The poster hung on your 3rd-grade teacher’s “Wall of Inspiration” with five other cheesy catchphrases. It read, “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work”, and even then, you wanted to roll your eyes. Then, your middle school basketball coach shouted that phrase during half-time to motivate you and your friends. And when you won the game, you believed him. You saw glimpses throughout life, both on and off the court, that working together as a team helps you succeed. In fact, you said this same cheesy phrase to your kids last night as you worked as a family to clean up the playroom. It’s cheesy, but it’s true. From elementary school group projects to sports, to family, to your job: the greatest victories are won, and the biggest dreams are realized, when multiple people work hard and work together.
We believe in the power of teams at Trinity Training and Development. After we assess your team’s strengths and weaknesses, we design a training program that addresses the obstacles your teams face. When teams function effectively, employees thrive, and your company succeeds. Still unsure why? Below are six reasons why teamwork is crucial to your business.
1. Create Innovative Ideas
Creativity and fresh ideas are often born through conversation and collaboration. When your ideas aren't challenged or embellished, new ideas are never born. Over time, some systems may become second nature to you. Without realizing it, you may move through your work doing something the same way over and over again. When you work with a team, you are challenged to think differently, try something new, and share a creative idea. Growth and innovation require multiple perspectives that can be found when you work with a team.
2. Increase Problem-Solving
An organization’s teams are continuously solving the problem of how to provide more value to their customers, and problems only become more complex as technology and society change rapidly. One person is unlikely to solve your company’s problems on their own. However, a team provides a pool of perspectives, knowledge, skills, and creativity. Encourage your teams to host brainstorming meetings where ideas are shared openly, without critique. Through honest communication and true collaboration, teams can develop a solution to problems that will move your company forward and energize your employees.
3. Establish Unity
When everyone in your workplace feels seen, heard, and valued, job satisfaction and employee engagement increase. People want to feel like their ideas and skills are needed and their voices heard. When you create a culture of mutual respect and allow all levels of employees to be a part of a team, you will establish unity within your employees. Unified teams can accomplish more than those with an “every man for himself” mentality. If this is true in sports, it’s true in the workplace.
4. Build Morale
Company morale fuels employee engagement, performance, and job satisfaction. Teamwork encourages mutual respect, trust in coworkers, and friendship. When you enjoy the people you work alongside, work can be fun. Healthy teams promote a positive work environment, which increases your employees’ job satisfaction and morale. High morale helps employees work harder with a strengthened desire to see themselves, their colleagues, and the company succeeds.
5. Promote Learning
Teamwork encourages those who may not normally speak up to share their thoughts and ideas. Their perspectives and insights can be invaluable. Collaboration encourages others to develop new skills, learn new information, and grow personally and professionally. Teamwork may also encourage employees to strengthen a skill they already possess as they discover their strengths and weaknesses and those of the team. Employees may be more motivated as they discover what they can bring to the table.
6. Improve Efficiency
Imagine that each person's skill set, ideas, and experiences are different colored blocks. One person may be able to build a decent-sized tower. However, when the blocks are used collectively, the tower will be taller, stronger, and overall, more impressive. In the same way, your company will thrive when everyone works as a team. Teamwork improves production and problem-solving and helps your company put new systems in place and actualize efficient innovation.
If you want to learn more about how to create healthy teams within your organization, contact us at Trinity Training and Development. Our programs are designed to promote communication and collaboration, reduce conflict, and increase job performance by teaching management and team leads how to effectively lead a team.