7 Examples of Important Teamwork

Skills
Written by Hanne Keiling

Updated September 23, 2024

Teamwork skills are essential to your success at work, no matter your industry or job title.
Working well with clients, colleagues, managers and other people in your workplace can
help you complete tasks efficiently while creating an enjoyable environment both for
yourself and others. An organization that emphasizes good teamwork skills is typically a
healthy, high-functioning [Link] this article, we take a closer look at what teamwork
skills are, how you can improve them and other soft skills that can help you be a good
teammate.

What are teamwork skills?

Teamwork skills are the qualities and abilities that allow you to work well with others during
conversations, projects, meetings or other collaborations. Having teamwork skills is
dependent on your ability to communicate well, actively listen and be responsible and
honest. There are many other additional soft skills that can help you be an exceptional
teammate at work that we will discuss more below.

Why are teamwork skills important?

You will be required to work alongside others in every industry at every level in your career.
Doing so in an empathetic, efficient and responsible manner can help you accomplish career
goals, grow your resume and contribute positively to your organization. It can also help you
build rapport with others. Building rapport can lead to deeper working relationships, new
connections and possibly new opportunities.

Examples of teamwork skills

Teamwork skills are made up of many other soft skills you can work to develop over time.
Here are seven examples of qualities that can help you improve your teamwork skills:

1. Communication
The ability to communicate in a clear, efficient way is a critical teamwork skill. When working
with others, it is important that you share relevant thoughts, ideas and key information.
There are many different types of communication skills, including both verbal and
nonverbal.

2. Responsibility
Within the dynamic of teamwork, it is important that the parties involved both understand
the work they are responsible for and make the effort to complete said tasks on time and up
to the expected standard. With the entire team functioning properly by taking responsibility
for their own work, they can work together towards a common [Link]: Responsibility
vs. Accountability: What's the Difference?
3. Honesty
Practicing honesty and transparency at work might mean working through a disagreement,
explaining that you were not able to complete a certain task on time, or sharing difficult
updates. Without transparency, it can be difficult for a team to develop trust and therefore
work together [Link]: Integrity: Definition and Examples

4. Active listening
Much like communication, active listening skills can help a team to understand and trust
each other. Active listening is the act of making an effort to focus intently on one person as
they share their ideas, thoughts or feelings. You might also ask follow-up questions to dig
deeper into what they are [Link]: Active Listening Skills and Techniques
(With Examples)

5. Empathy
Having empathy for your teammates can allow you to better understand their motives and
feelings. Taking the time to listen and understand how others think and work can help you
to communicate with them in the right ways.

6. Collaboration
Teamwork exists so that a group of individuals with a diverse set of skills and talents can
work together towards a common goal. It is crucial to work with other teammates to share
ideas, improve each other’s work and help one another to form a good [Link]:
Collaboration Skills: Definition and Examples

7. Awareness

In teamwork, it is important that you hone your ability to be aware of the team dynamic at
all times. For example, if one person is dominating the conversation or does not allow others
to share ideas, it is important that balance is restored so each teammate to contribute
evenly. Alternatively, if one person tends to be more shy or hesitant to share ideas, it is
important to create space so that all teammates feel comfortable contributing their unique
skills and abilities.

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How to improve your teamwork skills

While it can take time and work to improve soft skills such as teamwork, it is certainly
possible to build these qualities. Here are a few steps you can take to improve your
teamwork skills:

 Get honest feedback. It can be difficult to identify your own areas of improvement.
Finding a trusted friend, colleague or mentor that can offer you honest feedback
about your teamwork strengths and weaknesses can help you improve them.
 Set personal goals

. Using both your own observations and feedback from others to form achievable, relevant
and time-constrained goals can help you improve one teamwork skill at a time. Using the
SMART goal
  framework is an easy way to set appropriate goals for your career.
 Practice. It takes time and practice to see improvements in your skillset. Pay close
attention to your teamwork interactions throughout the day, both in and out of
work. Take mindful steps to practice the specific qualities you are trying to build.
 Mimic others with strong teamwork skills. When you see examples of great
teamwork, take note and identify why the interaction stood out to you. Apply those
qualities in your own interactions when working with others.

Developing teamwork skills can help you both in your career and when seeking new
opportunities. Take time to evaluate your current skill set and identify areas for
improvement. With time and practice, you can begin building a strong set of teamwork skills.

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6 Qualities That Make a Great Team Member

What is a team player?

A team player is someone who actively contributes to their group in order to complete tasks,
meet goals or manage projects. Team players actively listen to their coworkers, respect ideas
and aim to improve the product or process at hand. Team players understand that their
team’s success is their own success, and they share responsibility when their team
experiences difficulties along the way.

Team player qualities and characteristics

There are many common soft skills that make individuals great team players. Soft skills
aren’t as easily learned as technical ones, but they can be developed with [Link] are
several qualities you can focus on to be a better team player:

1. Understanding your role

As a team member, you understand your role within the team and work to achieve your
duties to the best of your ability. Though you may offer help or solutions to other team
members, you also respect the boundaries of your [Link]: How To Handle
Coworkers Stepping on Your Toes at Work

2. Welcoming collaboration
Working with a team requires strong collaboration skills to navigate different opinions and
ideas. Even if you believe your idea is best, listen to others, seek compromises, and stay
respectful when receiving criticism.

3. Holding yourself accountable

Take responsibility for your mistakes and look for solutions. Understand how your actions
impact the entire group. In doing so, you will learn from your errors and command more
respect from your [Link]: Accountability in the Workplace: Importance and Tips for
Improving It

4. Being flexible
You should accept any tasks your manager gives you. Flexibility in your role allows you to
learn more and help your team. Look at every opportunity as a chance to learn.
5. Having a positive attitude
Maintaining a positive attitude even during stressful times helps the rest of your teamwork
through that difficult time without getting upset. Your positivity will create a better
atmosphere.

6. Committing to the team

You should be fully invested in the team. You will be a great team player if you can show
others that you believe in the group, the process and the goals. This sort of positivity can
radically increase morale and productivity.

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Supporting a colleague in need

A good example of successful teamwork is supporting a colleague who is struggling

with a task, facing a personal issue, or dealing with a conflict. For instance, you might
offer to help a coworker with a deadline, listen to their concerns, or mediate a
disagreement. This type of teamwork shows empathy, compassion, and trust. You can
highlight your teamwork skills by explaining how you supported your colleague, what
impact you had on their situation, and what feedback you received.

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Team Leader Qualities

Most team leadership positions require qualities like:

 Excellent Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Skills – clear and effective

communication can help a team leader to lead the team efficiently towards
accomplishing their goals and to communicate clearly with both team and
supervisor.
 Organizational Skills – good organizational abilities are essential to keep directions,
roles and expectations clear and organized in a team setting.
 Delegating and Motivating Abilities – the team leader must have the ability to
delegate tasks to team members based on each of their talents and capabilities. This
makes team members feel motivated and confident of their abilities.
 Integrity – team leaders should lead by example in order to establish mutual respect
and appreciation between them and their team members.
 Confident Work Ethics – by demonstrating a confident work ethic with great
expectations and consistent results, a team leader can instill the same confidence
and expectations among team members, thus ensuring greater focus and
productivity.