How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace
Teamwork in the workplace is more important than ever before. In fact, according to Gallup’s 2016 State of the American Workplace report, 85% of U.S. employees either strongly agree or agree that they are empowered to do what they do best every day at work. They also found that 83% of U.S. employees either strongly agree or agree that their organization’s leadership creates an environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Studies like this indicate that there’s an increased awareness about the importance of teamwork in the workplace and that companies are striving to create a collaborative environment.

SEE How to Get a Team to Work Together

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

Ways to practice more collaborative behaviors

The first step toward effective collaboration is accepting that every relationship is a team. Your partner, your children, your boss and yourself. That means it’s not enough for you to talk about teams; you must also be a team player . When someone asks you for help, offer it freely and with generosity of spirit. Learn how teamwork actually works—and then make sure everyone else on your team knows that information as well.

Ask questions when you don’t understand something—and use phrases like we and us instead of I or me. If given an assignment, do whatever it takes (within reason) to get all of your teammates involved and ready to contribute before submitting a proposal.

It’s also important to have skills. Many people think teamwork is more about attitudes than it is about abilities, but successful teams need both. The most obvious skill for teamwork involves what people do , but equally important is how they do it . It’s crucial that everyone on your team has good listening and communication skills, not just so you can collaborate better but also because nobody wants to work with someone who can’t communicate well or is hard to understand.

You also need to be ready and willing to let your team lead. Leaders aren’t born; they’re made. If you want others to respect you as a leader, you must show them that you are worthy of their respect. One way is by letting go of any notions of control or power and instead focusing on serving your team . Remember that teams only succeed when everyone contributes his or her talents, so don’t be stingy with praise for a job well done and never stop striving for excellence. When things do go wrong, remember that it is your responsibility—and no one else’s—to turn failure into opportunity.

Remember that when it comes to building teamwork, you have a lot of options. The best strategies start with mindset and then are followed by actions. Ideally, these strategies lead to long-term changes in behavior so you can continue developing your leadership skills. Before long, you’ll be ready to take on new challenges—and help others succeed as well.

It takes patience and effort, but there are many things you can do right now to improve teamwork in your business. First, you can choose a workplace culture that promotes teamwork , something that may sound easier than it is. Next, think about your own leadership style and make sure it’s consistent with your culture (or even consider developing a new one that is more effective). Finally, schedule time on your calendar for collaboration and innovation—ideally as part of an ongoing meeting devoted exclusively to creativity—and stick with it every week or two so it becomes a routine practice. These simple steps are just what you need to turn good teamwork into great teamwork!

SEE How to Develop Teamwork Skills

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

Tips on building trust with your coworkers

In order to succeed, teams need members who feel comfortable discussing their ideas with one another. That’s not a given, however. According to Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and author of Power: Why Some People Have It—and Others Don’t, it can take years for people on a team to trust each other and become willing discuss vulnerabilities or concerns. Here are some tips for building trust within your team

It’s also important to remember that trust takes time and effort, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen immediately. For Pfeffer, trust is like a light switch; you flip it on but it takes some time for things to really happen. In fact, he suggests using trust surveys where teams reflect on what they can do to build greater trust among each other. If they start with low scores, it gives them a way of understanding how far away from true trust they are, [and] by reflecting upon those items together…you create an opportunity for improving their levels of trust and confidence within one another.

Since trust is such an important part of a team’s success, it’s important to encourage it from your very first days on a team. From day one, decide that you want to build trust on your team and start making changes—no matter how small—that can help you do so. A little work upfront can have a big impact later on down the road. If you work hard at fostering trust, your relationships with coworkers will improve considerably over time. You’ll be able to get things done more easily and effectively when working together and your team as a whole will likely perform better due to greater cohesion among its members.

Building trust with coworkers can be tricky, but if you set out to do it, you should be able to see a big improvement over time. A healthy team and increased cooperation can lead to greater success at work—and that’s something everyone wants. It’s important to start thinking about how you can improve teamwork within your organization right away so that you have time to develop good habits before they become ingrained. Don’t wait until problems occur or until you need help from someone else on your team; build trust from day one so that when problems arise, you already have strong relationships in place that can help solve them more easily.

Remember: Good teams are built one relationship at a time. To learn more about how building stronger relationships within your company or organization can help improve productivity and create an environment where people want to stay for years to come, contact our professionals today!

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

Small ways you can be more empathetic at work

First and foremost, it’s about taking care of yourself. You can’t give what you don’t have—and you need energy and a positive attitude to be a good teammate. Self-care doesn’t have to mean a long bubble bath with candles, though. Make an effort each day—make it part of your morning routine or something you do before you start work—to take some time for yourself. Breathe deeply, meditate, stretch, or listen to music. Even five minutes can help refresh your energy levels and set you up for positive interactions with your coworkers throughout the day.

One way you can do that is by practicing mindfulness. By learning how to focus your attention, being more observant and being open to new experiences, you’ll be better equipped for compassionate communication. Learning mindfulness will help you cultivate self-awareness and gain perspective on your emotions and those of others, which will allow you to be more flexible with different personality types. And while it’s hard at first, don’t worry if it doesn’t come naturally. Mindfulness takes practice and comes easier with time as you build your skills.

Another way you can improve your communication skills is by having empathy and understanding. This doesn’t mean that you have to compromise or meet your coworker halfway on every issue—in fact, it’s often good for all parties involved if people are clear about what they want. It does mean that when others approach you with concerns, try putting yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if someone made a similar request of you? Does their perspective make sense given their position and experience? If so, do everything you can to help them succeed. And if not, what else can they do instead?

Sometimes, these approaches won’t be enough. Sometimes you and your coworker are just too different—and it’s not possible for you to change each other. If that happens, there are still ways to reach an understanding. Get professional support if things don’t improve after you’ve tried implementing some of these strategies on your own—it could help you come up with new ideas or learn more about yourself and others. And if all else fails, try finding a new job at a company where you can thrive alongside a better fit for your personality type. Your long-term happiness is worth sacrificing short-term gains for!

No matter what, don’t forget why you do your job. You’re there because you want to be part of something bigger than yourself—and that makes you a team player. If people don’t understand that or value it, it doesn’t matter how well you can communicate—you might want to find a new position with a company where people are more appreciative of your contributions. And if all else fails, remember that doing what you love—and being happy with who you are and how you choose to express yourself—is far more important than any paycheck or office culture.

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

What not to say at the office

I know there are plenty of things that my coworkers do that annoy me, but if I mentioned them, it would only make things worse. Instead, I’ll just smile and take deep breaths when they get on my nerves. No one wants to hear about what’s annoying you at work. You might think your unspoken grievances will build up until they explode into a giant fight, but chances are they won’t even register with your co-workers; everyone else is too preoccupied with their own frustrations. By choosing not to talk about them, you’re wasting both your time and theirs.

Instead, why not try saying something positive? If you’re at a loss for words, you can always keep it simple by complimenting someone’s work, giving them a smile or sending them a funny or encouraging note. These small gestures can go a long way toward making everyone feel good about their place of employment and each other’s company. They might even have time to ponder your comment and consider how they could improve their interactions with others. Before you know it, they’ll be mimicking your actions and encouraging more positivity throughout your entire office.

And, if you’re upset about something that isn’t even your own doing, ask yourself if it’s worth losing sleep over. By taking control of your emotions at work, you can prevent yourself from saying anything hurtful later on. This doesn’t mean keeping things bottled up inside of you until they explode. It just means learning how to handle your emotions with maturity instead of letting them get out of hand. Your coworkers will be thankful for your efforts, and maybe they’ll make a few positive changes of their own along the way.

With all of these tips, you’re sure to go a long way toward making your entire office happier. What are some other ways that you’ve found success at improving teamwork and collaboration? If you could give one piece of advice for someone who’s still new on their job, what would it be? Why not share your ideas with others by leaving a comment below!

Learning how to deal with stressful people and having a plan for handling difficult situations will help you become an overall more productive employee. Keep learning about workplace success by visiting Slideshare! And if you found our infographic helpful, feel free to share it! We’d love for others out there to be able to benefit from your advice.

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

Tips for giving feedback constructively

Giving constructive feedback is one of those skills that comes easy for some people, but can make others cringe. However, if you are new to a workplace or working with a new team and need help forming your own feedback style, consider following these five tips:

1) Receive feedback well.
2) Don’t take it personally.
3) Keep an open mind (criticism is only good if you learn from it).
4) Provide examples of behaviors that support criticism.
5) Be grateful for someone taking time out of their day to provide you with constructive advice (it’s not always easy).

Additionally, research shows that providing feedback regularly and formally improves teamwork — no matter how you deliver it — so get yourself into a positive feedback routine! You’ll be glad you did.

1) Receive feedback well. Effective communication doesn’t always mean being understood — it also means listening effectively. If someone is providing feedback, listen to them fully and be thankful for their time spent helping you improve.

2) Don’t take it personally. Understand that some feedback will be about your behavior as a person, not just about work performance, and that it’s often difficult for people (even with best intentions) to express themselves without getting emotional or frustrated. Think of constructive criticism not as an attack on your character but rather as an opportunity for self-reflection and growth so you can take things forward positively and learn from it together.

3) Keep an open mind (criticism is only good if you learn from it). Feedback is never meant to make you feel bad about yourself or demotivate you — it’s always intended for your own growth and improvement. It can be uncomfortable, but try not to let your emotions get involved and objectively consider how that feedback relates to your current skill set.

4) Provide examples of behaviors that support criticism. This way, your team can provide more concrete guidance rather than just saying do better. Ask them questions like: What behaviors do I need to change? and What specific things should I focus on? You may also want to take notes during these conversations so you have a record of all action items moving forward.

5) Be grateful for someone taking time out of their day to provide you with constructive advice (it’s not always easy). Don’t forget that behind every criticism is an attempt at your own growth and improvement. Be thankful they took time out of their busy schedule to discuss such a topic, and be open-minded when receiving their advice. This will also go a long way toward building up respect and trust between yourself and your team members moving forward.

6) Provide actionable feedback. Try to avoid being too general when giving feedback (this makes it difficult for your listener to follow up). If you are providing criticism, state what specific behaviors you saw or wish to see done differently, and clearly explain how these can be implemented moving forward. This will help your team understand exactly what they should do better, leading them to develop a plan on how they can be more effective at their jobs moving forward.

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace