A lot of us have jobs that require us to interact with others. Whether working together on a project or simply passing by each other’s desks each day, it’s important to get along with our colleagues. Teamwork is an important aspect of office dynamics and is often crucial to company success. While it can be challenging at times, following the simple tips below will illustrate how fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with your colleagues is quite easy!
1. Be Available
Being available is key to teamwork. Being available when your co-workers require you to be is key to success. Especially on projects that require a level of expertise only you can provide.
Being available is also important to your own success. Showing up for others cultivates goodwill and creates a supportive environment. Not showing up for others has the opposite effect and may not be conducive to teamwork.
2. Do Your Homework
Before you even begin to work with your team, it’s important that you do your homework. Think about what you want to achieve and how you will accomplish it given the team dynamics.
Do make sure that the goals of all parties involved are aligned with one another. While it’s necessary to understand what success will look like, doing your homework also allows for contingency plans to be formulated.
3. Show Up On Time
This may seem obvious, but it’s vital to the success of any team. If you’re late for meetings or events, you’re sending the message that you don’t care about other people’s time. This can negatively impact the spirit of collaboration.
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4. Be a Team Player
Be a team player and help others when you can. Be willing to share constructive input when required and only if it adds value to the goals aimed for. Certain projects may require you to work on your own, but a fresh perspective is always helpful.
Be willing to share helpful criticism on a project unrelated to your job description and you may find yourself working on it too. This illustrates the positive effect of being a team player devoted to the end goal instead of being hung up on the processes involved.
5. Don’t Bring Drama to Work
Unexpected events can be an unfortunate reality in many offices, but it can be avoided by simply not engaging. If you see someone gossiping or engaging in office politics, it’s usually better to walk away.
This can apply to you too. Even on bad days, it’s better not to drag your colleagues into your personal situation. This not only puts a strain on your professional relationships, but has real potential to jeopardise your career too.
6. Give Credit
Give credit where credit is due. As a team leader, you’ll have to give credit to others when they’ve done something well. This isn’t just a matter of being nice or fair; it’s also good for business. When people feel their efforts are being recognised and appreciated, they will be more motivated to continue doing great work.
Professional praise goes a long way to making employees feel appreciated. Teams perform better when that appreciation is verbalised. Giving credit helps to motivate your team members to do better and has the added advantage of highlighting the efforts of your top performers.
7. Be Kind
Being friendly is one of the most important parts of teamwork. It’s not always easy to be friendly when you’re having a bad day, but here are some tips for staying friendly:
- Stay positive. Everyone you work with is going through some kind of challenge. Be the person that sheds some light on an otherwise dark day.
- Be helpful. It may take you away from the task you’re currently performing but can pay great dividends in the long run.
Kindness requires the application of empathy. The best team players know to be mindful of how their colleagues are feeling. Know when to play to your strengths and allow the thoughtfulness of teammates to make up for your weaknesses.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that you may not always get along with all of your colleagues. However, mutual respect must be a constant consideration. Team members can come from diverse backgrounds, but it’s important to share a common objective that unites them. Following the tips above, we trust that your next team project yields maximum success no matter the size or diverse backgrounds of your team members!
