I once walked into a company to do some business but was not amused how employees of that company conducted their day to day activities. Here I was ready for a meeting that was actually arranged by them, yet each person had their own information about something but did not share with their colleagues. By the time we were quarter of the meeting, I realised these people were not coordinated which means they never worked as a team in that project but individuals – making it so difficult for me as an outsider to connect and make any sense out of what each was saying. I excused myself and told them to first clean their house before they call me again for another meeting. Usually if employees are not coordinating by working as a team but as individuals, most of the time the company goes down, because each one is serving their own selfish needs instead of the common goal of the company. It is common knowledge that whether it is work, play, or entertainment, togetherness is what makes it enjoyable, easy, and fun. Team work has become an essential element of any activity. Be it schools, companies, social organizations, religious organizations, political organizations, or even get togethers involving friends, family, or acquaintances, every activity seems to require some sort of team play. Thus the importance of team work has become undeniable for social, political, cultural, religious, educational, and economic development. Most of the time the bosses do not know what is taking place because they are so busy reading figures, until when they realise the business is going down, do they come to their senses about the actual facts, that is why managers are very important people in any organisation, because their work is primarily to bring together their employees to work as team for the common goal of the company. A good team of employees can make a company and bad team can destroy, however, it is up to the owner of the business or the boss to instil the team work spirit for a better future of their business. Business wise, why is team work important?There is a saying that many hands make work light. The essence of this statement is that more can be achieved as a collective than individually. There are numerous benefits of teamwork. CreativityWe all have different skills, knowledge and personal attributes. By utilising all of these different aspects in a team, more ideas can be generated. As more ideas are generated, more creative solutions are generated, leading to better results. SatisfactionLack of job satisfaction is often one of the key things highlighted in surveys of employees. Individuals working together as a team to achieve a common goal are continually developing. As they interact more energy and enthusiasm is created. When this energy is utilised, it produces results which positively impacts on motivation and leads to even more success. SkillsEven the best qualified individual cannot have all of the skills to do everything. Some people excel at coming up with the ideas. Others love the detail while there are those that focus on the big picture. There are others who can be counted on when it comes to implementing and follow through of a plan. The key point is that when a team works together, it has a huge range of skills available that it can utilise to deliver extraordinary results. SpeedImagine that you have a project that needs research, pulling together a proposition, financing it, implementing it and delivering specific benefits. If one person was allocated this task, it could take months and maybe years to make it happen. Companies, who have embraced the concept, have reported increased performance in work production, problem solving and has stimulated new growth. This group project approach has improved employee morale and increased input when managed correctly. The benefits of teamwork can make a positive effect in the company that incorporates this type of teamwork approach. Resources must be available within the company or outsourced by businesses that will come in and train company employees to make the most effective effort. Sounding boardWe all have a range of options open to us. If we are trying to figure out what is best, we might never move forward. In a team situation, other team members can act as a sounding board, allowing us to cut through the options and get on with those most likely to achieve the desired goal. SupportIt is amazing the amount of camaraderie that is created in teams, especially when the going gets tough. People will often go to what seems like extreme lengths when they know that they can rely on the support and encouragement of the team. Never underestimate the significance of this in achieving results.Behind every great team is a strong and visionary leader. A leader whose job is not to control, but to teach, encourage, and organize when necessary. High performance teams do not result from spontaneous combustion. They are grown, nurtured and exercised. It takes a lot of hard work and skill to blend the different personalities, abilities, and agendas into a cohesive unit willing to work as a team for a common goal of building a business , because at the end of the day teams that work well make a huge impact and benefit from the rewards that go with this impact. Ends
