How to Develop a Commitment to Teamwork

Within an organization, teamwork can not simply be a program – it should be a fundamental and necessary attitude. It is acknowledging that as a team we all bring our perspectives, backgrounds and expertise to bear in order to accomplish a job. It is the development of the supremely important aspect of trust in each other, realizing that without trust, there is no team.

Teamwork within the organization is having a high regard for each other and treating all people with respect. It is empowering people with the responsibility for all functions of the business. It is the powerful combination of workers who equip themselves to be competitive employees and people in leadership roles who provide a challenging work environment. It is the realization that all employees (team members) should be in a collective position to have a high degree of impact on the customers they serve.

Leaders should realize that it is important for people to be involved in creating, transforming and maintaining meaning within the organization. Participation and relationship building are a must and allows individuals to capitalize on their collective knowledge and use technology to influence their particular industry or organization deliverable. The use of teamwork ties it all together.

Teamwork involves combining the skills, talent, knowledge, and experience of all employees in a coordinated manner, realizing that narrow definitions of self-interest serve neither the customers, nor individual organization members. To be most effective teamwork needs to be embraced in principle and in practice through mutual support, encouragement and accountability, believing that by working together as a team and sharing knowledge, the organization can achieve much greater results than by working as individuals.

To best support the belief in, and commitment to teamwork, organization members must continually ask the following questions, in order to enhance their collective performance.

• Do I respect, have a high regard for, encourage and support others on my team with regard to acknowledging their perspective, background and expertise?

• Does our team demonstrate high trust in each other as well as extend trust and encouragement to other interrelated teams?

• Does our team display an intense dedication to the personal success of each team member as well as the organization as a whole?

• Do I, along with other team members, ensure that we have the best talent available on our team, and that our individual talent and skill is used to the fullest extent possible?

• Do I, along with other team members, routinely handle the close-to-the-work functions of “planning, organizing, directing and controlling” the work required for meeting our stated objectives?

• Does our team know who our internal and external customers are?

• Does our team interact effectively with each other, with our customers, with other teams and with those in leadership roles?

• Am I willing to take on a different role that at times is not being filled?

• Do we as a team regularly identify and solve problems within our control?

• Is our team well versed in the business strategy of the organization?

• Does our team encourage all members to provide input without regard to their background?

• Does our team create an environment in which team members feel they can freely express their views?

• Do I place the success of the team ahead of my own personal success?

(I.e. there is no “I” in team)

• Do I respect the decisions made by experts inside and outside the team who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining the balance between business efficiency and challenging the status quo?

• As a person of high technical ability and insight, do I take the personal responsibility to share my knowledge and build a solid working relationship with others who are less qualified or have less insight?

As an organization, it should continue to rely on familiar team tactics to drive organizational business growth. At the same time, the organization must encourage a greater degree of teams toward using unconventional out-of-the-box thinking to uncover and take advantage of the less obvious growth opportunities. One of the most powerful forms of challenging conventional thinking and increasing learning is peer-group interaction. Teams promote this dynamic interchange of ideas and shared learning among a diverse group. Teams provide a rich pool of knowledge by allowing individuals to share collective experiences and challenge each other to provide new ways of thinking. Research shows (1.) adults learn best from one another in an atmosphere that stimulates collaboration and teamwork and (2.) teamwork can produce greater results than by working as individuals. Because the potential payoffs can be enormous for the individual and the organization, the organization that wants to become great should be committed to teamwork.

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