How to Describe the Importance of Teamwork

ince Lombardi, the legendary football coach, defined teamwork as "Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." There are many definitions of teamwork offered by sports figures, generals and company leaders. All of them agreeing on one thing; teamwork is extremely important for the success of a company. How you describe teamwork is also important, and once it is defined, it can be achieved.

Teamwork Multiplies Success
Teamwork has often been described as one plus one equals three. On teams, people can work together and accomplish much more than they could by themselves. This concept of synergy is how many sports teams achieve success. Often, the teams with the best players do not win championships. It is frequently the teams that work best together that accomplish great things. Your company can also accomplish great things when everyone is working together toward a common goal. Define that goal clearly and watch your people achieve it.

Teamwork Makes the Job Easier
The industrial revolution began the era of mass production and also the division of tasks in the workforce. Employees now specialize in areas and contribute to the team through the work they produce. By specializing in areas like merchandising or accounting, they become more expert at their tasks and make your team more effective as a result. Working in teams also teaches your associates to work together more effectively and frequently new ways of doing things are discovered by team members working together to solve a problem.

Teamwork Maximizes Strengths and Reduces Weaknesses
In team sports, team members work together in order to win. Individual weaknesses can be minimized through the efforts of the team. In football, for example, a weaker lineman receives help from a team mate to help block a competing player and the pass is completed successfully. In your company, you place your people where their strengths can be best used. People with the best human relations skills are placed in human resources and your best advertisers work in merchandising. Weaknesses can be reduced when your people concentrate on their areas of strength.

Teamwork Makes Work Fun
Work is more fun when you are a part of a team. You can build on other people's ideas and share in completing the assignment together. You also have another pair of eyes to look at the work, which further reduces errors and mistakes. Studies have also shown that laughter and fun reduce stress, which can also increase effectiveness on the job. Teams that enjoy working together can accomplish great things for your company and great teams achieve their goals again and again.

7 Essential Skills for Teamwork

This list is used during the research cycle to observe how well a team is working together

1. Listening:

The students in this team listen to each other's ideas. You will observe the students "piggy-backing" (or building) off each other's ideas.

2. Questioning:

The students in this team question each other. You will observe the students interacting, discussing, and posing questions to all members of the team.
3. Persuading:

The students in this team use persuasion. You will observe the students exchanging, defending, and rethinking ideas.
4. Respecting:

The students in this team respect the opinions of others. You will observe the students encouraging and supporting the ideas and efforts of others.
5. Helping:

The students in this team help each other. You will observe the students offering assistance to each other.
6. Sharing:

The students in this team share. You will observe the students offering ideas and reporting their findings to each other.
7. Participating:

The students in this team participate. You will observe each student contributing to the project.