Behavior of the Week: Work in Teams

Whenever we are working with others, no matter the size of the group, you are part of a team, so it is only natural that this is the first behavior in the “Leading People” subset of the Leadership skills. We have all been a part of a team from our earliest years and for many of us, the teams to which we belong to only grow from there. Along the way, we have acquired a number of habits and skills related to teamwork, some of them beneficial and others not. So, even if you think you are already a team player, chances are you could still use some practice.

Teamwork often takes individual performance to the next level, and this is especially true in leadership situations. No matter how large the group, two people or two hundred or two hundred million, humans are social creatures who usually accomplish more by working as a team. As discussed earlier, teams are an important concept in PerfectCoaches because they enhance both personal life and professional life. Strong leaders build teams by bringing people together and helping them understand their shared goals and clearly defining their expectations of one another.

 Teams come in many sizes ranging from two or three colleagues working in the same office suite to large virtual groups working on a particular project. These large groups can also function well as a team, whether they interact face-to-face or not.

In order to turn a group into a true team, the leader encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, commitment, team spirit and group identity.