Elements of Teamwork in the Workplace

Teamwork can be an important part of an effective workplace. An efficient team can be trained as a
group, help each other maximize their job performance, and help to make an inviting and productive
atmosphere for new team members. Certain elements of teamwork in the workplace should be in
place for your company to benefit from group organization.

Collaboration

Collaboration is an important element to any team. According to Penn State University, teamwork allows
projects to get done that one person alone is not able to complete. Members of the team bring in their own
experiences and level of expertise to a project to help create an effective finished product. To collaborate
effectively the team must be able to communicate and share ideas, and there also needs to be a feeling of
respect in place for each team member's contribution.

Conflict Resolution

After a team has started working together there can be conflict, according to the online Reference for
Business. Some people feel their ideas are not being heard, and others feel that their ideas should
always be part of the team's solution. There could also be a struggle for leadership of the group that
can threaten to diminish the group's effectiveness. The element of conflict resolution within a team
means leaving room for everyone's contributions, developing the ability to listen to all ideas and
creating a method of consensus that is used to develop a solution the team can agree on.

Roles And Responsibilities

A team is only effective when the members understand their roles and responsibilities within the group, and
endeavor to execute them effectively. According to the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development
Centers, a task given to a group is completed more effectively when the responsibilities are distributed fairly
among the group members. Each member is assigned a part of the task based on his role within the group and
his level of expertise.

Differing Points of View

One of the strengths of teamwork within an organization is the ability to bring together differing points of view
to create a solution to an issue. According to Penn State University, an effective team creates solutions that are
manufactured from the many different perspectives of the individual group members. This helps to see a
situation from several different angles, and can create a solution that no one individual could create on his
own.
The Definition of Teamwork in the Workplace
Teamwork is a word that is often thrown around in the business world. However, what exactly is
meant by the actual term "teamwork" may differ from one business to the next or even from one
person to the next. The difficulty in establishing a definition for the term stems from the fact that it
actually consists of several facets.

Cooperation

Teamwork in the workplace involves cooperation among workers. This cooperation is usually for the sake of a
common goal that the entire team is working toward -- such as a sales quota or some other measurable
outcome. In some cases, however, the common goal may be something more nebulous, such as the well-being
of the company. Teamwork requires that all workers contribute their fair share to the workload so that the
company can accomplish its goals in a timely and satisfactory manner.

Relationships

Teamwork is more complicated than cooperation among workers. While cooperation is essential to teamwork,
it is only partially able to help teams reach their goals. A willingness to cooperate stems from relationships that
develop between coworkers or between employees and the employer. Teamwork cannot exist without this
relational component, even if the extent of the relationship is minimal. Teamwork does not occur if each
person does his own thing separately from his work relationships.

Learning

Teamwork is also about more than just reaching the end goal in some cases. The relationship that exists
between members of a team can result in the workers or team members getting to know one another on a
deeper level. This relational learning can contribute to future cooperative endeavors as workers learn to
understand how each person on the team contributes to the overall process of accomplishing a goal.

Leadership

Teamwork in the workplace also involves leadership development. With each task, teams do not necessarily
divvy up the work equally among all team members. Instead, each person contributes his part. Within a
teamwork environment, this may also involve the establishment of team leaders who help to ensure that the
work is completed in a timely manner. Teamwork can involve working together under the leadership of one
person who has been chosen as leader or is naturally recognized as such by team members.
Describe the Characteristics of Effective Teamwork
A team is simply a group of people who work together to achieve a common purpose. In the world of
small business, teams may be assembled to perform tasks such as developing a marketing plan or
finding ways to improve customer service. Characteristics of effective teamwork include the ability to
set aside personal prejudices and the willingness to take responsibility as a group.

Sense of Purpose

Teamwork is characterized by having a sense of purpose to achieve a clear, specific goal that all members
believe is important to attain. A team can be assigned to carry out a specific project, such as seeking ways to
improve profitability in a small business. A team could also be assembled to find the right candidate for a job
opening.

Competency

All teams should consist of members who are capable of contributing to the achievement of the goal based on
their level of knowledge or expertise. If a team is assigned the task of development of an expense budget, but
one or more of the members has little or no budgeting experience, the whole team will suffer as a result.

Cooperative Spirit

A successful team contains a spirit of cooperation. All members need to work together to achieve the specific
goal. This can be difficult, especially if some members possess strong personalities or are highly opinionated.
Successful teams tend to have strong leaders who can keep everybody on the same page while keeping the
petty bickering to a minimum.

Playing by the Rules

Teams should also have a set of rules that determines its operating procedures. These rules help to keep the
team on track and eliminate ambiguities. For example, a team might have a rule that all team members must
agree on a decision before it can be implemented. This would require that the team deliberate, much in the way
of a trial jury, until a consensus is reached.

Accountability

Teams must ultimately be held accountable as a whole for their failures as well as their successes. As a
business owner, this means you need to reward the team as a whole for its accomplishments and hold all
members accountable for its failures. Team leaders should foster an environment within the team where its
members are free to offer praise and criticism of other members with the idea that team results are what
matters, not individual contributions.
What Characteristics Are Necessary to Make a Self-Directed
Team Work?
Self-directed work teams consist of employees from various departments who collaborate on a
specific project. These employees bring their expertise to the group to develop a product, design a
process or initiate a product launch. Self-directed work teams meet regularly to discuss the progress
of their project. Each team member shares her knowledge with the team and learns from her
colleagues. Self-directed teams require several characteristics to succeed.

Joint Responsibility

Successful self-directed teams assign responsibility to all members of the group. This joint responsibility
allows each member to feel fully invested in the success of the project. This creates a sense of ownership for
each team member. As the team members feel more fully invested, they work harder to see the project succeed.
These team members invest more time and resources outside of the team meetings to analyze different actions
and research potential ideas. This investment increases the success of the project.

Interdependence

A sense of interdependence among team members increases the success of self-directed teams.
Team members who rely on each other for information trust their colleagues to deliver. The team
members work together, allowing each one to focus on his own responsibilities and to trust the other
members to deliver on their responsibilities. The team members do not need to worry about others
completing their work. When team members are unable to depend on the other members, the
success of the team erodes.

Empowerment

Self-directed teams need to feel empowered to proceed with their project. A team with a successful plan for
completing its project needs the ability to proceed with its plan. The company needs to provide the team with
the authority to move ahead with the plan without seeking additional approval. Self-directed teams empowered
to proceed maintain the momentum for seeing the project succeed.

Common Goal

All members of the self-directed team need to work toward a common goal. When each member works toward
a different goal, the project faces failure. This occurs when the goal of the team is not clearly identified at the
beginning. However, when the group defines the goal at the first meeting, the team's potential for success
increases. Each member takes action to move the project forward and the team tracks its progress toward the
ultimate goal.
Characteristics of a High-Performance Team
According to Dr. Tyrone Holmes, president of T.A.H. Performance Consultants, a high-performance
team is a "group of interdependent individuals who work together in a specific manner to achieve a
common objective." High-performance work teams are distinguished by their ability to function at a
high level for extended periods of time, in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Teams of
this type come in many shapes and sizes, and there is no one team model that is right for every
business; however, there are a few foundational characteristics that seem to underpin most high-
performance teams.

Diversity

Effective teams are composed of members with a wide range of skills and experiences from which to draw for
support, guidance and motivation. Dynamic teams have members with particular strengths and weaknesses that
compliment one another and a variety of personalities to fulfill different roles of leadership, logistics, creative
direction and discipline. Effective teams respect and embrace differences of opinion.

Clear Goals and Expectations

Clear goals and timetables drive high-performance teams, as does a knowledge of professional expectations.
To have multiple people work toward a common goal objectives must be clearly understood by all team
members, and each person must know exactly what his responsibilities are in relation to the achievement of
team objectives. Progress toward goals should be measured at regular intervals to ensure the different elements
of the project are progressing together in a timely fashion.

Effective Communication

Teams rely on effective communication to pool their work efforts. Effective oral and written communication is
clear and concise. It is important that each team member feels comfortable speaking her mind about her
responsibilities on a project to allow for the expression of creative ideas and to ensure that questions are raised
before mistakes are made. Regular group meetings and email should keep everyone up to date on team
progress and new developments.

Trust

Members of high-performance teams trust one another to pull their own weight and get their jobs done to the
best of their ability, within the time frames set out. When team members don't trust one another to successfully
complete their tasks, time gets wasted monitoring others' working habits, which can take away from other tasks
and lead to animosity in the work environment. It is a good idea to give new team members work of greater
importance as they get acclimatized to the team and its projects and after they have proved themselves by
producing quality work that is less critical to team project goals.
Ownership

High-performance team members are empowered by a sense of ownership for what the team produces; they
feel they have a stake in the success of team projects. Encourage this by asking for the input of team members
in the design and development stages of a project or when major decisions are being made. Including team
members when setting goals and objects for a project also can be effective in these respects.

The Importance of Team Dynamics in Project Management

Good team dynamics start with an effective project manager. As the owner and leader of your
company, it is up to you to define the nature of your team through smart staffing, positive guidance
and fair dispute resolution. A poor manager, on the other hand, limits the entire team’s capacity to
perform.

Communication

Communication is vital for a successful project. The project leader must give directions and advice clearly to
ensure the team understands its task, and the team must feel comfortable relaying problems and inquiries to
each other and the manager. Project managers who keep the lines of communication open create a flexible
team that reacts to challenges quickly and precisely. Ineffective project managers, such as those who offer
unclear directions and little constructive feedback, create a sluggish atmosphere that inhibits performance.

Motivation

Motivated workers are excited to contribute. Unmotivated workers, at best, do just enough to avoid criticism.
At worst, their lax attitudes lead to poor quality work, jeopardizing the success of the project. Use incentives to
motivate your team to work together well. For example, announce that successful completion of the project
ahead of its deadline will result in bonuses for all. Such motivations encourage team members to support each
other.

Innovation

Innovation can be an emergent group phenomenon, meaning it arises from the communication dynamics of the
entire team, not just from the rare brilliant individual, according to the book “New Directions in Group
Communication,” by Lawrence R. Frey. For example, if the atmosphere you create rewards creativity and
avoids negative criticism, team members will feel comfortable taking chances. When difficult problems arise, a
supportive climate can elicit outside-the-box thinking that leads to novel solutions. The key to creating an
innovative atmosphere is to ensure the team remains positive and supportive, avoiding negative comments and
cynicism, which stifle creativity.
Efficiency

Effective team dynamics allow each participant to serve in her best capacity. The various skills of the team
members complement one another, leading to speedy, efficient work. Improper team dynamics, such as those
that give rise to cliquish behavior, cordon off people, inhibiting cooperation and limiting the entire team’s
ability to get the job done.

What Actions Can the Project Manager Take to Ensure Effective

Teamwork?
A project manager guides her team to successful task completion and creates a strong sense of
teamwork at the same time. As a leader, there are several actions a project manager can take to
ensure effective teamwork. Creating a strong teamwork ethic within a group can make it easier to
complete a project.

Maintain Focus on the Goal

According to small business resource "More Business," a team is bound together by a common goal. It is not
necessary that the team members like each other personally, but it is important that they all maintain focus on
the team goal. As the project manager, it is important to help the team maintain that focus and keep the team
working toward its objective.

Training

For a group to be effective there is information the group, as a whole, needs to have and there is information
each individual member needs about his particular job. To ensure effective teamwork, "Inc." magazine
suggests maintaining a training schedule that keeps team members up to date on the information the team
needs to do its job, and the information the individuals need, as well. Any advances in the industry that can
help the team work more efficiently should be brought to the group as soon as possible.

Conflict Resolution

In a team there is no such thing as a minor conflict. Any issue can start out small, and then develop into
something that can divert the entire team's focus. As the project manager, it is your job to address all potential
conflicts as they arise, and to manage them before they become distractions. Do not allow small problems to
become large issues.

Response Time

According to "Inc." magazine, the project manager's response time in getting answers on questions back to the
group is critical to a team's success. The longer the team is made to wait on an answer, the longer production is
held up. A prompt response to an issue can increase the team's confidence in the manager, and it can keep the
team progressing toward its goal.

Examples of Project Teams

Project teams are groups of employees who work collectively toward shared goals. Some of these
teams may work on one project for a few months, while others may continue for years. A small
business may have only one team that works on different projects depending on the circumstance.
For example, the team could be at a trade show one day developing sales leads and be back at
work the next day working on a new product.

Multidimensional

Project teams are often multidimensional, which means that the members may come from different technical
backgrounds, cultures and age groups. Team leaders must find a way to bring out the best in these team
members. Managing multicultural teams requires an awareness of the customs and norms of people with
different cultural backgrounds. Similarly, managers must know how to manage multigenerational teams. A
small business may have an entrepreneur in charge who is his 30s, but may also have younger analysts and
older operations managers on staff. The younger employees may be comfortable with social media and other
electronic forms of communication, while the older workers may prefer more face-to-face contact. Mature
workers may also bring more balance to the team along with several years of business experience.

Virtual

Globalization is a fact, even for a small business. Whether it is working with an overseas research team, a lead-
generation team or a customer care team, the effective management of virtual project teams is a necessity.
Team members must be able to communicate effectively to achieve objectives. Teleconferencing,
videoconferencing and web conferencing are some of the ways for virtual project teams to collaborate and stay
connected. The frequency of communications depends on the complexity and stage of the project. For
example, a team might spend more time on virtual conferences to start the project or to resolve scheduling and
technical issues during the project. Virtual teams should place a high emphasis on individual responsibilities
and on trust, which is a key factor in dealing with language barriers and cultural differences. Team leaders can
build trust by scheduling at least one face-to-face meeting to start the project and by treating all team members
the same.

High-Performance

High-performance project teams come together for mission-critical tasks. For a growing business, almost
everything is mission-critical, which means that all of the teams must be high-performance teams. In a July
2005 "Harvard Business Review" article, Lausanne, Switzerland-based Institute for Management Development
professor Bill Fischer and Boston College professor Andy Boynton recommend hiring the most talented people
for these teams, regardless of their experience with the specific problem at hand. For example, a technology
company developing a new mobile application should assemble its most talented hardware and software
engineers even if they have no specific experience with mobile telecommunications. Talented people can adapt
and grow into new roles. It is also important to balance individual egos with the overall project responsibilities
and to stay focused on the customer.

Considerations

The number and complexity of projects grow as a business grows. The effective management of these projects
is important because they are often interdependent. In a February 2009 Harvard Business Review Blog
Network article, management consultants Sam Bodley-Scott and Alan P. Brache recommend a process for
optimal project portfolio management, which involves developing a criteria for prioritizing projects, analyzing
current resources and assessing if certain projects can be combined, postponed or executed simultaneously.