Why Should I Build a Sense of Teamwork Among my Staff Members?
When you have built a team, you have put together a group of people who are highly committed and consider themselves mutually accountable to achieve results. They each have clearly defined roles. They have measurable goals and a visible purpose around which to unite. And they have a leader—you.
This is true teamwork.
When people work together in an atmosphere of trust and accountability toward a common goal, they put aside turf issues and politics and focus on the tasks to be done. This focus of resources overcomes barriers, helps to identify new opportunities, and builds a momentum that leads to three major bottom-line benefits:
- Better problem solving
- Greater productivity
- More effective use of resources
Jon Katzenbach, author of The Wisdom of Teams, observes, "There is virtually no environment in which teams—if done right— can’t have a measurable impact on the performance of an organization."
Tell Me More
The term "team" is often used to refer to groups that meet over time to complete a project and then wind down (e.g., cross-functional teams). It is also used to describe a group that operates solely as a team, with the role of leader alternating (self-directed work teams), or a traditional staff that meets as a group on an ongoing basis to discuss operating issues. In this chapter, when the word team is used, it is a synonym for "teamwork."
Many departments do not operate as teams, or "practice teamwork." Members may talk to each other at the printer or over lunch, and their work efforts may be designed to meet the overarching objectives of the department, but these employees work on a day-to-day basis largely as individuals. This is unfortunate, for many business experts now believe that teamwork is critical to an organization’s productivity and profitability.
Downsizing, right-sizing, reorganizing, reengineering—all are indications of the pressure on organizations to reduce the size of their workforces. The only way to cope with this need to do more with less is by working cooperatively in an environment of respect, drawing on all the resources available to get the job done.
There is also a group of softer benefits of teamwork that greatly enhances the workplace:
- People enjoy working together and teamwork satisfies a need for socialization.
- Working together helps people grow as they learn from each other and develop important skills.
- Working together toward a common goal provides a sense of purpose that is motivating and fulfilling.
Need I say more about the benefits of teamwork?