Its All about Being a Team

We have all seen atleast in pictures, the geese flying in the ‘V’ shape, but have you ever wondered why it is so? Well, as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following it. By flying in a V shape, the whole flock adds a minimum 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own! That’s how team work pays!!!!

In the same way, teams have predominant place in every organisation. Teams have become the latest management obsession as joint effort ensures more success and is becoming backbone of every organisation. Gone are the days when we are our own boss and do our work independently without ever seeking assistance.

Today employees work together and contribute their skills, knowledge, talent and abilities in the quest to achieve common goals. Yet, many of us still prefer to do it alone rather than working in teams. At this juncture, it pays to understand the importance of this new culture of team work and how it really makes a difference.

Benefits of team work for the team members: Teamwork makes things easier and reduces your individual workload, as the saying goes’ many hands make light work’. The joint effort will helps you to achieve goals quicker and produce incredible results. There will be an unbeatable feeling of empowerment that comes from achievements which you could never have otherwise been able to manage alone.

As a leading magazine reflected the thought of a team worker rightly remarks, “It makes me feel part of something larger than what my job position describes as my role”. Teamwork will definitely build your self esteem and confidence, and it creates a budding sense of community, which is a pre-requisite to make tasks smooth and to retain a warm atmosphere.

Benefits of team work for the organisations: One tangible benefit of team work is its higher quality output with the involvement of everyone in the process than single handed performers, where individual weaknesses are compensated. It cannot be ignored that more input leads to better ideas and decisions.

Teamwork develops personal relationships in companies which is a motivating force and creates a sense of loyalty and self esteem. If the team has been chosen carefully, you may get a good range of abilities, fields of expertise and personality types, so for every situation there should be at least one person who can deal with it. Also, a group meeting is often very useful for ironing out flaws in a plan, before testing it out. People working in groups are more productive when tasks require working together and when rewards are related to group success.

   Points to Ponder

Understanding: First we need to understand why the team really exists, what are the common goals, vision and purpose besides what is your own unique role and responsibilities as part of the team.

Interaction: Team work calls for constant personal interaction and open communication. Sometimes, more than work, it is the pressure to conform to some norms that causes frustrations. Often you choose not to confront a difference with your superiors or peers out of fear or rebuke. But this silence will not let you stay in peace, but instead it exacts a psychological price by generating feelings of anger, humiliation and resentment, which will impact on your interactions with others and also your productivity and creative abilities before you realize. Openly communicate sort out all the differences you have with your boss or colleagues.

Contribution: It’s a challenge to be a contributing member of a team. You can focus on what you are good at, leaving the rest to others with distinct skills. You can also learn new skills from each other thus enhancing your individual proficiencies.

  Cooperation: You have to be prepared to help others as well as open to accepting help when needed. To accomplish more work you need the help and cooperation of your colleagues and superiors.  Team spirit is not about competition, but cooperation as you willingly join hands and combine efforts. This is not to say that you as an individual is no longer important. But you have to go beyond the individual accomplishments to be a true team player. You have also to stand by each other as you do your best to support, encourage and inspire everyone.

  Its actually a great privilege to be a part of a team once you master the fundamentals and start   working together.