WORKPLACE ETIQUETTE: TEAMWORK
Working in team environments is a norm in many workplaces. In small organisations, different business functions may be split into teams with specialisations that contribute to the organisation’s overall goals. In larger organisations, different functional areas are divided into business units which focus on a specific area of the business. For cohesion across the organisation as a whole, and for effective working relationships across different teams, individuals in smaller teams and the wider organisational network need to work well together. With much of an organisation’s success depending on the effectiveness of teams working together, each person must have the tools necessary to help them work well as part of a team.
But what does effective teamwork look like? Allow me to illustrate.
I am not well known for my ability to carry a tune well; however, I appreciate musical performances. I particularly enjoy listening to melodies from choirs and the symphonies of orchestras. It is always amazing to me how any size of choir or orchestra can magically captivate an audience as they harmoniously execute the most remarkable productions with what seems to be a seamless blend of instrument and voice. The one question I always walk out of a performance with is, “How do they do that?”
Choirs and orchestras are ensembles of musicians with either vocal or instrumental talent. This means that multiple individuals each with a talent and good work ethic come together with one goal in mind - to create a musical masterpiece. Before any audience watches these ensembles at play, choir and orchestra members practice blending their instruments, usually with a conductor leading the exercise. This can take days, weeks, or months of blending each voice or instrument to make them sound like one. In choirs, this means blending different vocal tones to create a beautiful harmony complementing the melody of the song. The conductor paints a picture of the sound they would like to hear, then each musician does their best to sound like the person next to them to create one voice.
Once each section of a choir or orchestra has created the perfect blend, the conductor brings all the sounds together to create the desired musical piece which audiences get to enjoy. At the end of a production, as the audience shows their appreciation for the performance, the conductor will usually demonstrate their appreciation for all the performers, making special mention of any soloists who stood out.
The success of choirs and orchestras provides a valuable lesson in how to work successfully in teams. Consider the following:
Every team member has a different working style. Team members should embrace this, rather than see it as a reason to not work together. Successful teams can take into account different points of view and different ways of working as they bring together innovative ideas and solutions to reach a team’s overall goals.
Respectful communication creates productivity. When working in a team, it is advisable to listen to our colleagues respectfully. Listen to understand what is being said, rather than interjecting with ideas of your own. Even when it may not seem so, the best solution may come from the least expected source, so give everyone a voice to be heard to elicit the best solution.
There is room for all team members’ contributions to be validated and celebrated. Acknowledge your team members’ efforts and wins. Let them know when they have done well, and provide well-phrased constructive corrections when needed. When people are celebrated, they are further motivated to contribute their best to the team’s effort, which benefits everyone.
Give credit where credit is due. A musical conductor cannot take credit for the soprano's performance. The same applies to team leaders or supervisors. As a team leader, it is important to acknowledge the individual talents and contributions that each person brings to the workplace. This allows their contributions to be recognised, while the overall team effort is celebrated.
When we show respect to members of our work teams we foster healthy and productive work environments that stimulate great ideas. It is also easier to work across teams as each person makes a fair contribution and is supported to do so.
