Wednesday, October 10, 2012

What Is Team Work in Business?

Running a business is great, but let me tell you something,..it certainly is not as easy as it looks, not by a long shot. I've been on both sides of the fence. I've worked for employers and I am an employer. Day to day tasks only run smoothly when you have a staff that gets along and works together well. People wonder, what does it take to run a successful business? The answer is team work, and that means having exceptional team players. Finding the right group of people that work together well and are in sync together is not an easy task and often it may take making a few mistakes in hiring skills to determine what you know works and what you know needs to be changed.The good news is that there is room for failure, and mistakes which lead to changes and positive growth.

I learned at a very young age that respect is everything. You first must respect yourself if you wish for others to respect you. This is crucial. Confidence is the next thing that you need. In business, to be in management or to be the owner of a small business one must hold them self accountable for their actions.

The dictionary defines teamwork as the actions of individuals, brought together for a common purpose or goal, which subordinate the needs of the individual to the needs of the group. In essence, each person on the team puts aside his or her individual needs to work towards the larger group objective. The interactions among the members and the work they complete is called teamwork. I've found that team-building exercises can be a powerful way to unite a group, develop strengths, and address weaknesses – but only if the exercises are planned and carried out strategically. In other words, there has to be a real purpose behind your decision to do the exercise in order for it to work.

 Sooo, what's number one on the list? Being a team player. That's it in a nutshell. You really need to enter into a new job wanting to succeed and do well, but more so to be a team player. Being part of a team has taken on a higher priority since many companies are still operating with leaner work forces and there is a greater need to accomplish goals through others. Developing leadership and developing teamwork together need a lot of work. Leaders aren’t always great team players and vice verse. Leading often requires being willing to stand out alone and disagree with others. It means taking the chance of some people not always being happy with how you decide to proceed. Teamwork doesn’t come easily to everyone. But it is teachable and learnable.

Every employer is looking for a specific set of skills from job-seekers that match the skills necessary to perform a particular job. When we work together as groups, most often it means that we all have common goals...this means teamwork is essential to succeed! Skills are something that can be taught. Personality on the other hand...not so much. What am I trying to say here? Find employees that have spunk, and aren't afraid to to take on new tasks, or to take risks. Make sure that you get a good vibe from them at your first meeting. If your gut tells you they aren't a good fit, listen to your gut. Every day I work and give 110% whether it be at my part time job or running my businesses. That's what you have to do. When you walk through the doors to your place of employment- leave your personal life and problems at home. No one wants to hear them and it is a major distraction. It also puts pressures on your ability to do a good job. If you display actions and don't seem all that enthused, or if you slack, are lazy or simply don't care, your coworkers may just pick up your bad habits, and that can lead to a big problem.

Teachers expect teamwork among students and provide them with group projects so that they can learn teamwork skills. Employers expect individuals to function effectively on various teams and most organizations convene teams to tackle problems or projects. Therefore, it’s important to learn teamwork skills, even if you prefer to work independently.

When everyone puts their skills together and they begin to preform as a true team, great things begin to happen.

 What does teamwork look like in action? First, group members focus on the goal. People put aside personal likes and dislikes and petty grievances to get the job done. Team members show passion for the project and each contributes to its success. Be the best that you can be! How does one achieve this?

Skills necessary for good teamwork include:
  • Respect for individual contributions
  • Putting aside individual glory
  • Consensus building
  • Clear communication
  • Persuasive speech
  • Compromise

So, what happens if teamwork isn’t your strength? That's a real no brainer...the company falls apart. Customers notice these things and they won't come back if the service and especially the 'customer service' is NOT up to par. Innovation, Success, Evaluation, Development, Growth, Solution, Progress and Marketing all combined equal team work.









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