and Role Identification

Learning Team Skills Restaurant facilities designed for banquets and corporate sponsored events are the types of businesses that could benefit from the extensive skill set that the members of Team Design Consulting Firm possess. Strong communication skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail are among just a number of attributes needed when planning a corporate event. Both the client must be represented positively and the customer be catered to so guests walk away with a

winning image of the host. Team Design not only has the basic personal and professional skills, but the executives also have the educational and proven work history knowledge to further enhance their uncompromised work experience. The following is a list of the members of Team Design Consulting Firm along with some of the abilities that each person has in his or her repertoire to use as he or she fill positions for Team Design.

Executive Administrator of Public Relations and Computer Operations for Team Design Consulting Firm Earl Burgess: Experienced with computer hardware Microsoft Office Suite experience Heavy background as a coach and supervisor Former sports journalist

Executive Administrator of Art Direction and Finance for Team Design Consulting Firm Michelle Beyers: Likes multi-tasking and is effective at performing different tasks at once

Learning Team Skills Understands the importance of accuracy with billing Graphic design degree Is prompt with answering questions from customers and coworkers

Executive Administrator for Employee Relations and Food Service Handling for Team Design Consulting Firm Cherie Settle: Certified food trainer restaurant Human-resource trained Team trainer Certified to operate power equipment: baler, compactor, forklift, crown lift

Duties and Responsibilities Each position held by the team members requires different responsibilities that will contribute to the success of the Team Design Consulting Firm. The different skills and abilities that each team member has acquired make him or her excellent fits for his or her respective roles. When people are hired for a particular position, or when people start a business for themselves, they need to be qualified. The list of responsibilities assigned to each position helps determine if a person is qualified to hold that particular job. Earl Burgess will be holding the position of Executive Administrator of Public Relations and Computer Operations. As a Public Relations specialist, Earl will be tasked to build relationships with the public and keep the company held in a positive light. Earl will communicate with the public by sending press releases and speaking for the company in public

Learning Team Skills forums such as but not limited to speaking engagements, radio, and television. As the Computer Operations Executive Administrator, Earl will oversee the Computer Operations Technicians. Earls supervision skills and computer hardware skills make him perfect to coordinate the computer technicians workload. As the Executive Administrator of Art Direction and the Executive Director of Finance, Michelle Beyers will be overseeing advertising and image concepts in the company and supervising the finance department. Michelle will have the duty of creating concepts for the designers to develop and will be hand-rending design layouts for advertising purposes. Other art director responsibilities include creating corporate identities and making sure they are used consistently, verifying that copy write infringements are not taking place, and organizing the artwork for pitches with clients.

The title of Executive Administrator for Employee Relations and Food Service Handling will be held by Cherie Settle. The Executive Administrator holds a list of human resource responsibilities including recruitment, benefits, employee concerns, and payroll questions. Cherie will also be in charge of hiring and firing employees and dealing with employee conflict. As the Food Service Handling Administrator, Cherie will ensure that proper procedures are being followed with food handling, and that OSHA standards are being followed. Cherie will be in charge of overseeing ordering food, supplies and equipment for the corporate event for the client.

Earl Burgess: Executive Administrator of Public Relations and Computer Operations for Team Design Consulting Firm

Learning Team Skills Earls education and work experience in the field of computer hardware and software applications has well prepared him to lead Computer Operations for Team Design Consulting Firm. The Firm needs someone who has proven him or herself knowledgeable and savvy in regard to the latest advancements in the field of computer technology. With Earls computer

related background, he fits this description perfectly. University of Phoenix classes that will help in this position include Human Factors in Technology. His experience a supervisor and coach have prepared him for the role of leading a team. As a coach and former sports journalist, Earl is used to dealing with the ever critical public point of view. Communication in the Virtual Workplace class has contributed to skills in commutating with the public. He has been on the giving and receiving end of public opinion and understands how critical it is for the Executive Administrator of Public Relations to develop and maintain programs that keep the investors, people in the community, employee, and representatives of the media engaged with Team Design.

Michelle Beyers: Executive Administrator of Art Direction and Finance for Team Design Consulting Firm

Michelle Beyerss background in arts and graphic design more than qualifies her to fill the position of Executive Administrator of Art Direction for Team Design. Team Design leans on Michelles artistic vision to help the company develop creative and custom advertisements and logos that help establish the Team Design brand. A class in Foundations of Research has given Michelle an edge on understanding demographics while creating advertisements for specific target markets.

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Michelle Beyers also serves as the Executive Administrator of Finance for Team Design. Michelles experience with billing and her excellent multi-tasking skills helps her fulfill the responsibilities of this role. Financial Analysis for Managers has given Michelle the knowledge to create financial documents and reports for the company.

Cherie Settle: Executive Administrator for Employee Relations and Food Service Handling for Team Design Consulting Firm Cherie Settle has a very diverse background that includes experience on the area field of Food Services. Team Design taps into Cheries experience as Cherie holds the position of Executive Administrator for Food Service Handling. A class in Human Factors in Technology has benefited Cherie because new technology contributes to tracking supplies and equipment. Cheries experience gives the company confidence that someone with relative experience is on board to help the company adhere to government regulations and also overseeing the day-to-day food services related activities for Team Design. Cheries experience working directly with and training employees on all levels of employment is valuable experience that Cherie can lean on in her role as Executive Director of Employee Relations. She is a valuable resource that helps Team Design establish and maintain excellent relationships with our employees. Her human resource experience is put to good use as Cherie oversees the major functions of Team Design's human resources department. A Human Motivation class taken with University of Phoenix will help Cherie to understand the complex issues related to individual employees and what motivational factors contribute to a positive work environment.

Learning Team Skills MICHELLE Foundations of Research Foundations of Research helped in the development of the final paper because the team could understand the importance of business research. The team could not have decided on the

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Team Dsign idea of restaurant event planning without knowing there is a market for this type of establishment. The concepts learned in Foundations of Research helped the team determine the best way to research the different roles required to run a business. Good research is important for a business to be successful. Good research generates dependable data that are derived by professionally conducted practices and that can be used reliably for decision making, (Cooper, Schindler, 2006, p. 22). Some of the characteristics of good research are purpose is clearly defined, process detailed, research design planned, high ethical standards used, adequate analysis used, and conclusions justified. The team understands the purpose of good research and has used these methods when preparing for the final paper and for assignments leading to this class. Foundations of Research also outlined strategic methods related to a business. Just like a business, University of Phoenix classes requires strategy to complete assignments and manage time. The strategy used to organize assignments, and the development of this final paper, was analyzed in order for this team to work together. The team has learned to use strategy and research up to this point from methods learned from Foundations of Research. Financial Analysis for Managers Employment of financial analysts is projected to grow by 34% through 2016, much faster than average, (A Monster Company, 2010). The projected growth of this industry indicates the importance companies place on employing financial analysts. Understanding the finances of a company is good for the members of this team because basic financial statements

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are used to analyze the success of a company, the value of the companies stocks, and the future growth of the company. Financial statements are the tools used to measure the success of a company. One of the concepts learned from Financial Analysis for Managers is to use the tools available to make good decisions. Making good decisions is critical for success in any business enterprise, (Albrecht, Stice, Stice, Swain, 2008, p. 6). This team has used the concept of good decision making to use time management, critical thinking, and communication to work together to complete assignments. Another concept learned from Financial Analysis for Managers is the importance of ethical behavior. Ethical behavior has been exercised by contributing to discussions and assignments with original ideas, and by not plagiarizing work done by other people. Ethical behavior has been key to the success of completing University of Phoenix classes. Human Motivation To be successful in a personal and professional aspect, possessing a solid comprehension to interact with others and being an effective communicator are essential tools for any person. Quite apart from the benefit and moral value of an altruistic approach to treating colleagues as human beings and respecting human dignity in all its forms, research and observations show that well motivated employees are more productive and creative, (Accel-Team, 2010, para. 5). For Team DEsign Consulting Firm to enjoy a successful business over time, the educational background that the team has combined allows them to assemble an impressive resume. In turn, the educational classes that the members have completed so far in their individual college career have been valuable to properly develop this paper, and to incorporate all aspects of the rubric into one cohesive paper week after week in this class.

Learning Team Skills The course, Human Motivation, was a class that prepared members of the team well for the collaborative portions of the paper, which was an ongoing process. While the class provided

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tools necessary for how to effectively motivate employees, the fundamental concepts of the class were applicable to each individual team member. The team was motivated to stay focused and worked with a sense of urgency to complete the project in a timely fashion. The primary concepts of goals, quality of work, and rewards were examined during Human Motivation and were subsequently practiced during the partnership between the members of Team D. By definition, motivation is an internal state or condition (sometimes described as a need, desire, or want) that serves to activate or energize behavior and give it direction (Ed Psyc Interactive, 2010). Team D was motivated by several factors during the process of working on the consulting firm paper and matrix creation. The expressed want of receiving a good grade, being a team player, producing the best individual work possible, and the desire to pass the class were all honest motivating factors that served the motivational purpose of completing the assignments. Human Factors in Technology Our Team understood the importance of placing a knowledgeable employee in charge of Computer related issues for team Design because of many of the lessons we learned taking TEC 401/Human Factors In Technology. As with any business who wants to be as profitable as possible, Team Design will have a web presence and the ability to use e-commerce as means of boosting profitability. Technology impacts businesses in so many ways that a class such as Human Factors in Technology is essential learning for the student wishing to be successful on business management. The class informs the student of different factors of technology and business such as organizational and social impact. The class also prepares the student to manage

Learning Team Skills changes in new technology. For Team Design to be successful, the company must be able to

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assess technology and be supportive of the personal growth employees must develop so that the organization can benefit from using technological advancements. Communication in the Virtual Workplace As communications consultant John Ralko pointed out, the Tools used to link people have evolved over time (Ralko, 1999). Major and even minor advancements in technology have affected and improved almost every aspect of doing business. The days of phone calls and handwritten memos have been surpassed by systems that improve the way we communicate internally and externally. Currently systems are now in place that contributes to business success primarily by talking to other communication systems. The class, Communication in the virtual Workplace, helps the students become efficient while using the latest technology to communicate in the work-place. The class also helps the students identify and define the effects that these technologies have on business. Team Design will benefit from understanding the process of using e-commerce and how web-based applications can improve internal communication as well. Virtual Communication gives Team Design the ability to have a global presence and operate more efficiently with clients who prefer to do business using the Internet. E-customers will potentially be a large part if the Team Design customer base. Virtual Communication will help us collect data and determine levels of customer satisfaction for our e-customers. This class has helped us to understand that there are indeed differences between the virtual customer and the real-world customer. Understanding these differences is key as we determine the best way to communicate with specific customers. Some companies that we will deal with have not advanced the form of technology that they use to communicate. These companies would benefit little from web-based

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forms of Virtual Communication. Because we have been taught that there is a difference in how we need to communicate with real-world customers and e-customers, Team Design is prepared to handle both sets of customers with informed professionalism. Conclusion With the strong team and leadership skills that Team D has learned, the team will be able to succeed in many different career paths. Education and experience have lead to the development of skills and abilities like organization, public speaking, attention to detail, and critical thinking. Our team consists of members with diverse backgrounds and positive attributes that could benefit organizations from many different industries. Team D has can recognize weaknesses in abilities and can find opportunities for skill development. The members of Team D will be a strong asset to any company. The work and education experience that Team Design Consulting Firm possesses will ensure the success of a restaurant consulting business. Strong communication skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail are among just a number of attributes needed when planning a corporate event. Classes taken at University of Phoenix have prepared the team for different roles in the firm. The professional skills and educational background of Team Design Consulting Firm has given the team the tools to succeed in the different aspects of his and her roles. The concepts learned in Foundations of Research helped the team determine the best way to research the different roles required to run a business. One of the concepts learned from Financial Analysis for Managers is to use the tools available to make good decisions. The primary concepts of goals, quality of work, and rewards were examined during Human Motivation and were subsequently practiced during the partnership between the members of Team D. Technology impacts businesses in so many ways that a class such as Human Factors in Technology is essential learning for the student wishing to be successful on

Learning Team Skills business management. The class, Communication in the virtual Workplace, helps the students become efficient while using the latest technology to communicate in the work-place. Team D

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has little doubt the success they will achieve with the tools learned from University of Phoenix.

Learning Team Skills References Accel-Team. (2010). Employee Motivation: Theory and practice. Retrieved from http://www.accel-team.com/motivation/index.html.

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Albrecht, Stice, Stice, & Swain. (2008). Accounting: Concepts and Applications, 10e. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/DownloadList.aspx? assetMetaId=f231e944-0831-46a7-8a0e-d329db150d2e&assetDataId=9d3932fb-fc464157-925c-4bb7940759e5. A Monster Company. (2010). Business Schools. Retrieved from http://www.businessschools.com/careers-jobs/financial-analyst.html Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2006). Business Research Methods, 9e. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx? assetMetaId=9a635959-af94-4d79-b27e-311d14f4d182&assetDataId=6383abaa-7331409e-937a-2ac9fccc3bf0. Ed Psyc Interactive. Retrieved on June 19, 2010 from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/motivation/motivate.html Entrepreneur. (2010). How to Start an Event Planning Service. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/startupkits/article37892.ht ml Learning Center. (2010). 7 Steps to Closure. Retrieved from http://www.learningcenter.net/library/7steps.shtml Ralko, Joe. (2009). Communication is the key to success . Retrieved Jun 18, 2010 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3915/is_199908/ai_n8864960/

Learning Team Skills Quintessential Careers. (2010). EmpoweringSites.com. Retrieved from http://www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html. University of Phoenix. (2010). Retrieved from http://ecampus.phoenix.edu

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