Effective Teamwork

Colleen Scherer

CIS 105

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary teamwork is defined as, “work done by

several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the
efficiency of the whole”.[ CITATION Mer10 \l 1033 ] Whether on a sports team, corporate team,
fundraising team or team put together to complete a class assignment, as a member of a team you
will be working with others towards a common goal. In order to have a successful team it is
important to have a clearly defined goal and utilize each member’s personal skills efficiently and
effectively to reach the goal. There are several characteristics that make up an effective team.
One of the most vital is having a clearly defined goal everyone on the team must know and
understand what the desired outcome is. Members of the team should be competent in
maintaining and completing their individual role and responsibility in reaching the goal. It is also
helpful if all members of the team are committed to team success over individual achievement.
Like any organization a team must have some form of leadership in order to ensure all parts of
the team are working and following the structure or work plan of the project.

The merging of individuals brings with it many positives. Each individual among the
group will have different perspectives and ideas on how to reach the goal therefore if a problem
or setback arises in reaching the goal a solution can be reached for attaining the goal
successfully. As individuals we all have our own talents and knowledge, in working as a team
this will help us to find our role in completing the task at hand. For example some individuals are
good at organizing and presenting while others prefer to be more “hands on” or technical, in
business the organizers/presenters generally end up in office roles while the “hands on”/technical
individual will be working on the products or services being provided to the consumer. Another
positive factor in working as a team is the motivation to do well, as a team you will be
encouraging, supporting and helping one another to reach the goal. Having more individuals
working towards the goal can lessen the amount of time needed to complete the goal because
each person will have their own role or part of the project to focus on instead of one person
having to complete all aspects of the project. This assigning of roles according to skills and
knowledge will also ensure that the details of the project are not overlooked, assuming that each
member of the team takes the time to do their part to the best of their ability. [ CITATION NDT10 \l
1033 ]

For every positive that the diversity of the group provides there is also a negative. A
difference in perspectives and ideas can lead to arguments about the “best” way to achieve the
goal. Having one’s own talents and skills may leave individuals close-minded to the ideas and
suggestions of others, feeling that we have more experience and knowledge than them. This can
break down the lines of communication in the team and leave the final project in a mass of
finished but unconnected pieces. For example if on an assembly line producing parts for a car
each individual made their part without communicating with the others we could end up with
engines that do not fit with the transmissions, fuel systems, etc. In teams you also have to be sure
that each member is doing their part and completing it in a timely manner, if one person doesn’t
complete their task then the goal will not be completed. I think Babe Ruth said it all with, “The
way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of
individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a
dime.”[ CITATION Bab48 \l 1033 ]

In order to make any team experience successful you need to be able to put your own
personal goals to the side and focus on the unified goal. It is essential for members to be
respectful and accepting of others and their contributions to the team. While providing assistance
and encouragement to other team members will help to maintain a positive environment and
attitude. Joe Paterno was quoted as stating, “When a team outgrows individual performance and
learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.”[ CITATION Joe10 \l 1033 ]
Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. merriam-webster.com. 10 09 2010 <www.mirriam-
webster.com/dictionary>.

NDT ed. 09 09 10 <http://www.ndt-ed.org>.

Paterno, Joe. think exist. 07 09 10 <http://www.thinkexist.com>.

Ruth, Babe. think exist. 1895-1948. 07 09 10 <http://www.thinkexist.com>.