No matter the size of the company, teams made up of people from different backgrounds and with varied experiences must be able to work together to achieve results. Knowing the basic rules of teamwork is essential for these collaborations to go smoothly. Every organization wants its teams to work collaboratively and with determination to achieve its goals and vision.
Yet only some manage to build an effective team, often because employees need to see the direct benefits. This explains why teamwork is generally considered an essential soft skill. The five “Cs” of teamwork were designed to help any team find its place. Recognized as one of the best ways to build team spirit, the principle of the five Cs:
- Communications,
- Camaraderie (team spirit),
- Commitment,
- Confidence (trust),
- Coachability (the ability to be coached).
As you work in each of these areas, you will see significant changes in yourself and your teammates. Communication for effective teamwork is much more than an efficient way to work. Good communication is essential to the proper functioning of any team since it helps close ranks and consolidate the troops’ morale.
It helps build bonds of trust, creates an atmosphere of collegiality between team members, influences the well-being of employees, and helps them stay involved in their workplace. At the level of the hierarchical superiors, transparent communication must allow managers and team leaders to be accessible. Typically, this results in equality and empowerment and then quality teamwork.
Communicate Concisely
If you’re leading a project, learn to delegate tasks and explain what needs to be done and why as clearly and briefly as possible. Even if you’re a team member, encourage brevity in status and retro updates.
Your team may prefer communication by email, instant message, or phone. It’s up to you to decide which medium makes the most sense for your specific conversation. Don’t get us wrong, that doesn’t mean you have to be rude or abrupt; explain what needs to be effectively presented.
Explain …Always
Brevity is not an antonym of clarity. When you make a decision or make a choice on a typical project, your colleagues may disagree with you. A clear explanation will help team members see your point of view and understand the bigger picture.
Not everyone has the same ideas and feelings on each project, and so much the better. Allowing people to share differing opinions or alternative ideas can lead to discussions and solutions that have yet to be considered.
Use Meetings Wisely
Depending on the objectives and the schedule, the teams should meet at least once a week, more often if necessary. But we all have in mind meetings that could have been held in an email or teams that base all their communication on acute meningitis. Thus, contact is effective only if it has an interest for the addressee.
Each team is different and contributes to achieving a common goal by bringing different perspectives and experiences. Team meetings are essential in the workplace, as they allow members to discuss and keep each other informed. The advantages of the meeting as a pillar of teamwork:
- Offers a platform to exchange and share;
- Helps to understand other team members better;
- Creates a positive work environment and healthy relationships;
- Provides an opportunity to receive feedback;
- Allows you to learn and grow, etc.
Working In A Team Requires Maintaining Good Relationships
Friendships and a good team spirit have often been considered among the most critical factors in job satisfaction. No wonder teams that have better-working relationships with each other also perform better.
It is assumed that members of these teams share their views and experiences more openly. When team spirit is lacking, unhealthy competitiveness and ego can emerge and change a team’s dynamic. These character traits tend to decrease individual and group performance and reduce productivity.
Think Collectively Before The Individual
The term “team” refers to a group united around the same objective. A collective working for a common cause can accomplish much more in a single day than an individual can achieve over a long period. Encouraging a healthy working relationship is, therefore, a significant factor in business. Showing respect for each of your colleagues should go without saying, but sometimes it is necessary to remember it.
Because beyond simple courtesy, everyone should be treated fairly and with integrity, this will encourage positivity, productivity, and loyalty and help your co-workers be less likely to let you down in difficult times. Although there is no fixed approach to establishing or strengthening a spirit of camaraderie within a team, certain key elements can help create a sense of community and cohesion.
Tips for strengthening relationships within a team (also applicable if you work remotely ):
- Communicate with your teammates;
- Trust your teammates and respect them;
- Share your ideas and support each other;
- Make and accept constructive criticism;
- Give credit to your team members;
- Encourage socializing activities (like an after work );
- Think teamwork and humor;
- Value the singularities of your teammates, etc.
Commitment: The Basic Rule Of Teamwork
A group working tirelessly but with a clear vision will get somewhere. Teamwork requires that each member understands exactly the tasks assigned to their team. The respective roles, as well as performance expectations, of each team member should be clearly defined. On the other hand, if your team is assigned unrealistic objectives and tasks, it should not be surprising that it cannot meet its deadlines.
Each cog needs to know precisely what it needs to do, day-to-day, to ensure the team achieves its larger goals. Large teams are often divided into small sub-teams to maintain the same dynamic type. Team members need this clarity to work at cross purposes and step on each other’s toes.
Identify Weak Links In The Team
A negative attitude can compromise a team’s performance. Personal interests can hamper the productivity of even a competent member. Some employees need help to evolve. If a team member disrupts its proper functioning and harms general cohesion, there is no place for it. Indeed, it is unfair to the rest of the team to put up with their negativity and the resulting problems. It is sometimes helpful to involve management to get to the root of the problem.
The Team Must Establish A Climate Of Trust
One of the five rules of teamwork states that trust is at the heart of any successful personal and professional relationship. Faith is necessary for collaboration to become possible. Indeed, to have a cohesive, motivated, and above all, efficient group, team cohesion is essential.
Within a work team, the trust between its members is illustrated by the group’s ability to listen and consider diverging opinions, rely on teammates, share tasks while remaining constructive, and exchange information without afterthoughts.
Conversely, if your teammates show individualism, their objectives take precedence over the collective interest, which can result in increased competition, retention of information, and go as far as sabotage. Some behaviors to develop to work in a team while trusting each other:
- Transparency and honesty;
- Honoring your commitments;
- Consistency between your words and your actions;
- Openness to feedback (given and received), etc.
Working In A Team Means Being Able To Learn
The ability to learn refers to the willingness of employees to accept feedback and constructive criticism and to use these to improve their job performance. An employee can learn and grow through instruction from another person, whether a manager, mentor, or co-worker.
Our instinct often causes us to become defensive when subjected to criticism and even to adopt a negative attitude as soon as we feel that someone is pointing the finger at our weak points. However, for an employee, being “coachable” or open to coaching in good French has many advantages, such as increased job satisfaction, better collaboration, and the opening of new development opportunities.
Careers. This skill is essential when one wants to excel in a team. Tips for managing a team well: The manager or team leader is the guarantor of the result to be achieved by the team, even if he has to rely on the team to obtain this result. The difference between two equally competent teams often comes down to their leadership.
Leading by example is one of the most important golden rules for creating and working effectively in a team. A leader who demonstrates empathy and intelligence while being an active team member is more likely to generate positive results and sustainably boost team morale, unlike a selfish leader.
Choose Monster For A Change Of Scenery
Teamwork and team building are active topics that fluctuate from company to company. These general teamwork rules are guidelines for a strong team. If you’ve been searching for this kind of work atmosphere in vain in your current company, it might be time for a change of scenery. Monster helps and guides you through your application. By creating a candidate profile on our platform and sharing your CV, you will have access to hundreds of job offers in your area.
Read Also: Top 10 Free Online Gantt Chart Software 2023
