The Truth about Why Teaming Up Isn’t Always Natural or Easy

Want to know what makes companies 5 times as likely to be high performing? Collaboration. According to studies, collaborative work is a core trait of successful, modern workplaces. It’s essential for the best outcomes because when we pool our ideas, challenges, and solutions with others, we enrich the end result.

Collaborative work environments have also been shown to encourage motivation and keep team members more engaged. Even if we work independently in our jobs, we will always encounter opportunities to work alongside someone else.

However, that blending of ideas can lead to frustration. And when we clash with someone, it can have the opposite effect, becoming demotivating.  Sometimes it even leads to wanting to do an entire project ourselves or throwing up our arms and giving up completely. Neither is a good option!

Making collaboration work for your teams

One of the ways we fail to properly support collaboration in our workplaces is by skipping over the preparation. In general, teaming skills are not often taught. Have you seen “Team Building 101” on any school curriculum lately? Yet despite how widely these skills are needed, we are thrown into figurative sandboxes all day long and hope that others “play well.” There is a better way.

Research has shown there are specific skills that support more productive teams. Identifying those skills is important, and they seem easy. We may know that working in partnership requires trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results. But far too often, we are part of a team where these critical skills and behaviors are non-existent.

Why is that? Because we aren’t even aware of what we are (or aren’t) doing that’s creating an issue for our team. We can get set in our ways or lost in our own mindset and miss what’s needed by the other members of the team.

Sound familiar?

Think about the challenges that often create problems when it comes to collaboration.

Do we ask for help when we need it? Or instead think we need to do it all and then miss a deadline or produce poor results?

Can we engage in productive conflict? Or do we shy away from challenging a situation because we are afraid of rocking the boat?

Are we willing to take the time to listen to all opinions? Or do we race ahead with a decision, thinking we are saving others time?

Have we called out an issue when something didn’t go as planned? Or do we let it slide, hoping it won’t happen again?

These are choices that each team member must make; some will lead to high performing, cohesive teams. Other choices will perpetuate dysfunction, frustration, and dismal outcomes. The key is to get explicit about what each person can do to help achieve the former vs. the latter.

Laying the groundwork for teaming

Are you interested in finding out how YOU are impacting your team’s performance? Join us July 13, 2023, for a FREE virtual Showcase event.  You will learn how The Five Behaviors model gives individuals the skills they need to thrive and amplify the work of others in team settings. 

For attending the showcase, you’ll receive a complimentary Personal Development assessment and personalized profile to experience the solution for yourself. Note that this session would be valuable for multiple team members to attend together and you can choose which person from your organization will benefit most from the complimentary assessment.

Help yourself and your team now by marking your calendar and sending us an email to say you’d like an online seat!