In businesses, employees are often placed into teams to work on a project. Teamwork skills are excellent to have and great to develop. Here are some top tips for how to work well in this environment and teamwork tips for managers.
1. Communication is key
Working in a team requires good, effective communication. Everyone should be able to speak to each other and leaders/managers should be able to talk to all staff on the same level. Communication should be directed towards achievement and success, and it should be motivating and encouraging.
2. Strong leadership
A leader must have strong leadership skills. The head of the project or task needs to exhibit good behavior and management, while showing direction and focus. This will easily rub off on the rest of the team and encourage improvement in their performance.
3. Goals and aims
Business objectives and aims should be established right at the beginning of the project. These should be written down and given to everyone as a reminder. People want to strive to do well, so the aims need to be common goals among all the members, so they work together to achieve the targets.
4. Trust
Within any team, trust is essential. Details of new projects or developments should be kept within not hidden from one another, but not exposed elsewhere unless necessary.
5. Set a good example
Every single member of the team needs to take pride in their work and be a good role model for others. Outperforming targets and suggesting new ideas regularly are all ways in which you can show others a good example.
6. Take turns and respect each other
Remember, everyone is equal and that everyone has good ideas. In meetings, each member should be given a chance to speak and voice their opinion. Acknowledging others when they are talking also shows respect and equality within the team.
7. There is no I in team
The team is considered a ‘we’ not a ‘you’ or and ‘I.’ To help morale, act selflessly and believe everyone else. Don’t turn up late or leave first, and make sure the work is divided equally between everyone.
8. Avoid negativity
Negativity in the office can have an affect on members so pessimistic feelings such as jealousy should be eradicated as soon as possible.
9. Develop
Resolving conflict, problem solving, feedback and communication are all important skills to develop in regards to work. Development training is important within in a team and employees should have that opportunity.
10. Celebrate and praise
Finally, if the team have achieved a goal or met a deadline then take some time out to celebrate. This can be very motivational as it makes staff feel rewarded and important.
Employee Teamwork
A cohesive team doesn’t typically come together by accident. Successful work teams are built by leaders who can instill a culture of employee teamwork tips for managers that increases productivity, improves performance, and boosts morale. Their teams function like well-oiled machines. Every employee has a clear role and responsibility and understands how his or her contribution fits into the team’s success.
Establishing a culture of employee teamwork means creating a workplace where collaboration is valued and encouraged. It takes a leader with a conscious and steadfast commitment to the idea that team building can truly make a difference in his or her organization. Team leaders can focus on the following five tips to create a work environment that values employee teamwork:
Start at the top:
Visible, enthusiastic support and participation from the company’s leadership is needed to develop a culture of employee teamwork. Employees naturally look to their leaders to set an example, so communicating goals and their role in achieving those goals is an important step in getting buy-in from employees.
People want to be part of a team, but only if they know what they’re working for, so a positive message of shared purpose and dedication can go a long way towards building employee teamwork throughout the organization.
Take a closer look at your culture:
Whether it consciously knows it or not, every company has a culture. Whether it’s a culture of competition or culture of collaboration, employees intuitively know the core values of the organization. Leaders need to communicate the importance of employee teamwork and be role models by practicing what they preach.
Take time:
Creating a culture of employee teamwork doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, commitment, and practice. It’s almost impossible to build a truly cohesive team if leaders only provide a company picnic once a year or especially if employees are only gathered together for quarterly meetings to discuss earnings, how the company is falling short, and what it needs employees to do to “pick up the slack.” These corporate meetings decimate morale, create infighting, and foster anti-company resentment. If they’re not careful, leaders can do more harm than good by holding company meetings.
Schedule regular activities:
Building on the last tip, establishing regular activities can make a huge impact on employee commitment, collaboration, and morale. Instead of holding one “feel-good” event every year, the most effective teams are created when leaders place importance on setting time aside every week or at least once a month for building employee teamwork.
Whether it’s a departmental lunch or a happy hour, regularly meeting outside of work can have a profound impact on team cohesiveness. It’s important to remember that as leaders we make time to do the things that are important to us, and this same idea carries over to the workplace. If team building is important, it will find its way into the work schedule.
Praise performance: The importance of recognizing both individual and team performance cannot be overstated. It’s no secret that people have a better outlook on their work and are more productive when they know their work makes a difference, so effective leaders reward high performers by specifically recognizing their team contribution and collaboration.
Building Teamwork
Building teamwork is one of the many responsibilities of any leader. From the CEO to the department manager, every employee in an organization plays an important role in its success or failure. Great leaders possess the ability to hire and develop the best talent, but their vision for the business can go unrealized if they are unable to assemble a group of people who can successfully work together.
Creating a suitable work environment where all employees feel valued and heard is a key aspect of building teamwork. Employees need to understand how their skills and roles fit into the bigger picture of the team as a whole, how their productivity affects team performance, and how the group’s collaborative team effort can achieve departmental and organizational goals.
Let’s take a closer look at what building teamwork means in the context of one-on-one interaction and group dynamics.
Understand goals:
The mission, vision, purpose, and objectives must be crystal clear, and the team must be committed to achieving them. Team clarity depends on adhering to goals, outcomes, and accountability.
Take risks:
Taking risks is an important part of building teamwork and developing innovative solutions. Each member needs to feel comfortable within the team environment to communicate, advocate, and take action on positions that may be outside the status quo but can move the team closer to achieving its goals.
Honestly communicate:
Communication must be authentic, open, and respectful where teamwork tips for managers members can freely and confidently express their opinions and potential solutions to problems, without feeling as if professional disagreements are personal attacks. Team members ask sincere questions and are invested in each other’s thoughts and actions because they will ultimately reflect on their performance.
Promote inclusion:
A strong sense of belonging to something larger than themselves is another key aspect of building teamwork. As they work closely together, employees are passionately committed to the group’s decisions and actions. Belonging is reinforced by team members taking the time to develop team norms together.
Recognize value:
Team members are seen as unique people with important ideas, experiences, points of view, opinions, and knowledge to contribute to the success of the team. Differences are embraced as team members realize that performance improves when diverse points of view can be openly presented, supported, and acted upon.
Constantly examine:
The team must continually examine itself to ensure the steady improvement of its practices, processes, and the interaction between team members. This focus enables team norms to be discussed and molded and explores the best ways to move forward.
Resolve conflicts:
Building teamwork also involves the team agreeing upon processes and procedures for diagnosing, analyzing, and resolving conflicts as they arise. Team cohesiveness does not support personality conflicts or petty disagreements that divert from the team’s purpose and goals.
Make smart decisions:
A highly functioning team is able to make intelligent quickly, impactful decisions that benefit the team, the department, and the entire organization. Each member of the team has the support and commitment of the group to effectively act on the decisions that are made.
