Teamwork - how do we make it better?

Despite the obvious benefits however, good team work seems to be a rare commodity. So why is it so hard to get a team to function properly? The answer lies with the personal ego. If team members have a personal goal that is different to the goal of the team, then this will cause tension. People will push the team in a direction that suits themselves and strengthens their own position in the team. Nowhere is this more evident than in the leader of the team, who has a vested interest in making sure that no individual member gains so much status as to threaten knocking him of his perch.

The answer, therefore, lies in aligning the personal goals with that of the team goal. To do this there needs to be a dedication to honesty and complete transparency in the team. It is this transparency which in many ways is the most difficult part. We are used to hiding our own faults and tip toeing around others peoples sensitivities.

Sometimes people have a hidden or dishonest agenda they don't want to reveal, but the most common reason why we don't know each others' personal goals is that we don't ask. If we took the time to ask what each individual wants out of being part of the group, and then discussed how he or she can best achieve it, then the whole process can be surprisingly simple.

Interestingly, today's organisational structure of business, government, the military, etc, reflects the very egoist influences that disrupt teamwork. The pyramidal structure encourages power games and division to climb the corporate ladder. But, there is another approach. By setting up a team so that the leader takes on a role to support the group to make it's own decisions, the team members feel empowered and much more enthusiastic. This makes team members pro-active and boosts morale, creating a much better working environment.

Business' that have employed this philosophy have made such great gains in efficiency that they have become successful surprisingly quickly. The best thing of all is, not only did these companies grow at a fantastic rate, but many of them had superior employee satisfaction. It makes sense that if you have happy, pro-active staff, then your chances of success are much greater.

I am now teaching this philosophy in detail to companies around Australia, so if you believe your workplace could benefit from hearing more on this subject, please write to me and let me know. I look forward to hearing from you. Click here for more information.