You have a lot of literature available on teamwork and leadership, and we love to know a little more about this “science” every day and learn from our own experiences as well as from those of others. In this article we want to give you a small contribution and reflection on a topic as important as it is exciting.
As you can read in many definitions of what a team is, it is “a group of two or more people who interact and work in a coordinated and cooperative manner, united by a common goal”. If we think of any sport, we see this very clearly, however, in the business world this is not always the case. The people who make up “a team” do not always work in a coordinated manner and, although it may seem unlikely, even with different objectives.
At Senssia, one of our pillars is teamwork, which we express as a commitment to cooperation and taking the utmost care of the work environment and interpersonal relationships.
And this is very important because only by working as a true team can we reach our objectives, satisfy the customer, and achieve a high degree of excellence. In addition, when tasks are complex, when we tackle projects, it is necessary to have people who take responsibility and action to successfully complete them.
Here we share 3 simple guidelines that allow us to identify if a team is working as such, or if it has room for improvement to improve its performance and results.
Aligning all members in the same direction
When it comes to achieving an objective, are all team members aligned with it? It is important to convey to each person the importance of the objective. Its raison d’être, the why and what for, and the steps to get there. In short, that each team member “owns” the objective, and therefore everyone works and pushes in the same direction.
How to get it? Group meetings, individual conversations, coaching, etc., are very useful tools for clarifying and establishing objectives, as well as helping others to integrate them and make them their own.
Follow the leader
A team must have a leader to act as such, and this is no easy task. The leader has, or should have, greater responsibility than any team member. There are many attitudes that the leader must take into account to guide the team, and it is more positive that it is in a context of influence rather than “I order and command”. Needless to say, the leaders play one per team (no one else!).
How to get it? Leading by example: taking action. Communicating effectively: listening and speaking. Recognizing and learning from mistakes… These are some of the actions that every good leader puts into practice.
Unite capabilities (generate synergies)
This sentence sums up this point nicely, “None of us is as good as all of us put together.” And this is what “synergy” (“synérgeia or synergia”, which means cooperation, competition of forces) consists of, in that the result of the union of several parts is greater than simply their sum.
How to get it? An example of synergy is when there are only two alternatives, between two people, and instead of arguing about which one is the best, they look for a third one that works for both of them. This will be more positive and harmonious than if one of the two parties has to accept the position of the other.
In order to achieve effective synergies, collaboration and cooperation among the parties involved is mandatory.
Finally, we share this video that explains these guidelines in a clear and emotional way.
“If you want to go fast walk alone, if you want to go far walk together.”
African proverb
