Seven tips to better teamwork
Nowadays, good team working skills are essential in all aspect of our lives. Be it work, study, volunteering or just organising a surprise party for your friends, being able to successfully work with others is crucial to achieving your targets. Working in a team is not only a great transferable skill to have, but it can also be rewarding, fun and educational. Here are some simple and practical tips to keep in mind when working in a group.
1. Understand the group dynamics
Every group works differently and that’s OK. If you have been part of a successful team before, the things that made that group work well together may not apply to the new team. Pay attention to how the group gels: some are natural leaders, while others prefer to take a back seat and get on with work. Be aware of any conflict in the group and try to resolve it early. Remember, you are not in competition with each other. Your purpose is to play on each other’s strengths and cover for one another’s weaknesses to harmoniously deliver the best product you can.
2. Set your goals
Setting your goals is vital if you want things to run smoothly. This will keep everyone focused and give the team a sense of purpose. Make sure the targets are set early on and everyone’s opinion has been taken into consideration. Once that is done, it is important that all team members are aware of what the goals are how you will achieve them. Have a strategy in place and a backup plan in case things go wrong. Often, people get side-tracked with doing too much or too little- setting goals and always referring to them will keep everyone on track.
3. Divide tasks
People have different skills and interests, so dividing tasks will not only ease the workload, but increase efficiently and the quality of work. It is important that everyone in the group is aware of the things they are in charge of and are enthusiastic about them. Setting deadlines and having regular catch ups always helps. Make sure people don’t take on too much and encourage everyone to ask for help if needed. Be there for each other but also be fair with yourself and with the team- everyone must do their bit. Which leads me to…
4. Be aware of your limits
Both as a team and individually. It is important to be ambitious with your project and want to accomplish as much as possible. However, when planning your work, keep in mind time restrictions, budgets and people’s availability. Make sure you are realistic in your targets so you can deliver them at a high quality. This also applies to individual members of the team. Sometimes people get excited and take on more than they can chew. Although enthusiasm should always be encouraged, failing to deliver their allocated tasks will affect the whole team. It is all about personal responsibility- make sure you keep your promises to the team and be aware of others taking on too much. Again, there is nothing wrong with asking for a little help or advice. Be honest with your team- you are all in this together.
5. Communication is key
As cheesy as it sounds, communication is at the core of any functional team. Talk to each other, keep each other in the loop regarding any developments, ask for advice and talk through any conflict. There will always be difference of opinions - everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different views. Turn these differences into a healthy debate that can spark change and creativity. Be open with each other, acknowledges your teammates’ good work and talk talk talk!
6. Respect each other and compromise
It goes without saying that you should treat people with respect and be treated with respect. In a team contact, this is crucial- every member of the team should feel valued and comfortable. If your ideas are challenged, stay calm and try to understand the other person’s point of view. Do not be rude or allow others to be- this will break the whole team dynamic. To add to this, for a team to work well everyone has to compromise. This doesn’t mean you have to put your ideas and interest aside- it’s about working together to figure out what’s best for the team.
7. Be responsive to change
Things will go wrong and unpredictable factors will come into play- it is inevitable. Be prepared for this and work as a team to find the best solutions. Be open to change and always have a back up plan; if this fails don’t panic and think on your feet- there is always a way out . Likewise, situations and requirements may have changed throughout your task- be flexible and If needed, don’t be afraid to shake thing up a little if everyone thinks that is the best thing to do.
And finally…enjoy it. Teamwork can indeed be challenging, but it can be super fun and exciting- it all depends on your approach. Good luck!
:)
