Teamwork – achieving uncommon results with imperfect, common people

In our office we talk about the team every week. We don’t have staff meetings, we have team meetings. When a problem comes across our desks, we automatically turn to other members of the team to help us solve it.

Building a team isn’t as easy as hiring a staff, every manager knows. Personalities and egos often take precedence over any sense of working to a common goal. Hard-fought turf battles can disrupt all forward movement.

But hey – it’s not a war. In fact, building a team that likes each other and that can laugh together is one key factor in achieving corporate – group – success.

We believe so strongly in team around here that we actually painted it on the wall: “Teamwork: It is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

In the field of healthcare, effective team functioning has been shown not only to improve the work environment but also to improve resident care and safety. Good people stay where they are valued members of the team, and keeping your best people is ultimately one of the most important things you can do to improve the quality of the services you provide.

Building a good team requires leadership. It that’s you job, keep in mind that it isn’t easy to build a strong team – it takes focus and determination. There will be times for you to patiently listen, and times for you to speak up and take charge.

You’ve also got to set aside time for your team to develop that cohesive, “we’ll solve it together” mind set. Time when no work tasks are required, but food and fun are the order of the day.

Did you know that experts who study team development find four phases that groups go through – before they become cohesive teams? The first phase is the formation of the individuals into a group that has a specific goal or purpose.

The second phase is one when individuals become competitive and the group is filled with conflict. If this is where you’re at, it may give you a small measure of comfort to know that this is a natural progression – leading to the final stages of overcoming conflict and, finally, collaboration and communication.

The final ingredient into good team development? Trust. Trust that if you keep your focus, your team will come together. Trust in the individuals who are composing your team. And belief that, in the end, you can lead this group of common people to attain some pretty significant uncommon results.