How to Achieve Effective Teamwork in The Workplace

Too often, when asked if we can work in a team, we respond affirmatively until we are confronted with an annoying teammate that seems to bring out all the bad sides of us.

Now you wish you could work on your own, but you already promised your employer that you work excellently in teams.

Does teamwork really make the dream work, then?

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together

Martha Goedert

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The Secret To Creating Your Dream Career

04-04-2023

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Typically, everyone who has ever worked in a team agrees that the process is a bit slower than working on your own. However, they cannot disagree with the fact that working as a team makes their work better and shares the workload. Well, that's if you are in a good team.

The Dynamics of a Good Team.

1. There is trust within the team to aid collaboration.

2. There is enthusiasm for work.

3. The team members trust and support their team lead and other team members.

4. Team goals are clear, and the members are committed to achieving the set goals.

5. Open communication is encouraged, as well as constructive criticism is freely given and warmly received.

Unfortunately, we may have all found ourselves in teams which do the exact opposite of what is considered a good team. What, then, causes bad team dynamics? I thought we all said we were good at working in teams; what's happening now?

Causes of Bad Team Dynamics

1. Weak Leadership

When the team lead is not strong enough to stand his ground and steer the team towards achieving the set goal, the team members each decide to do their own thing, which affects the cohesion of the team.

2. Individualistic Nature

This is the worst thing that can happen in a team when team members move from “us” and “we” to “me”. This is deadly as it breeds unhealthy competition amongst the team members, which usually does not yield positive results.

3. Unclear Goals

There will be misplaced priorities when the team is unsure of what they are working towards. This leads to a disrupted flow of information as no one knows who is in charge of what, and the team members can play the blame game.

4. Free Riding

As much as everyone tries to prevent this, there always seems to be a team member that enjoys free riding in the group and does not contribute at all. This happens when there is an improper delegation of tasks. Thus, one can assume a laid-back attitude and leave the rest of the team members to finish up the task.

At this point, you may wonder, what then is the use of working in a team? Is it possible to have a great team?

Tips on Creating the Dream Team!

1. Know the team you are working with

Usually, people misunderstand this and think they have to be besties with their teammates and all up in their personal space before the team can work cohesively. Wrong! Knowing the team means knowing their strengths and weaknesses and how each person contributes to the achievement of the set goals. Knowing this helps you manage each team member to give off their best.

2. Create shared values and goals

In doing this, the team is able to agree on values they will all uphold collectively. This also helps the team feel unified as they are part of the process and realise that they have common goals and values.

3. Create clear channels of communication

When communication is emphasised, team members feel free to air out their ideas, suggestions and even potential issues they have. This creates a conducive environment for growth as a team, both in working together and in the delivery of their work.

4. Get up and Go out

Why don’t you also consider team-building exercises? Sometimes all people need is fresh air to feel at ease. Probably constantly being in the workplace causes them to feel tension around their teammates. This is a great way to build trust amongst teammates and make everyone feel included instead of nurturing cliques.

5. Tackle issues quickly:

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

Songs of Solomon 2:15

Just like the little foxes, keep your eyes out for warning signs of team dysfunction. Once you understand that you still have disagreements even with your siblings or parents who have lived with you for the longest time, you will understand that you cannot expect the team to gel so finely throughout. Therefore, do not wait till issues become prominent; catch the little foxes before they ruin your vineyard of a good team.

Working in a team can sometimes be a blessing or a curse, it really depends on how you work around it. Remember just like everything, working in a team is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Iterate and keep working at it, with time, you would have the best team ever.

For further reading on teamwork, there is a great New York Times article on what Google learned on their quest to create the perfect team. Indulge yourself.