How to Be Part of a Team
A team is a group of people with a set of complementary skills required to complete a task, job, or project.
Team members tend to operate with a degree of interdependence and share authority and responsibility for self-management. Teams are accountable for collective performance and work toward a common goal and shared rewards.
Team members should complement each other. In great teams, each member should help one another and work in unison.
Often one task is not suitable for one single mind. Moreover, a team must be formed where the members are able to contribute equally so that the task becomes more feasible.
There are various types of teams. First, process improvement teams are working towards a specific process; process improvement teams have a beginning and an end. Second, natural groups are teams driven by responsibility for a particular procedure. Third, self-managed teams are free to make decisions on various topics such as quality scheduling and goal setting.
A team is compiled by those who are in managerial positions. Those in this position often have a vision of the group, their skills, work ethic, interests etc. This is an essential part of building a team, as those who do not mesh with the values and vision of the group will be deemed unfit. This is important in understanding that sometimes a team can be thrown off track because of inconsistencies and conflicting passions throughout the unit.
Other reasons why teams fail:
Inadequate training
Incomplete understanding of group dynamics
Failure to plan
Lack of cooperative work methods
Teams are creaTive
Creativity encapsulates the form of ideas or information in a way that inspires and informs others. A great team feeds off each other, enabling them to bring something new into existence. Through discussions and collaboration, groups can develop ideas that transcend the traditional ways of operations and create new and more effective ways to complete the same processes.
The benefit of having a capable and diverse team is that they are able to bring together their perceived notions about the world and from that find hidden patterns and connections.
Creativity is a two-step process:
Thinking: critical thinking requires that all members are actively listening to others' ideas, arguments, and criticisms. Listening allows you to feel empathy, and when you hear someone's perspective, you can take the information from someone's experience and analyze it.
Thinking is the fundamental building block which allows you to synthesize information. Generate new ideas and methods and execute them by converting instruction into action.
Producing: a team's strategy is vital in creating an excellent product. When each member is working toward one goal with a sustained focus, groups are more likely to produce more creative and innovative work.
Teams are Effective
Effectiveness relates to a team's willingness to accomplish a common goal. A team's efficacy is measured by the capacity of the group of people. A team with complementary skills is more likely to collaborate and motivate its group members to solve problems.
Efficacy is based upon three criteria:
Output: This is defined as the number of goods or services produced in a specific amount of time. Working alone, one's work output tends to be stagnant. However, in a team where each member is committed to a unified mission, the output tends to be more significant; also, there is more room for growth.
Collaborative ability: For meaningful collaboration team members ought to be on the same page, working together towards a desired end.
Individual development: Personal development incre
ases self-awareness and self-esteem. Professional development increases your skills and fulfills your aspirations in the workplace. Those who are not committed to personal/professional development often fall behind. These individuals neglect their selves and their goals by constantly missing deadlines. Soon they become stuck in life.
Here are some reasons to engage in personal/professional development:
Expands your horizon
Increases mental capacities
Boosts self confidence
Improves focus and overall effectiveness
Teams are innovAtive
Innovation is the successful implementation of a new idea. Innovators seek to create social and economic value.
A team requires support to innovate. It is the collaboration of voices, and perspectives with everyone in the organization about what can be improved, whether it's research, testing, or the implementation of great ideas.
Innovation within a team takes time to implement. Some believe that innovation is a long-term investment. It is typically the tiny and unconscious decisions that permeate among team members.
Common adversaries of innovation:
Lack of collaboration
Unclear strategy
Lack of diversity
Ridged and traditional management model
Teams are comMunicative
Excellent communication is more than exchanging information via email. It requires empathy and emotional intelligence. Additionally, it calls for individuals to hone their listening skills and body language.
Teams take to the to provide feedback on what has been said. It is also vital to pay attention to nonverbal signals. Team members ought to not only listen to others, but also it is essential that they also provide effective feedback and communication.
Tips on practicing good communication:
Refrain from speaking under pressure
Be willing to compromise
Learn how to say "no"
Practice assertiveness
Being a Good Teammate
Many individuals hyper-fixate on finding a great team to be a part of. However, the most significant advice to individuals looking to be part of a team is to be a good teammate.
Becoming a good teammate encompasses a lot of qualities and sacrifices
Be Invested in the success of others:
Being in a team, we often witness others being promoted or recognized for outstanding achievements. An unpleasant teammate might be envious and talk down about other's work or accomplishments. However, a good teammate would remember the long night and the hard work the peer had put in and be happy that someone in their team had accomplished a considerable achievement.
Hold yourself accountable
Know when you are pulling your weight or being dead weight. Holding yourself accountable means that you are working to your best abilities and constantly looking for ways to improve. The whole team benefits when each team member can hold themselves responsible and focus on their personal growth and development. The act of accountability is inspiring and allows each person to compete against the best.
Trust the preparation of others
Good teammates know when to let go. In professional sports, trust is earned with hard work. The same follows in the workplace. A great team is focused on preparing and ensuring that their prep is equal to or better than their peers. Good team members do not micro-manage their teammates because they trust that their team is working toward the same goal.
Put the success of the team ahead of your own
Great teammates have always put the team's success ahead of their own success. Instead of taking that risky shot, you pass it to someone with a greater chance of getting it in. instead of looking for ways to stand out as an individual, the focus is directed to the team at large.
Conclusion
In a team, you are bringing together multiple ideas and cultures to dedicate themselves to completing a task. Some people think that working in a group is easy, as opposed to working alone. However, they are mistaken. Working alone is almost always an easier task. You make decisions independently, set your schedule, and close your deals. You take your break whenever you want and do not have to consider anyone else’s ideas or feelings. Working alone is often more desired, but when you are alone, you miss out on the chance to make a connection with your peers. There is no one to catch your mistakes or to help you gain more understanding of a topic. On your own, you exist in an echo chamber, which is averse to change or innovation.
So, though it might be easier to work alone, there are many reasons to avoid it. Being a team member is so rewarding. It creates and fosters relationships that can last a lifetime. Teamwork increases creativity and innovation among its members. It also increases your chances of being given a promotion or considered for future leadership roles.