Teamwork doesn’t come naturally to everyone. People have opposing ideas, and disagreements can arise. Learning to manage these disagreements and communication gaps is what will make your team successful. With perseverance, any group can work toward better communication and cooperation.
Developing critical teamwork skills requires work from everyone. However, when you see team members working together seamlessly, it’s clear developing those skills is a worthwhile effort. Take note of these helpful tips to become a better team player.
What are teamwork skills?
Teamwork is working with others to reach a common goal. Teamwork skills, in turn, are the things we do to accomplish a goal more effectively. Sharing responsibilities, accountability, and conflict management are all examples of valuable teamwork skills.
Teamwork skills are helpful whether you engage in group projects or not. Task delegation, problem-solving, and communication benefit everyone. What’s more, building these elements of teamwork is just as important for job searching as any hard skills. Working well with others gives you leverage in nearly any situation.
7 Important teamwork skills for any career
No matter your career path, the importance of teamwork will undoubtedly play a role. The following examples of teamwork skills will help you excel in any field.
1. Communication
There are several types of communication styles in the workplace. Learning about them can prove essential to developing your own interpersonal skills. Once you understand various communication styles, you’ll have the insight necessary to lead with more effective communication.
Listening skills are a frequently overlooked part of communication. Active listening involves being engaged in conversation and consciously absorbing information. By participating in active listening, you’re demonstrating interpersonal skills that relate to how you approach teamwork.
Good communication is key in the workplace for a few reasons. It’s necessary for project management and reporting progress to team leaders. When receiving verbal instructions, listening and comprehending details are crucial.
Even if you’re your own boss, communication with clients or vendors is often involved. You might be in charge, but you still need other people in order to make a profit. This is where relationship-building skills come into play. Work on those skills, and your professional development will go more smoothly.
2. Collaboration
To be a good team player, collaboration skills are vital. Companies need team collaboration for strategizing sessions when working toward a common goal.
If done right, you’ll start to see the benefits of collaboration. What’s important is that everyone has a positive attitude and an open mind. When you collaborate, you bounce your ideas off of other team members. Their ideas can inspire you and encourage more creativity in the workplace. When you have a problem, others may come up with creative solutions.
Collaboration is also an efficient way to complete tasks. As a contributor to your team’s success, you can share your knowledge or ask questions about topics you don’t understand. A coworker can then explain matters to you in a way that will click. Working with an entire team to reach a common goal can be quicker than tackling a problem alone.
3. Problem-solving
Problem solvers are valuable in any work environment. Developing your problem-solving skills will help you achieve goals and complete projects. An effective team needs members with soft skills like critical thinking and analytic reasoning in order to address issues as they arise.
Working together with team members, you can develop problem-solving strategies to overcome obstacles. Others can give constructive feedback on your proposed solutions. Then, they can brainstorm with you to come up with improvements.
When your team encounters a problem on a group project, they’ll appreciate having you as the go-to problem solver.
4. Conflict resolution
Being part of a team means working with people who have different perspectives and ideas. Naturally, conflict can sometimes arise. Building conflict management strategies, however, can reduce tension and resolve disagreements.
How can you tell when it’s time to work on conflict management? There’s truly never a wrong time. Your work environment doesn’t have to be hostile to benefit from better conflict resolution skills. If team members aren’t on the same page and misunderstanding abounds, there’s room for improvement. Team alignment is a major part of effective teamwork.
5. Accountability
To be part of a successful team, it’s important to hold yourself accountable. Accountability in the workplace involves taking ownership of your tasks and their deadlines. It also requires taking responsibility for mistakes that may have interfered with your team’s success.
Learning from your mistakes and acknowledging how you can improve in the future is a major part of being a team player. Maybe you need to work on your time management skills to meet deadlines. Or maybe your organizational skills need some improvement. In any case, the effort to improve uplifts both you and your team.
Taking accountability lets others know you see yourself as part of something bigger. It demonstrates that you truly care about achieving collaborative goals. Take responsibility for your part of group projects and contribute a fair amount.
6. Inclusivity
Being a team player involves making everyone feel valued and respected. Through inclusive leadership, you can ensure everyone on the team has a voice. Inclusivity includes being gender inclusive and embracing all aspects of diversity. According to a 2020 McKinsey report, diversity can improve financial performance by 36% compared to control groups.
One aspect of teamwork is making sure each person has a metaphorical seat at the table. If you notice someone is being excluded or talked over, encourage them to say their piece. Including others will build rapport with team members, and your efforts will be appreciated.
7. Respect
Showing respect in the workplace will get you far. Respect can even lead to new career opportunities. People remember how you get along with others more than you realize. After all, you’d be more likely to recommend a considerate person for a position than someone only concerned with themselves.
Thank-you notes to coworkers are a great way to show respect and appreciation. If you want to give a more casual acknowledgment, verbal praise to coworkers and leaders is also a nice gesture. It pays to be known as a person who shows kindness to fellow team members.
Why teamwork is so important
Some people may prefer working alone, but it’s important to note that the benefits of teamwork are numerous. It’s all about your team’s communication and cooperation. Teamwork quality may even impact burnout by reducing its severity.
Team members can also serve as a source of motivation and inspiration on the job. When you’re struggling, it’s nice to have others there to remind you of your capabilities. This boost in employee morale can be great for goal-setting.
Teamwork paves the way for honest feedback, which can improve your work process. It’s helpful to have someone to course-correct your project. A second opinion is useful, whether for creative direction, practical solutions, or fixing errors. A 2022 study in Psychology: Research and Review concluded that teamwork skills can make workers more confident and adaptable in decision-making.
Moreover, working with a group is more effective for problem-solving in general. A study from the National Academy of Sciences found small groups can be more efficient than individuals when performing complex tasks. Teamwork helps performance across the board.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses as a team member
When leaders or group members delegate tasks, it helps to know employee strengths and weaknesses. If you have excellent decision-making skills, you might thrive in a project leadership role. If you struggle with organizational skills, task management may not be right for you.
Having a good sense of self-awareness helps you determine how your skill set can help your group. If you lack this self-awareness, it can be hard to build strong teamwork skills and implement them.
The following are additional signs your teamwork skills may need some development:
- You have regular miscommunication with coworkers
- Your team members don’t feel comfortable going to you for help or advice
- You become frustrated when projects aren’t done your way
- You don’t share an equal load of work
- You don’t receive constructive criticism well
- You don’t keep yourself in the loop of what projects coworkers are completing
You can also reflect on some self-appraisal questions for teamwork skills. If your teamwork skills need improvement, there’s no need to fret. You can develop them just like any other soft skill.
How to develop your teamwork skills
There are a few ways to develop your teamwork skills. You can practice all of the previously mentioned skills and tailor them to your situation.
Communication skills, for instance, are easy to practice. Try to read the body language of coworkers and notice if they’re feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. Engage in communication exercises to build your skills. If you want additional help, a communication coach can help you express yourself and listen more effectively.
Reframing your thoughts about teamwork can help develop your teamwork skills. Reading some teamwork quotes might inspire you and remind you of the importance of being a team player. There are also ways to make teamwork feel more enjoyable and less obligatory:
By incentivizing teamwork, it will be far easier to cooperate with team members and get the job done.
Teamwork skills and success: the link between great teamwork and career fulfillment
Learning how to work in a team can lead to a more prosperous career. Teamwork was rated as one of the most important skills for kids to become successful. Additionally, over 50% of jobs require teamwork at least some of the time. No matter where you go, working well with others will make you an asset.
Strong teamwork skills can also improve your workplace environment. If you don’t like working with your team members, career fulfillment can be tough to maintain. It’s important to start work each day without dreading your interactions with coworkers.
Using coaching to build teamwork skills
Companies and individuals can benefit greatly from improving their teamwork skills. Coaching can teach you team-building exercises to strengthen your communication. Coaching sessions can also help with team leaders' leadership skills and goal-setting.
Teamwork skills are essential in nearly every area of life. By committing to improving the value you bring to the table as a team member, you’re increasing your chances of success. Working with others can help you learn about yourself and even become more accommodating. Open yourself up to the benefits this effort can bring.
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