Team Building

Team building practices and activities are important for engaging individuals and increasing communication flow throughout the group. It is a way to remind the team what its goals are and to make sure the team is still on the right track.

Regular meetings are essential for keeping everyone on track, addressing issues and concerns and reiterating team goals. This will help to resolve underlying issues and remind everyone of the important role they play for the team.

A good functioning team means that all members get along and communicate well. Some companies have sponsored nights for employees so that they can go out together and get to know each other. These kind of nights can greatly improve the effectiveness of a team. Members feel a sense of belonging and feel valued and appreciated by the company. 

Many companies utilize creative team building practices. What are some examples beside office meetings and outings?

Teamwork in Organized Sports

Learning to work well with others is a very important skill in both sports and in life. The success rate of a team is exemplified by the group’s cohesiveness and ability to work as one unit. Teamwork is the defining characteristic of professional sports teams. In organized sports, plays are rehearsed with each player knowing his or her role to contribute to the team.

For instance in soccer there is the forward, midfielder, defender and the goalie. Each position is conscious of its designated role and is aware of their other team members. This ensures that all corners of the field are covered and there is no overlap of positions. 

Teamwork is a vital characteristic for any team’s success. All players understand that they need to work together to achieve the same goal. Together, a team can overcome any challenges placed in front of them.  All sports have some form of teamwork involved. Leave a comment below on a sport you may think does not use teamwork and I will explain to you how they do in fact use teamwork. 

What does teamwork stand for?

Even Insects and Animals Understand Teamwork

Humans could learn quite a bit from animals and insects about teamwork. Many species of animals and insects have an instinct to work as a team in order to accomplish goals for the good of the team. A lion pride, flock of birds, school of fish and colony of ants are all examples of species that use teamwork to accomplish a common goal.

Ants are one of the best examples of effective teamwork. They do not compete for recognition, instead, they work together to succeed and accomplish a common goal. 

Bees are another great example on how teamwork is essential for their survival.

All bees work together to build a better home. They all bring honey home to build their hive for their queen. 

A lion pride is a great example on how they use teamwork to catch food. They know that individually they will not be able to take down some of their prey, so instead, they work as a team to take down their targets. They each have specific roles and procedures during the take down and by having this, they can become a very successful, and efficient, team. 

Now that we know that different types of species work as a team for a common goal, is it possible for two different species to form a successful team? If so, which species do this and how do they work together? 

What makes up a successful team?

Teamwork can be a great solution to many problems in the workplace today, however, some teams do not work well together at all. Unsuccessful teamwork can result in increased frustration, cause employee dissatisfaction and lower productivity which all contribute to a negative work environment. An effective team share some or all of the following characteristics.

A Small Team with a Diverse Makeup.  A team made up of 4 or 5 is optimum for many projects. With larger groups, comes more difficulties such as interacting constructively and agreeing on actions. Teams should be comprised of a variety of individuals including males and females who all differ in age, ethnicity, social background, training and experience. This will help the team generate the most creative decisions. Diversity within the team will help to avoid narrow views and culturally specific opinions.

Agreement on Purpose. Any successful or effective team begins with a shared purpose and collective goals. Members of the team must understand and be fully committed to the mission, goals and objectives that the team has been created for.

Agreement on Procedures. Effective teams develop guidelines at the beginning of their project. They set up specific goals and deadlines for each team member to follow. All members are assigned roles and tasks so that everyone can contribute equally and effectively. It is important to monitor practices and procedures to ensure that all individuals are working towards the teams goals.

Confronting Conflict. Teams the avoid conflict and prefer sulking, gossiping or bickering usually tend to be poor functioning. Conflict is better when acknowledged and addressed openly by using the six-step plan.

1.             Listen
2.             Understand the other’s point of view
3.             Show a concern for the relationship
4.             Look for common ground
5.             Invent new problem-solving options
6.             Reach an agreement based on what’s fair

Confrontation must always be task oriented and NOT person oriented. After hearing all sides a team must now negotiate a fair settlement, no matter on how long this can take.

Good Communication. A successful team knows how to share information and ideas in an informal environment. They speak clearly and concisely, avoiding generalities. Feedback is one of the most important part of good communication. Before responding, listeners are actively involved and ask clarifying questions. Very successful teams often are able to inject humour into their interactions.

Collaborate don’t Compete. Working unselfishly and working together is the key in a successful team. When teams start to compete, the mission and the goals seem to fall apart. Individuals may be looking for recognition from an employer or manager. All members of an effective team are genuinely interested in achieving a common goal. Remember, there is no “I” in team.

Ethical Responsibilities of Team Members. All team members have responsibilities to their members, their larger organizations and to society. They all have specific responsibilities to each other. They are responsible to represent the organization’s view and must respect its confidential information.

Shared Leadership. Leadership in an effective team normally rotates to those with the appropriate expertise in that area. This gives each team member the opportunity to take leadership in certain areas of the project that they are most knowledgeable in.

These are the main characteristics of a successful team, but I am sure there are many more factors I am missing. If you are part of a team, what are some pros and cons of the information I have provided you with? Does the above information adequately summarize the aspects of a successful team? 

References

Guffey, M. E., Loewy, D., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2013). Business Communication: Process & Product. Nelson.