The importance of teamwork for agility at work - BetterUp

Teamwork motivates employees to trust and rely on one another. This encourages friendship and respect for everyone around them. By advocating ... UnlockyourbestselfwithmentalfitnessroutineswithTaraLipinskiandJohnnyWeir BlogTopics Research&Insights Leadership&Management Well-being Coaching Diversity&Inclusion BetterUpProduct Culture CustomerStories Hiring ProfessionalDevelopment Collaboration Sales BlogHomepage AboutUs betterup.com Followus #} UnlockyourbestselfwithmentalfitnessroutineswithTaraLipinskiandJohnnyWeir BlogTopics Research&Insights Leadership&Management Well-being Coaching Diversity&Inclusion BetterUpProduct Culture CustomerStories Hiring ProfessionalDevelopment Collaboration Sales BlogHomepage AboutUs betterup.com Followus #} Theimportanceofteamworkforagilityatwork ByMaggieWooll October25,2021-16minread Sharethisarticle Jumptosection What’stheimportanceofteamworkintheworkplace? Thebottomlineontheimportanceofteamwork You'velikelyheardthesaying,“Thewholeisgreaterthanthesumofitsparts.”AndwhileAristotlewasnotreferringtoteamwork,thestatementexpressesthemaingoalofbuildingagreatteam. Ateamcanachievefarmorethananyindividualworkingalone.That'sobvious.Butthroughteamwork,ateamshouldbeabletoachievefarmorethanalloftheindividualmembersworkingalone. Mostofushavebeenonteamswherewewouldn'tsaythatisalwaysthecase.  Ittakesmorethanonebrilliantmindtoachieveagoal,especiallyastheissueswe'retryingtosolvebecomemorecomplex,nosinglepersonhasalloftheinformation,context,andskillsneeded.Ittakesateamforgreatideastocometolife. Whyisbeingpartofateamnotalwaysfulfilling? Youcan’tsimplyputagroupofpeopleintoaroomandexpectmiraclestohappen.Utilizingthediversetalentsandperspectivesofteammembers,havingaclearsharedobjective,andeffectivecollaborationallhelpgiveateamthepowertogrowandsucceed. Doneright,workingtogetherandbeingpartofateamdrivessuccessfortheindividualandthecompany.Whenateamgrowsandlearns,sodoesthecompany'sabilitytobeagileandcreatevalueforcustomers. Eachteammember'sskillsandabilitiesshouldgrowfasteraswell.  That'sthepowerofgreatteamwork. Let’stakealookattheimportanceofteamsandhowtomaketeamworkworkintheworkplace. What’stheimportanceofteamworkintheworkplace? Collaborationisoneofthemostimportantskillsforanyemployee’scareersuccess.Asaleader,findingwaystoencourageandimprovecollaborationamongmembersofyourteamisequallyimportantforteamsuccessandyourown. Everyonehasadifferentroletoplay.Whetheryou'reallintheofficeoryou'reteamisremote,asamanager,yourjobistodrawoutthedifferentcapabilitiesonyourteamandfindwaystousethemtoachievebetteroutcomes. Ifyou'reateammember,yourjobistoplaytheroleassignedtoyou,butalso,identifyifthere'sagap.Sometimesyouneedtojumpinandseewhatotherrolesyoucanfill.Allofthoserolesneedtobefulfilledinordertoachieveprogress. Collaboratingasateamisnotsomethingthatcomesnaturallytoeverybody.Asaleader,it'shelpfultohighlighttheimportanceofteamwork.Butyoualsohavetodemonstrateeverydayhowandwhyteamworkiscriticalwithinyourparticularworkplace.Leadersneedtomodelcooperativebehavior,recognizepeoplewhoarecollaboratingwell,andadvocatefortoolsandperformancemeasuresthatsupportcollaboration. Healthycooperationisinstrumentaltoworkplaceproductivity. Workingtogetheralsopromotesfastdevelopment.Itstreamlineseffectivecommunicationintheworkplace andprovideseveryonetheopportunitytofeelrecognizedandvalidated intheircontributiontotheteam. Withoutproperdirectionandguidance,eventhemosttalentedcolleagueswillstruggletoworktogetherasateam.Effectiveteamworkisaskillset allonitsown.Ittakestimeandexperiencetolearnhowitworks andwhyitissoimportant. Sowhatdoesteamworkmeantoyouandyourbusiness?Herearetenreasonswhyteamworkisacrucialelementofanyefficientworkplace. 1.Bringsnewideas Allbusinessesneedfreshideastopullthecompanyforwardandachieveteamgoals.Thecompetitivenatureofbusinessrequiresemployeestofindfreshwaystoinnovateandinspiregrowth.Withoutteamwork,manycreativeideas maygoundiscovered. Someemployeesmayfeelshyorunsureofthemselves atfirst.However,withenoughencouragement,eventhemostunlikelyofemployeesmayhavesomethingbrillianttobringtothetable. Giveyourworkforceavoice,andwhattheysaymaysurpriseyou. 2.Helpssolveproblems Problem-solvingformsahugepartofanysuccessfulbusiness.Ifyoutakeastepback,youcanseethatyourteamsarealwayssolvingtheproblemofhowtodelivermorevaluetothecustomer. Andastechnologyadvancesandneedschangemorequickly,theproblemsyourteamneedstosolvearegettingmorecomplex. Thatmeanstheoddsofonepersonknowinghavingthebestanswerforhowtoaddressaproblemisunlikely.Morelikely,mostproblemsoropportunitiesrequireavarietyofskills,perspectives,andknowledge.  Ateamismorelikelytobringtheperspectivesandexperiencesthatsolveaproblemthanonepersonontheirown. Teamworkisaboutmorethanbrainstorming—gettingsomeideasonthetableisjustthebeginning.Moreeffectivebrainstorminginvolvescombiningideasandbuildingoffthem.Thistypeofcollaboration,amongteammemberswhotrustandrespecteachother,isasimpler,faster,andmuchmoreeffectivewaytofindsolutions. Thinkofitascollectivetroubleshooting.Themoreperspectivesyouhave,themorelikelyyouaretosolvetheproblem. Brainstormingcreatesanopenarenafortheexchangeofthoughts.Themistakeistothinkofitassortingthroughideasuntilyoustrikegold.Itislessaboutseeingonegreatideathanhavingabunchofdifferentpeoplekickingthetiresandaddingontoituntilitbecomessomethingaltogetherdifferent,andbetter.  Thistypeofopen,safe,andmotivatedenvironmentcanbeveryenergizing.Thiscreatesasenseofsatisfactionandaccomplishmentthatisrewardingandmakesworkfeelmoremeaningful. Brainstorminghasotherbenefitsbesidesgeneratingideas.AstudybyNIUresearchersfoundthatbrainstormingcanbeusedtobuildcohesiveness,whichinturncanlessenemployeeturnoverandincreaseemployeecommitment. 3.Motivatesunityintheworkplace Asenseofunityintheworkplaceisreallyimportantforhighemployeeengagementlevels andjobsatisfaction.Societylikestodivideusandfocusonthewaysinwhichwearedifferent.Butbyrecognizingtheimportanceofteamwork,youcanmotivatecamaraderieamongstyouremployees. Teamworkimproveswheneveryonefeelsheard,seen,andrecognizedfortheirvalueasanemployeeandasanindividual.Promotingasenseofcommunityandsocialconnection withintheworkplaceoffersfulfillment.Ithelpsemployeesfosteramuch-neededsenseofbelonging. 4.Buildsmorale Companymorale isacrucialaspectofemployeemanagement. Buildingmoralegivesemployeesthestrengththeyneedtopushforwardandtaketheirprofessiontothenextlevel.Workingasateamcanboostmoralelevelsbykeepingspiritshighandcanevenallowpeopletohavefunwhiletheywork. Teamworkmotivates employeestotrustandrelyononeanother.Thisencouragesfriendshipandrespect foreveryonearoundthem.Byadvocatingforteamworkandpositiveworkingrelationships,youcanstrengthencompanymoraleandkeepeveryonefeelingsatisfied. 5.Promoteslearninganddevelopment Beingpartofateamallowspeoplewhowouldn’tnormallyspeakup tosharetheirpointsofview.Theirinsightsandperceptionscouldbereallyvaluabletothebusiness. Promotingteam-buildingactivitiesmeansthatinformationismoreevenlydistributed.Anditcreatespeer-to-peerlearningopportunities,helpingindividualsdeveloptheirskillsandexpertisemorerapidly.Bylearningfromoneanother,employeescanleveragetheknowledgeandexperienceoftheircolleagues. Hostingcollaborativeeventsprovidesagreatopportunitytoteachemployeesnewskills.Plus,itkeepstheenergyoftheofficelightandfresh(whetherworkinginanofficeorremotely). 6.Teamsinnovatefaster Innovation isacriticalcomponentofanyforward-thinkingcompany.Teamworkisagreatwaytonurtureit.Manyofthebestideasyourcompanyhaswillcomefromitsemployees.Buttheywon’tbeabletosharetheirinnovationsunlessyouopenupthefloor. Empoweryouremployees bygivingthemtheopportunitytoexerciserealcollaboration.Getthemtoworkasateamoncertainprojects.Withthepowerofeveryone’smindscombined,trueinnovationcannaturallydevelop. Bouncingideasoffoneanotherisanessentialpartofcompanyprogress.Bringingeveryonetogetherasagroupcanhelpthoseideasloosenupandstarttakingform.Thebestinnovationsoftenrequiretheinputofmorethanoneperson,whichiswhyit’sbettertosucceedasateam. 7.Teamsself-monitor Contrarytopopularbelief,beingpartofateamcanactuallymakeyoumoreindependent.Whenyou’reworkingasagroup,thosewhodon’tpulltheirweightarequicklyleftbehind.Allwhilemoreresponsibleteammembersgotheextramile. Introducingteamworkexercisescanhelpemployeeslearnwhattheirstrengthsandweaknessesare.Thisway,theycanlearnhowbesttocontributeandputtheirskillstouse. Manypeoplefeeluncertainabouttheirroleswithintheworkplace.However,teamworkexercisescanteachthemtotakeownershipoftheirpositions.Itencouragesthemtodevelopaccountabilityfortheirroleinachievingteamgoals. 8.Providesimprovedefficiencyandproductivity Yourbusinessisonlyasgoodasthepeopleyouemploy.Individualscreaterealmotionwhenactingcohesively. Teamworkintheworkplacemeansamoreefficientandproductiveworkforce,bundlingeveryone’sskills,ideas,andexperiencestobuildsomethingnew.Workingtogethersavestimeandprovideseveryonewithmoreenergy tofocusongettingthejobdone. Bygettingyouremployeestoworkasateam,youcanimprovetheproductivitylevelsofeveryonepresent.Youcanactualizeinnovativeideaswithmoreefficiency,makingtheimportanceofteamworkclear. 9.Createshealthycompetition Sometimes,teamworkopensupthepossibilitytoovercomechallenges thatcannotbedonealone.There’snothinglikealittlecompetitiontogetpeoplepushingtheirlimits.Teamworkisonewaytorallyemployeesagainstwhateverchallengesyourcompanyisfacing. Healthycompetitioncaninvigorateemployeesandspureachotherontosolveproblems.Someresearchstudiessuggestthatworkplacecompetitioncanmotivateemployeesandmakethemputinmoreeffort. Teamworkcanalsoprovideemployeeswiththeopportunitytoexercisecompromise andlearnhowtodealwithteamconflict. 10.Promotesworkplacesynergy Synergyiswhathappenswhentwoormoregroupscometogetherandactasonetoachievesomethinggreat.Workplacesynergyisimportantforbusinessmomentum.Itdirectlyreflectshowcooperativeagroupofemployeesreallyis. Askingagroupofindividualstoworktogethertoaccomplishacommongoalistheultimatetestofstrengthandpotential.Ifyouwanttoseehowfaryourbusinesscanreallygo,assemblingastrong,communicative,andinnovativegroupofpeopleiscrucialtosuccess. Teamworkintheworkplacerequirescompromise,sacrifice,perseverance,andmanymorepositiveattributes.Thebestwaytopromoteahighstandardofworkplacesynergyisthroughteamworkgrowth. Thebottomlineontheimportanceofteamwork  Whenitcomestotacklingnewchallenges,theimportanceofteamworkisimpossibletounderestimate.It’sthegluethatholdseveryonetogether. Teamworkensuresthatmomentumisconsistentlymaintained.Inbusiness,thatmomentumisprecious.Anymethodsofincreasingefficiencymustbetakenseriously. Beingpartofateamfortifiesthebondbetweenindividualemployees.Itallowsthemtoembracetheirpositionwithinthegreatersystemoftheworkforce. Whentheworkloadissharedbetweeneveryone,thingsgetdonefasterandmoreefficiently.Thisprovideseveryonewithasenseofprideandconfidenceintheroletheyplay. Butmorethanthat,asamanager,youcannotsucceedifyouaren'tdevelopingeffectiveteams.Teamworkiscriticalforagility. Withawiderangeofspecializedpackagesandcoachingoptions,BetterUpcansupportyourbusinessinitsjourney.Thekeystounlockingpeakteamworksynergyintheworkplaceforbothyourin-personandvirtualteams areinyourhands. Requestademo withustoday. ProductivityCollaborationBusiness PublishedOctober25,2021 MaggieWoollManagingEditor BacktoBlog ReadNext EmployeeExperience 16minread |April28,2021 Whatareself-managedteams(andhowcanyoucreatethem)? 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