The Art Of Working Together - What is Teamwork and Why it’s Important

The above phrase is attributed to Henry Ford, a name most readers will know. I personally find his quotes on business and leadership quite pithy and insightful. He certainly had a fascinating thought process. Plus, he knew a thing or two about putting different people on the same page to achieve a common goal successfully.

Here then, for your reading pleasure, I have done my research on one of his most intriguing quotes and presented the findings for insights. Now, if you're looking forward to fostering teamwork and collaboration within your workplace, read on.

In this post, I’ll give you a quick peek into the modern business world and show you why bringing people together in the workplace are all that matters today. After that, I will provide you some proven tips that you can use to improve the way you, your teams, and your clients communicate when you all have one common goal. So without any further chit chat, let’s get down to business.

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What is Teamwork Actually?

Being in business is not a solo act. The success you aim for demands you to involve with people and ensure that together you all will make things work. To put it simply, when you’re in an organization, you’re a part of something bigger than your personal goals and agenda – you’re a part of a team. And a team can only succeed when it works together as a unit.

There’s a fine line between joining a team and performing as a team. And the moment you spot that line, things are going to work out as planned. Still wondering what defines togetherness in a workplace? It’s one word - TEAMWORK.

Teamwork is the combined effort that a team willingly contributes to achieving a common goal. The concept can be applied in any context where a group of independent individuals chose to trust each other and work together by sharing their individual skills. Whether it’s a formal work team, a sports team, or a combat team, they can’t work without teamwork.

Why Is Teamwork Important?

Why is it so important to make people want to work together? Isn’t it enough to put them together on a project and let them deal with it on their own?

No, because it’s not the right way.

Below, I’ve outlined some facts and points to prove that teamwork is how a team should work. Need a reason to create teamwork? Well, I give you eight:

• To get more done
• To get the best possible outcome
• To improve mutual support
• To widen the circle of creativity
• To get a sense of accomplishment faster and efficiently
• To tackle problems before they come up
• To explore better learning opportunities
• To build a healthy work environment

Tips To Improve Teamwork In The Workplace

Although teamwork is important, many business owners and managers struggle to create and maintain a cohesive work environment for their teams.

1. Play to strengths

A team is a pool of talented. Every individual in a team has his/her own strengths and skill sets. Now, in order to make these individuals come and perform together, you will have to make sure that they are satisfied with the role they’re given and the results they bring. For this, you’ll have to make the most of their strengths and learn what is good for the team as a whole.

2. Establish some ground rules for internal communication

Communication is the key to teamwork. Effective communication helps to keep people connected when they work on the same project. It eases the process of information sharing, allowing the team to get the desired result smoothly and successfully. With remote work culture becoming more and more popular these days, it’s important that you set some ground communication rules and standards so that your teams can work together irrespective of their actual geographical location.

3. Define a clear “Team Mission”

Don’t let teams fall victim to unclear goals and changing milestones. Define a clear objective at the beginning of the project and make sure that each team members sticks to it till the project completion. A solid “team mission” will keep team members better focused and on schedule when working together on a project.

4. Promote a culture of constructive feedback sharing

Whether you use project management software or a dedicated team chat app, be sure that everyone in a team is on the same page throughout the project. Also, have team members share feedback on each other’s progress. Set up times for team members to sit down and have a clear discussion about how things are going and what can be done to make things better.

5. Think beyond your office walls

Never miss a chance to bring your team members together. Consider ideas that go beyond your office walls like planning a team outing, going together for a cup of coffee and hosting a friendly cricket match on weekends. Get everyone out of their work zone and let them get know each other a bit more personally.

6. Commemorate success together

If your team members have worked together to exceed their goals, they must celebrate their success as a team. Be sure to reward each and every member for his/her valuable effort. Consider planning a team party and appreciate your team’s hard work with a celebration.

Do you agree with the above lines? Is there something that you would like me to add to this post? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.

Author Bio:

Sandeep Kashyap is the Founder and CEO of ProofHub — a leading project management and collaboration software. He’s one person always on a lookout for innovative ideas about filling the communication gap between groups, teams, and organizations. You’ll find him saying, “Let’s go!” instead of “Go!” many times a day. That’s what makes him write about leadership in a way people are inspired to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more. For more inspirational articles follow him on Linkedin.