Essential Teamwork Skills
Almost all jobs in the world require teamwork. It is the effort a group puts in to achieve common goals and the way that most tasks are done. Good teamwork skills are the most sought-after skills in the workplace, especially during these times when teams are more diverse.
Thanks to all technological advancements, teams can now be distributed geographically and composed of people from different countries and cultures. It is therefore important to develop and improve some skills that enhance workplace collaboration. Especially because during these times, most teams are working remotely and their interactions are rather virtual than face to face.
But what do people mean by teamwork? They are not talking about only achieving goals, setting objectives, and solving problems. Teamwork is not only about work. It is also about collaboration, support, and team cohesion.
It is about the psychological factors involved in the process of working and being part of a team. The strength of a team comes out not only from their productivity and performance but also from communicating well and sharing.
Teamwork is complex, but it is so rewarding. Especially if you manage to achieve the perfect workplace collaboration. To do this, you need to take on these seven teamwork skills:
1. Communication
Experts on communication from a paper writing service say that this is one of the most important skills people must take on. Communication is important not only at your job but in your personal experiences as well. You need communication to send your ideas, express your opinions, and underline your feelings and emotions. You need communication to educate others, solve conflicts, and find solutions to problems.
A team whose members know how to communicate effectively is one step closer to the perfect workplace collaboration. This means that they share their experiences and support each other during difficult moments. Team members that communicate well prevent conflicts or delays in their work.
2. Conflict Management
No matter how much we may run away from conflicts, sooner or later there will be some. But the most important part is how you react and behave during a conflict. Many people think that conflicts are bad and something to avoid. And indeed, some may turn out to be nasty.
But when engaging in teamwork, arising conflicts should be seen as a chance to develop skills. Something is wrong and this is the occasion to make it work better. Conflict management is an important teamwork skill each member should have.
It means that they should encourage and highlight the positive effects of conflicts and minimise the negative ones. They should listen, communicate, and be patient because there will surely be group outcomes that will serve as further guidelines.
3. Active Listening
Active listening is just as popular as communication. Unfortunately, many people think they know how to communicate and listen actively, but they still have a long way to go. Improving your active listening skills is essential when working in a collaborative environment.
Teams need to constantly communicate and listen to others’ opinions, not to reply but to understand them. During team processes, such as brainstorming or setting goals, every team member needs to add their contribution. Every idea and opinion are important and this is why active listening is essential for a perfect collaboration.
4. Leadership
Every team needs a leader. And every team leader needs to motivate his team, to listen to it, engage team members, and support them. As every team composition is different, every leader should adapt his leadership style.
Usually, leadership emerges naturally and it shifts as the team’s needs do. A leader works not only with his team but with other people across the organisation too. He should be able to inspire and motivate change, to create a common vision, and motivate his team to work to achieve its goals.
On top of this, he should be there also when things are not so okay. A leader should support his team members during difficult and stressful moments, to diffuse conflicts, and explore team dynamics.
5. Time Management
According to a study on time management by dissertation help, to achieve perfect workplace collaboration, you need one of the most important skills: time management. A team is made of different members that come from different cultures. They have different working styles, so making them complete each other might be a challenge.
Time management is important because it helps you organise your time and tasks effectively. Having strong time management skills helps people focus on their tasks, minimise distractions, and meet their deadlines. Time management comes with a prioritisation of tasks, which is so important in stress prevention.
6. Problem Solving
Problem-solving skills are essential if a team wants to achieve perfect workplace collaboration. No matter how much teams prepare for unexpected events, it sometimes happens to be not ready to face them. There might appear problems in every part of developing the project or working in a team.
Problems are good because they put our skills to test. They force us to take a new perspective and consider a fresher point of view. Knowing how to analyse a problem and find solutions is essential, as many people tend to run away from them hoping that they will dissipate or someone else will solve those problems. Problem-solving skills, along with other teamwork skills, allow team members to focus rather on the solution than on the problem.
7. Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is just as important as any other teamwork skill. When working in a team, you interact with your colleagues and each of them has a different perspective. Some people might fail to consider a new approach and prefer to follow the old path.
But sometimes, thinking critically about an event, problem or project helps you find the best solutions. Critical thinking implies analysing similar past situations, listening actively to what other team members want to say, and examining all problem sides. Critical thinking encourages a more objective and fresher approach to problems, bugs, or team issues.
Conclusion
Teamwork skills are a must-have if you want to achieve a perfect workplace collaboration. Team members need to communicate and openly share their points of view and ideas.
They need to actively listen to and respect others’ perspectives. Managing your time effectively, thinking critically and mediating conflicts are essential to support the team’s performance.
Being part of a team is both rewarding and challenging and with these seven teamwork skills, everything can go smoothly.
Action: For even more useful content on team building, check out our ultimate guide on Team Building Skills.
