How to achieve effective team work

By Basirah Aderibigbe

PROJECTS often require that people work together to accomplish a common goal. This makes employers of labour to recruit graduates who are able to cooperate, solve problems and work in teams. Organisations have emerged with project teams, self-managed work teams and management teams. Hence, the need to get on well with people and to work with and through others become increasingly important.

Effective teamwork does not occur automatically, it may be undermined by a variety of problems such as lack of organisation and misunderstanding among others. While a well designed and properly implemented system of team working can bring benefit to both employees and employers, increase motivation and bring about job satisfaction.

For effective teamwork to be achieved, there has to be effective communication among the employees and between them and their employers.

Effective Communication
Human interaction is complex and can be difficult to understand. This is largely due to the fact that each individual possesses unique values, beliefs and attitudes. Our environment may create this in us, that is what is important to a person may not be important to another. When people are not communicating effectively, its effect could create problem and can damage relationship.

Effective communication is not different from any other skill, it can be learned and very essential in carrying out our daily activities, interact with co-employees and others. If you continually work at improving your communication skills, you and those around you will reap great rewards. Mind the following:

Know how to know others
How can you use communication and understanding to improve your relationship with others? The answer lies with the quality of your interactions with others and how you value your co-workers and acquaintances as human beings. Anyone can demonstrate this skill but the level of effectiveness hinges greatly on your motivation and personal interest in others. You must seek to understand others, but you also must desire to put this understanding to use in improving your relationship with those around you.

Be visible
Make yourself available for people to clarify issues that may cause misunderstanding, how well you do it greatly impacts the impression others will have of you. We all communicate, of course, but not necessarily effectively.

Be approachable
Try to break down the boss/employee barrier by participating in some clut-chat with staff on common or issues of interest if you are a superior.

Be a good listener
Listen carefully during conversations with staff members on expectations and personal goals. Pay particular attention to feelings attached to statements. Effective listening involves gaining an accurate understanding of what someone is saying. Active listening is a powerful communication skill.

Be a good summariser
During and towards the end of the conversation, attempt to accurately summarise key points along with thought and feelings of the conversation. Performing this task will make the other people feel that you listen and that you value their contributions.

Learn to deal with angry people
This situation may seem unfavourable but we must occasionally deal with angry people. When people are angry, they are so emotional that they may not think logically. An attempt to correct them will only make them anger. So, to diffuse the situation, one needs to accurately reflect their anger, using statements such as “I can see this situation has really upset you”, I can tell you are really angry about that statement”. This shows that you care about how they feel, and that you respect their emotions. It will not only make their anger dissipate but also make them reason with you.

To ensure good result in teamworking, every member of the team must learn to know the other person and be appreciative of them. The following will help each team members in achieving great results.

Treat each team member with respect
Respect and accept each person as an important member of the team. Do not measure each team member’s contribution with the same yardstick. Value and respect a genuine effort regardless of how large or small it may be.

Be genuine
Being genuine means a person is real and consistent. Strive to treat team members alike regarding rules and procedures. Inconsistent behaviour leads to suspicion and distrust among employees. Practice what you preach!. It is highly important.

Value the effort
Try to create a sense of pride and ownership by acknowledging a “job well done”. Reinforcing each staff member’s contribution can lead to the development of a team spirit. The team approach is highly important as it gives each member a feeling of unique importance.

Be caring and emphathetic
Demonstrate an understanding and a concern for members of staff. Try and make yourself available in times of need, it may be your turn tomorrow.

Identify and accept uniqueness
The preceding communication points can help to unveil special traits and qualities of staff. The awareness can lead itself to more effective job assignments, along with a special appreciation for the uniqueness of each one of your employees.

All in all, for effective teamworking to be acheived, the group must be kept focused and there should be the assurance that everyone in the group is helping with the project at hand. This will ensure increase in productivity, improvement of quality of product or services, improve customer focus and speed the spread of ideas. It will also increase employee motivation and introduce multi-skilling and employee flexibility among others.

Teamworking is a complex issue, it is desirable in many circumstances and if properly managed, can contribute to improved organisational performance while improving individuals’ job satisfaction and helping to empower them. Though, not all teams succeed.

Inadequate resources, the wrong mix of personality types and skills, inadequate training and most importantly uneffective communication are among the reasons teams fail.