An office environment can be intense. It might be pressure from workload, tension with office relationships, stressful problems that are difficult to solve or the ever-increasing demands from Management. Good teamwork at the office will put all these negatives into a completely different light. They move from the present, to the past. The advantage of Teamwork is that they become issues we have addressed, challenges we have responded well to, and shared achievements we have celebrated together.
Defining Teamwork
Teamwork is not about getting on well together, though that is part of working as a Team. There is a lovely quotation adapted from Henry Ford that really pinpoints teamwork –
Coming together is a beginning.
Working together is progress.
Achieving together is success.
Teamwork is about working together to achieve shared goals, and getting that lovely feeling of shared achievement that comes from success. It is about HOW we work together as a Team. Good teamwork involves having good systems and processes to work effectively together as a Team. For example, there are often times in an office where the workload does not seem to be equally shared. One person feels they are getting too much, or all feel that another person is not pulling their weight. Without teamwork this quickly leads to stresses and bad feeling within the office.
With good teamwork, this issue can be addressed in a way that will lead to a positive solution. The team will have a forum, a type of problem solving teamwork meeting where they address issues and remove blocks. In this way, the team can avoid discussing what individuals have, or have not done, by addressing the ISSUE rather than the people. How can we ensure that workload is divided fairly? How can we support people who are under severe stress? The Team will brainstorm and come up with an appropriate solution.
They may decide something like having a stand up team huddle every day, where the team spend five minutes sorting the workload for the day. They identify those under pressure, and those that would have an hour to spare. This way, everyone is involved in ensuring the work is done, and the workload is shared.
The Advantages of Teamwork
Stress comes from feelings of isolation, inability to cope and even from boredom. An overwhelming factor is the feeling that nothing is going to change and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Good teamwork is about working together as a team make changes, to achieve, to overcome obstacles, solve problems and to implement improvements. There is always light and always a way forward, even if that way forward is planning how we will work around a block that can’t be removed!
Teamwork gives that feeling of belonging, of fighting the good fight together, in good times and in tough times. There is the feeling that there are always people who want you to do well, and who want to help you. Two heads are better than one, but only if the two heads are very different! This is another huge advantage of a well-developed team. Individual differences are identified and valued. You know who can help with each issue, and you feel comfortable in making the approach for assistance.
Everyone likes being on a winning team! The great benefit of good teamwork is that this team will definitely achieve more than they would if the teamwork was absent. Equally, they all feel involved in the team’s successes; the whole office feels the pride in the achievement of one individual team member. This, in turn, draws down recognition from outside the office – with management, clients etc.
Good teamwork is well worth working for in any office!
Kate Tammemagi works in Management Training and Team Development. She facilitates Team Building Events and Team Activity Days.