The importance of teamwork cannot be underestimated,
especially in a business environment where a group of people are working
together to achieve set goals. The successful outcome of their teamwork will
reflect upon their individual abilities, their performance as a unit and on the
company as a whole.
It is not always possible to choose the members of a team
who will be working with you on a project. As this might be already done for
you, the next best thing you can do is get the group together and work out a
plan on how you all hope to achieve your goals. This will give you an idea of
the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals in the team and the fields in
which they specialise in or feel comfortable working. Having a range of
different skills and personalities working together can be a bonus especially
if each member of team is straight forward and honest about his abilities and
is happy in the role that he will be assigned in the team.
Communication with one another is an important part of good
teamwork and a group of people who share information and ideas freely with one
another have a definite advantage in achieving what they have set out to do.
Ideas should be communicated across all levels of the group so that a
supervisor or team manager knows exactly what the others are feeling and their
views are at every stage of their work. Coordinating and cooperating with each
other are a direct result of good communication and the more easily information
is shared the more responsive and proactive is the group.
Having respect for one another is a good foundation for any
team as is encouragement, support and appreciation for each other’s efforts.
Having favourites and ignoring some members of the team creates divisions and
animosity and will bring about negativity; an attribute any good team can do
without.
