Whether you're working in a job that requires teamwork or have a family with children, it's important to know how to work well in teams. It's not always easy to work in teams, but the rewards can be worth it. The most crucial thing in a group is to have great communication among everyone involved. As a team member, communication is critically important. If you have a problem with the other team members, talk to them directly.
If you can't talk and listen to other team members, you might as well be working individually. Communicating effectively can also make your team as a whole, work better and accomplish your given tasks quicker. Here are the 7 secrets to building a great team.
1 Focus On The Work Assigned To You
If you finish with your task before the other team members, ask the other members if they need your help. Your team members will greatly appreciate your gesture. Working together as a team helps in getting tasks finished on time.
2 Meet Your Deadlines
If you must miss a deadline, apologize for not meeting it. Tell your team when they'll have your part and then make sure you meet that deadline. The rest of the team will respect you more for owning up to your problem rather than blaming someone else.
3 Be Supportive Of Your Team Members
It is crucial to support your team members. When discussing ideas for the project you're working on, be sure to consider other team members' suggestions, even if you don't think they'll work. Considering other ideas shows you're interested in someone else's opinion.
4 Projects Are A Collaborative Effort
A project doesn't belong to any one person. It's important that each team member can claim ownership of some part of the project. By having ownership, they're more likely to put forth the effort to make the project a success.
5 Establish Clear Expectations
If you're leading the team, let the team members know what's expected of them. Establish clear objectives and how each person will contribute. Be open to making changes if someone else can do a certain aspect of the job better than the person you assigned to do it.
6 Motivate The Team
Work on maintaining each team member's morale. Also, establish their motivation to succeed as a team. Give them a reason to want the team to succeed rather than riding off into the projected sunset, like the Lone Ranger.
7 Work Together On The Plan
The team will feel more ownership of the project if everyone works together to set goals and establish deadlines for the various aspects of the job. Meet together periodically to check on progress and switch jobs among team members if necessary. Everyone needs to pitch in to be sure that the job is done correctly and on time.
Learning how to work well in teams is so important, not only in business but also in families. Children need to learn how to cooperate for the greater gain, instead of being concerned only with their own good. If you teach children about teamwork when they're young, the chances are good that they'll be better team players when they grow up. Practice these teamwork tips, and soon, you'll find better team cooperation and more successful team projects both in the workplace and at home.