Valley Crossing......as a TEAM

This blog is about the lesson learnt about teamwork through a valley crossing exercise. In this case there is a valley which cannot be crossed by an individual alone because it is 2 steps wide. Now the exercise shows how if 3 people come together and a pole of sufficient length is provided using innovative thinking all 3 people can cross the valley.

Situation

The situation is that persons have to cross the valley. As the picture suggest there is a ditch in between the two mountains. It can be easily deciphered that single person alone cannot cross the valley. In simple terms the task (of crossing the valley) cannot be completed without involving a group of three (min.) persons. The current situation is tantamount to the case in a company wherein the employee has to work in a team to finish  a specific task. Even though the employee may be efficient but when you are working in a team its the team effort, coordination, commitment that counts rather than individual personality traits. Here, in this situation the employees have to complete the job of getting to the other end of valley safely.

Team is aptly signified by :-

                                             T  - Together

E - Everyone

A - Achieves

M -     More   

    

I am sure you have definitely heard or read the above extended form of the word TEAM many times. Together Everyone Achieves More, itself conveys the importance of teamwork in the workplace and elsewhere.

Why is Teamwork Important ?

The importance of working in a team are many. It involves the joint efforts of a number of people to achieve a common goal. Therefore every organization should emphasize on the importance of teamwork for the overall growth of the company.

Fast Learning
You tend to learn things at a faster rate, if you are working as a team. the faster you learn the faster you tend to perform in the team. The experiences and knowledge of the older team members help you to grasp new concepts quickly. At the same time it proves to be an added bonus for you as you avoid mistakes at work.

Workload Distribution
Working in a team has an advantage of the workload getting distributed among all the team members. With work properly distributed, you can concentrate on a single activity till the time you gain expertise in it and you do not feel stressed out due to work.

Building Bonds
Continuous interaction with the team members, working with them for the day, having your meals with them, sharing your joys and sorrows helps in building a strong bond between each other. The team members build strong relationships of trust and understanding which can invoke loyalty for the team and work place as well. In this way, you can even make friends for a lifetime.

Healthy Competition
Just think of a situation where people are competing with each other and trying to excel better than the other. At the same time they are helping and assisting each other in work-related as well as personal difficulties and problems. Wouldn't that be a great sight! Well this is possible when you work as a team, as everyone is emotionally bonded to each other.

Exploring Creativity
While working in a team you will never be alone, you will always have some or the other person to suggest you good things. Suggestions and advice can help you in generating new ideas and bring out the creativity in you.

Job Satisfaction
Teamwork is one of the most important reasons for employee job satisfaction. This is because working in a team improves employee performance as well as makes the work enjoyable. This is also conducive to employee motivation.

Increased Speed of Work
With many people handling a single project and doing the assigned work properly, the overall work speed increases and your team can complete the project well within the given time frame. 

The above-mentioned benefits of teamwork were team specific. But teamwork is even beneficial at the organizational level. Effective teamwork in the workplace benefits the organization by increasing the productivity which is important to meet the targets and fulfill commitments. Also, teamwork ensures maximum use of manpower. This is the reason companies are promoting teamwork in the workplace. 

Working as a team can benefit you as an individual, as a team as well as an organization. For some people it might be a bit difficult to adjust in a group initially, but I am sure, they will gradually learn to adjust and work as a team. Effective teamwork motivates an individual to grow into a responsible citizen and accomplish individual as well as organizational goals.

In the present day globally competitive market, the real success of a firm lies in the performance of its team. A dull, demotivated team lacking in coordination leads to the downfall of an organization whereas a company with well organized employees charts out the path to success. HR policies of the company are hence always directed for the betterment of the employee so that their performance can be maximized. So, next time, your team lands up with a project, remember the motto: "Together We Can".