Teams at work

Achieving anything of significance in your career beyond turning on your computer requires teamwork.

There are many theories and ideas about teamwork, many of which are often contradictory.

Consider the following well-known Jamaican proverbs on working together:

'Many hands make work light';

'Too many rats never dig a good hole';

'Too many cooks spoil the broth'.

Our experience confirms that though seemingly opposed, they are all true - sometimes working with others really helps to get things done more effectively. Other times, working with a group is a recipe for disaster.

Nowhere is this dynamic played out more clearly than in the sports arena.

Some teams epitomise dysfunction, whereas others operate like a well-oiled machine.

As the well known maxim goes: Just because everyone wears the same uniform doesn't mean they are a team.

The issue seems to be, not so much whether teamwork is good or bad, per se, but whether you are in the right team.

The right team is one with the ideal blend of different personalities and competences, all committed to achieving the team's major objectives, whatever it takes.

According to Robert Kelley, author of How to Be a Star at Work, several factors explain why very few teams function effectively, including the following:

1. Managers don't practise what they preach. They expect their employees to be team players, but are themselves driven by ego and personal ambition.

2. Teamwork is not rewarded. Empirical studies show there is virtually no correlation between worker compensation and teamwork proficiency, hence little motivation.

3. Most people are not very good team players.

4. Most teams are a big waste of time. Too many non-productive meetings, unscheduled interruptions and personality clashes make for ineffective teamwork.

THE 'I' IN TEAM

Despite these drawbacks, however, you still will need to master the art of effective teamwork. Here are three keys to being a star player on any team.

First, successful teamwork starts with you.

Perhaps you've been told repeatedly at staff training seminars: Be a team player. Forget about yourself, think only of the team. Remember, there's no 'I' in team!.

This last bit, especially, sounds great but it isn't true, except in the spelling bees.

Teams are comprised of individuals, who all have egos, which must be taken into account. Decide what your strengths and weaknesses are and what your best contribution to a prospective team will be.

Second, choose your projects, teams, and team members carefully to the extent that you have a choice. Aim to work on projects you find personally meaningful, with people you share mutual respect and trust with.

Third, keep your ego and self-interest in check. Focus on fulfilling your role in achieving the team's objectives. Make your voice heard and your contribution felt on the team.

The greatest motivation for becoming skilled at teamwork is that good teams work.

The acronym for team perfectly explains why: T.E.A.M = Together Everyone Achieves More.

When teams work well, this is exactly what happens.

Glenford Smith is a motivational speaker and personal achievement strategist. glenfordsmith@yahoo.com