Teamwork means focusing on a common goal and not just your personal investment in it. When people work together, they can often achieve more than they would on their own. The concept of teamwork is utilizing the best abilities of everybody at your disposal to achieve something. It means having confidence in yourself, but also trust in others to do their part.
Teamwork could be more important to anyone who finds themselves in a new work setting. When you find yourself in a new place with a new job to do, teamwork can really help you get things done. Things are usually easier when you work as a team.
…and now I am dipping into interview survey mode again. I love researching these topics and I just have to share. So here goes:
Insights Into Teamwork That Works
[‘R’ is me, and ‘I’ is the interviewee]
R: Give an example of ‘teamwork’ being used in popular news or the media that has inspired you in a positive way.
I: The last thing that comes to mind was reading about the Japanese workers trying to repair the Fukushima reactor. Reading about their self-sacrifice made me optimistic about the future. To know that there are still people out there that are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to save others is a comfort.
R: Describe at least one way you think ‘teamwork’ could help you in your personal or professional life.
I: The ability to work successfully in a team environment is important for several reasons. Teamwork is essential in facilitating interpersonal skills and working with group dynamics. Teamwork allows me to demonstrate my leadership abilities and also to help me compromise and assess other people’s skills. Also, teamwork provides a framework for positive reinforcement.
R: Give an example of how ‘teamwork’ has helped you in the past.
I: My friends and I started climbing a few years ago and decided to build a home wall. We drafted the plans, purchased the materials and constructed a large wall in my friend’s garage (12×16). As a result of having this wall we’re all stronger climbers, and more physically fit than we were growing up. Without my friends this idea wouldn’t have come to life.
R: Describe at least one way you think ‘teamwork’ could cause trouble or hurt you in your personal or professional life.
I: Teamwork involves working with one or more other parties to accomplish a task. If one member of the team does not do his or her fair share the task might not get done or get done poorly. At the end of the project the entire team will be judged on the performance. It only takes one bad member to make it look bad for the whole team.
R: Give an example of how ‘teamwork’ has hurt you or caused you trouble in the past.
I: For an assignment in college, I was placed into a group of three and we were instructed to research a topic and make a presentation for the class at the end of the term. Along the way, I kept in touch with my group members rather closely, but they never answered my messages, nor acknowledged the fact that we were approaching a deadline to present.
At the very end of the semester, I ended up having to work on the whole project myself without my group members even offering to help. The night before the presentation, around midnight, I receive a frantic call and a number of emails from one of my group members who said she didn’t know that we had the assignment due the next day. When we presented, we were given a group grade of ‘C’ for style and lack of participation of the group.
Needless to say, I was very angry and approached the professor and told him what had happened, but he said that I had to either resubmit the project or deal with the grade, with it being the very end of the semester, I dealt with it and took the ‘C’, all thanks to my horrible group members.
R: How do you think ‘teamwork’ could help you in a professional setting? Why is that?
I: Teamwork is about efficiency: you accomplish your goals and the work that needs to be done much more quickly than if each person is working on their own projects. Peoples have different strengths and weaknesses and the more integrated the team is, you can divide up the work according to these abilities.
Teamwork also involves putting the team’s goals and objectives above your own. Sometimes you have to take a backseat and accept that your ideas are the team’s ideas. So you’re not necessarily going to get credit. However, this is really important because the team, or the unit, is stronger than its components. You might have a good idea now, but what about when you don’t?
Your teammates might be able to pick up the slack. In other words, teams are full of people with different backgrounds and ideas. The ultimate plan of action that comes from a team is going to be much stronger than one that comes from an individual. One last thing: teamwork is really important in a professional setting because it shows your colleagues that they can trust you. Trust is important in ANY relationship, including professional ones.
R: Give an example of how ‘teamwork’ could be used beneficially at work. Why do you think this?
I: when at work, teamwork can help everyone get tasks done more effectively. By working together, people can get their jobs done more quickly, which lets them get more things done each day. Teamwork also helps people to get along with each other which makes work a nicer place to be.
R: How do you think ‘teamwork’ could help you at home? Why is that?
I: I currently work at Walt Disney World, and our managers constantly tell us that teamwork makes the dream work. At work, our team is our coworkers, but at home our team is our family, and like it or not we’re stuck with our family. Teamwork is essential at home to keep the peace. If everyone pitches in with chores and schedules, then everyone’s dream works.
R: Give an example of how ‘teamwork’ could be used beneficially in a home or domestic setting. Why do you think this?
I: Keeping up a household is hard work, and the more hands that help, the easier it is to keep up the house. One person could work on one chore while the other person can work on another, resulting in less time spent overall on all chores and allowing for more fun. Not only does this allow for more fun, but working as a team improves the bonds between people. Any kind of help is always appreciated.
R: How do you think ‘teamwork’ could help you in a personal relationship? Why is that?
I: Teamwork helps in a personal relationship because it helps to form a connection with the other person. When you are both working towards a similar goal it helps you connect more closely. Also, if you are both working towards the same goal together it helps to not cause friction, as in one of you feel like you are doing all the work.
R: Give an example of how ‘teamwork’ could be used beneficially in a personal relationship. Why do you think this?
I: Teamwork helps a couple or a group of friends set simple goals such as where to go on vacation or what to do on a weekend. That is why there is usually a dominant “social captain” who sways the others because many people don’t have a strong opinion or don’t want to express it.
So there is teamwork but also a leader, particularly in groups. Over time, a routine develops and the leadership whither a away or is less noticeable.
R: Describe at least one thing you would like to learn more about ‘teamwork’.
I: One thing that I would love to learn about teamwork is what makes an effective team to start with. I’d like to find out how teams as a whole handle conflict when it arises. It would be very interesting to see how teams collaborative to reach their end goals in time.
R: Give your number one piece of advice for someone looking to learn more about ‘teamwork’.
I: To learn more about teamwork you should join a sports team or consider a group task at school. Some people don’t work well with others but you can learn about your personality and how to handle certain situations if you put yourself in a position where you are forced to work with team mates to get something done. Like at work for example, often times you are put in a certain department and that is your team.
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That’s it for now – get your teams in order folks!
If you’re looking for a great activity for building your team up and helping them understand themselves better, then check out the bird personality test.