For most of us, teamwork is a part of everyday life. Whether it's at home, in the community, or at work, we are often expected to be a functional part of a performing team. Having a strong team will benefit any organization and will lead to more successes than not.
Teamwork can be defined as "a joint action by a group of people, in
which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions
to the unity and efficiency of the group."
This does not mean that the individual is no longer important; however, it
does mean that effective and efficient teamwork goes beyond individual
accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is produced when all the
individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards
a common goal.
Benefits of Team Working:
- More creativity leading to more ideas and better results.
- Increased employee satisfaction.
- The opportunity to develop and acquire new skills.
- The speed at which things can be achieved.
- A sounding board for testing out ideas and thoughts.
- A support network that you can draw on.
Stage 1: Forming. When a team is forming, members cautiously explore the boundaries of acceptable group behavior. They search for their position within the group and test the leader's guidance. It is normal for little team progress to occur during this stage.
Stage 2: Storming. Storming is probably the most difficult stage for the group. Members often become impatient about the lack of progress, but are still inexperienced with working as a team. Members may argue about the actions they should take because they faced with ideas that are unfamiliar to them and put them outside their comfort zones. Much of their energy is focused on each other instead of achieving the goal.
Stage 3. Norming. During this stage team members accept the team and begin to reconcile differences. Emotional conflict is reduced as relationships become more cooperative. The team is able to concentrate more on their work and start to make significant progress.
Stage 4. Performing. By this stage the team members have discovered and accepted each others' strengths and weaknesses, and learned what their roles are. Members are open and trusting and many good ideas are produced because they are not afraid to offer ideas and suggestions. They are comfortable using decision making tools to evaluate the ideas, prioritize tasks and solve problems. Much is accomplished and team satisfaction and loyalty is high.
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