Grow your business with effective teamwork
TEAMWORK in business is no longer viewed as a glamorous value-add, exclusive to high-performing organisations. It is now an integral part of the success of your business in general. A strategic approach that ideally integrates into business models at all levels.
This concept also applies to all types of businesses. Whenever there is more than one person involved, teamwork is at play.
Basic examples of teamwork skills in the workplace include efficient and practical communication and honesty. It is about creating a comfortable environment that champions consistent communication. An integral part of this activity, which separate the leaders from the employees, is active listening.
With active listening comes empathy and collaboration. It walks parallel with respect for one another and working towards a common goal.
Responsibility is also key. Within the dynamic of teamwork, it is important that the parties involved both understand the work they are responsible for and make the effort to complete said tasks on time and up to the expected standard.
Awareness, respect, and logical thinking are the key drivers when it comes to accepting or sharing responsibility in the business. It all ties together in an ecosystem of skills that can be taught, practiced, and mastered. As long as everyone is working towards the good of the group and business, success is in reach.
The teamwork in the modern-day workplace
The structure of teams within businesses has also significantly changed. The formal borders between departments and units have given way to a more translucent, value-adding approach towards organisational goal-achievement.
These teams are known by many names but are generally called task teams and/or project teams. They tend to be activated on an ad-hoc/per project basis. They have become vital to business survival in a continuously evolving marketplace linked to global competitiveness.
Integration and synergy between team members are key if the expected outcome is ultimately to improve the productivity of the team as a whole. The importance of mutual respect for the individual input of each team member is a determining factor in the success of this process.
There are numerous ways to reinforce effective teamwork in the office and amongst employees, although a couple of common denominators come to mind and can be used as simple steps to fast-track the equation.
Goal alignment: why teamwork is important in business success
Ensure that the entire team understands and aligns with the organisational goals. The team needs to understand how their goals and collaboration efforts slot into the strategy of the organisation.
A mutual understanding of goals will ensure that there is individual dedication towards a joint cause. Reinforcing a common message is key. Ways of doing this could be visual display of the team goals as well as group identity formation such as giving the team a name and rewarding the team collectively when goals are reached.
Mutual respect: an overlooked skill in business
Allow team members a certain level of sophistication when it comes to adaptation and acceptance of each other’s personalities and ways of working in general.
A well-known fact is that teams form first by storming, then norming, then performing, ‘then evaluation and adjourning. A key component during this entire process is mutual respect.
Determine the rules of engagement upfront and display the rules visually so that all team members know how to react in a conflict situation and are aware of the remedial interventions in place.
Spend time on this seemingly trivial part of team formation as this lays the foundation of the new universal identity being formed.
By reinforcing mutual respect for each team member’s individual contribution, the team identity will inevitably be a resultant outcome. This will lay a solid foundation for future team formation in your business.
Confirm and contract roles and responsibilities
Ineffective teamwork in the workplace usually resonates around uncertainty. Such teams have not been activated with individual responsibilities aligned towards the common goal of the team.
Ownership remains a key factor for team success. As a businessperson, one prioritises areas that you will be measured on. You value your individual contribution towards a goal and would like to be recognised and measured for your input. The same premise is applicable when working in a team.
Do not allow grey areas to stifle the importance of team deliverables. When activating the team, ensure that your team members understand that their individual accountability will also be equated. Reinforce this message and your commitment will be stronger.
As a manager, your role regarding team formation is to be a facilitator of change. You need to always tune into the team dynamics and need to respect the formation of a team as a process of change, requiring time and effort. The temperature of the team dynamics and culture should continuously be taken and responded to by managers.
Tips for managers
- Reinforce the team goal at every meeting.
- Set up recurring meeting intervals to ensure members take the scheduling of the sessions seriously (fixed time slots instead of flexi intervals).
- Ensure minutes of team meetings are recorded as per normal governance procedures.
- Have a rotating chairperson at the meeting to ensure that all team members get an opportunity to own the holistic view of the team’s objectives.
- Link the individual team members to a specific action list after each meeting and add it as a standard agenda item.
- Allow a couple of minutes to reflect on the project’s journey at the beginning of each meeting. This will reinforce the commitment of the members and may ignite passion and energy toward the project.
The ultimate success of teamwork is that the cumulative outcome exceeds its individual parts. This symphony of input can lead to an increase in productivity in your business.