Effective Team Work
This article appeared in the Courier Mail on Saturday 17th January 2009

There are many businesses promoting their inclusive company culture and how well their people work together as a team. They can go to great lengths to establish this perception in the business environment in order to establish a reputation of being a favourable place to work.

But how often does this perception match reality?

The concern with the term teamwork is its interpretation and application. It is generally only relative to the individual level of engagement in each company. One company’s standard of team work can be very different to another but they both use the same term to promote their culture.

Effective team work doesn’t just happen. It is created and moulded over time and requires constant reinforcement from leaders and team members. People at all levels require training on how to function as a team and what it means to be an individual in a team environment.

New team members should have this training included in their induction so they understand the company culture and team member relationship from day one.

Outstanding teams can produce amazing results in the areas of productivity and profit. Improvements can also be seen in absenteeism, staff attraction and retention. People want to come to work because it is an enjoyable place to be.

On the other hand it only takes one person to destroy a great team. If a team member feels isolated, ignored or superior to other team members their attitude may become negative. This can be very destructive if left unchecked. An individual’s attitude can quickly change and poison a whole team. This is when leadership plays an important role either from another team member or leader.

Effective team work plays a significant role in the performance of a company. It can also make a difference to your personal happiness.