Communication is Your Winning Card: Why Teamwork Builds a Team
Alexa’s perspective on the value of communication
It’s often said that the key to a good working environment are happy employees. But what exactly does that mean? How can you really cultivate an environment where your employees are happy? I find that there is a crucial component that is often overlooked: teamwork.
Teamwork is vital in a working environment and an important factor in maintaining our mental and economic health. But what is good teamwork? This is exactly what I’d like to explore here.
This is a mind map of our team’s recent discussion around the value of teamwork and the things that need to be paid attention to when applying it. We found a common denominator; teamwork is heavily based on communication.
Here are a few points that particularly stand out to me when I think of teamwork:
Assigning roles
Having clear roles assigned from the beginning minimizes the risk of team members being uncertain about what they need to do, and also lessens the risk of morale issues and productivity going down. Projects can be completed faster and, when team members have a clear role assigned, everyone feels that they are able to contribute and that they are a valuable member of the team.
In my experience, in previous roles, if I didn’t know what I needed to be doing, I often felt like I was just floating. I was floating between people, between tasks, and uncertain what I was even really doing there. It can lead to feeling highly unproductive and underutilized. My mental health would also struggle as a result; I would feel more insecure and stressed. However, now, when I’m assigned a task, my role is clearly defined and I’m able to have a greater sense of contribution to a project, while also being more productive because I feel more motivated. This also helps my own mental health because I feel much more productive and enthusiastic.
Respect & appreciation
Expressed appreciation and compliments are widely overlooked in many workspaces. Yet they are one of the best things for motivating team members and advancing productivity in a team. When team members openly express their appreciation for other team members’ work, everyone can feel that their contribution is valuable, know they are on the right track, and stay motivated to keep working on a task. Openly giving feedback and appreciating team members’ work motivates them further, which can lead to overall better quality of work and contribution.
There are times when I’m uncertain if the direction I’m working in is what the rest of the team needs. Yet when a team member gives me feedback or even open appreciation for what I have done so far, I instantly feel a boost in confidence and I continue working more confidently than before. Never underestimate the value of a compliment.
Learn from different perspectives
Something that we always need to consider is that we don’t all think alike. One of the benefits of working in a team is that there is an opportunity for multiple people to share their ideas. This allows us to bounce ideas off of each other, learn and get feedback from one another.
Our team regularly holds, what we call, culture task force meetings. Here, we discuss various topics like enhancing our organization skills, how we can be better at project management, and what we find important in our working environment. As mentioned earlier, the image above comes from our teams’ discussion which actually took place during one of these culture meetings.
Having an environment like this can greatly boost social skills, communication, and give everyone an opportunity to have their voices heard and opinions valued. Creating an environment based on openness, trust, and honesty also enables constructive feedback to flow. This also helps stymie the dangers of groupthink, which can often lead to issues in communication. The team’s social health also benefits from this type of strong communication, which benefits the company overall.
When communication fails, so does productivity
Multiple problems arise when communication fails in a team, highlighting the importance of a strong team. It can lead to issues in completing a common project. If team members have issues, and no one speaks up or those who do speak up aren’t listened to, it can lead to a project stagnating due to different perspectives and expectations. This can be harmful for teams in the long run because it can halt growth. This can also be harmful to each member’s mental health (stress, anxiety, etc.) and economic health (poor teams = poor economic results).
Team leaders also have to keep an eye on their communication skills and be aware of the signs that their team isn’t functioning properly. Team members often lose motivation when their leader fails to listen to others or show a lack of respect for the team members.
One team member recalled a time in a previous position when they found that their team leader often only gave suggestions to others but didn’t take any on board himself. This egotistical mindset and lack of respect fostered a poor working environment on the team, which made the team member resent working on the project.
At the same time, for a team to function well, there is also a great deal of responsibility on the team members themselves. If there is an issue they run into, it is vital that they speak up about it, either to the leader of the team or other team members. These issues don’t always need to be task-related either. Issues pertaining to a team’s morale and coherence are also equally important to address, so don’t overlook these.
Many people find that never speaking up eventually leads to unresolved problems . This can be harmful down the line because the end result of the project might be poorer quality than if people had spoken up. Additionally, these problems can also add extra stress on individuals and put a strain on their health in the long-term.
How well a team works — and the health and wellbeing of its members — is what builds a team in the end; teamwork should never be overlooked. A strong team can provide strong, good quality work, while also upholding the health of its members, benefiting workplaces in the long run.
