Teamwork in the Time of COVID-19

Prioritizing new approaches to collaboration and teamwork has proven especially vital during the pandemic, opening new doors for learning opportunities, improved communication, increased appreciation through recognition and established mutual support.

People tend to be more risk-averse when they work alone because the opportunity for failure is seemingly greater. However, strong organizations with a solid foundation of unity and trust will likely consider greater risks to achieve greater results than they may have attempted alone.

At the onset of a global pandemic and a resurgence in social and racial justice issues, university campuses across the nation were forced to adapt, rethink and, more importantly, restructure our typical learning environment. As expected, when navigating uncharted waters, guidance from universities often changed based on evolving COVID numbers and updates from state and federal health officials. Nevertheless, university leaders hit the ground learning.

During this swift transition, many of us within the education system witnessed something substantial – a newfound level of camaraderie among educators and students. Junior faculty gladly helped senior faculty through the ins and outs of virtual instruction. Senior faculty provided critical stability during times of uncertainty even as they learned new methods and pedagogies. Some students even assisted instructors through technical issues, helping them become more tech-savvy. As we assess the changing landscape of higher education post-pandemic, we must lean into this more.

Going forward, teamwork from both sides is required to succeed in this continued time of uncertainty. The value of teamwork in society, let alone higher education, is nothing new. After all, humans are social beings. Civilization itself is the result of the combined efforts of countless individuals over the course of thousands of years.

The challenges of 2020 emphasized the imperative of partnership and collaboration. My hope is that it becomes a permanent part of our culture. Either way, the renewed sense of teamwork is an exciting adjustment – ushering us into a new, brighter future where we feel more connected than ever before.