From sports teams and dance groups to office jobs and volunteer organizations, teamwork is an essential skill to ensure success in all aspects of life.
Some endeavors are too complex and time-consuming for a single person to complete. For example, a science project may entail a series of questions, an experiment, graphs to draw, and a conclusion paragraph. With four or five other people, each person can tackle one part of the project and therefore finish the entire endeavor in much less time than if one person did all the work.
The above is an ideal situation. Unfortunately, it is common for group members to be uncooperative in various ways. Some may delegate their work load to the others and just sit back. Some may discuss the best strategy to take and impart a slew of words to the team, but do no actual work. Others may disagree with every proposed idea and stir tension. However, by choosing the right people to work with, teamwork will allow the bud of dreams to blossom into a colourful flower. A tip for making the right selections is to examine the several personality types each team should have.
First, there is the leader. This individual is the glue of the team. Resolving issues, encouraging the group, making sure everyone is heard, and scheduling meetings are all responsibilities of the leader. Next is the researcher, who questions ideas and finds the answers. They acquire more information when it is needed. The planner is in charge of organizing, whether it’s by using charts or calendars. Their efforts ensure projects are finished by the deadline. The one who generates novel ideas is the creative person. As someone who has a large imagination and thinks outside of the box, I personally would fit most in this position than in any other. Thanks to this individual, the group’s work will stand out in the competition. Lastly, there are communicators, also known as messengers. They share newly generated ideas and information with other members of the group. With their help, everyone is on the same page. They may also have many contacts to reach out to when the group needs external guidance.
A good team is one where every member knows their role, is cooperative with one another, and is motivated to achieve the combined goal. The students finish the science project, the players win the tennis championship, and the orchestra delivers the breathtaking performance they dreamed of.
For further reflection, here are some quotes about the value of teamwork:
“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” – H.E. Luccock
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford
By: Elisa Sung