Communication in Teamwork free essay sample

In most things that humans do there is some level of teamwork needed to successfully accomplish tasks in everyday life. Exemplary communication is essential to a team’s success because without it there would be no way of coordinating efforts to accomplish a goal. Making the project seem like one cohesive piece would be impossible if members could not communicate well enough to figure out what needs to be done in order to complete any considerable feat. There are seven characteristics of effective teamwork; â€Å"these characteristics are productive conflict resolution, mature communication, role clarity, accountable interdependence, goal clarification, common purpose and psychological safety (Bianey, para. 6). † The most significant action anyone can take to putting together a good team requires communication. The communication needed is not your everyday nonchalant greetings and pleasantries. While a smiling face and friendly demeanor will appease most people, working with a team requires more value in the work you are able accomplish despite your dental work. Trust must be built and organization must be established if the task at hand is to be resolved. Having a decent attitude is the best way to approach teamwork, but without ample communication from all involved then there is no way of identifying the best skills of each member to appropriately dole out the work load. Members must be able to communicate well within the group to be successful because there is really no other way to properly coordinate aspects of the project that everyone is to be a part of. A nationwide survey of employee attitudes found that workers see teamwork declining throughout their organizationsas well as between departmentsand that communications between departments also has fallen off since last year (Anonymous, para. 1). † To make an assignment cohesive, though many people worked on the same project, it is important to communicate the tone that all members agree would be best for the intended audience. â€Å"On the brighter side, workers rated their com mitment to quality extremely high (but even that declined 0. %). Employees said they would continue to recommend their workplaces to friends and family looking for a job, although with a bit less certainty (Anonymous, para. 5). † Without everyone doing their part and communicating discrepancies within the team there can be no hope of peaceful cooperation and it is almost certain that the project in question will fail to meet the mark of excellence. If there is a failure to communicate properly then there is little hope of resolving questions within the team structure. While reading and writing are absolutely essential to the academic success of any student, the aspect of speaking skillsor effective communication skillsis often considered ancillary instruction, something to do if there is enough time, since speaking is assumed to be an innate skill. (Tuleja, para. 1)† Having other team members who may be able to assist with questions or concerns, which is part of the basi s of team work, then it will build communication skills and knowledge. There is little doubt that any one could complete some assigned goal without the assistance of a team, but the reasons team work is incorporated is that the work will go much faster if multiple people contribute to the issue at hand and they all attempt to work well together through communication. Communicating with each other also attributes to a broader range of experience, intelligence, and creativity. By enhancing performance in the area of communication, the team will have a better chance at success in any situation, from work to school and your home life in general as well. Oral communication is the most important competency for college graduates entering the workforce, and that the oral skills most important for entry level graduates are: following instructions, listening, conversing, and giving feedback (Weldy, para. 1). † Some examples of techniques that may be helpful to establishing communication within the team might include: †¢Organize a short â€Å"Meet and Greet† for team members that are unfamiliar with each other. Decide how each member’s schedule will work with completing the required time constraints for the project at hand. Determine a leader for the duration of the project or for each stage of the task depending on specialties. †¢Discuss the value of each member’s expertise and how to apply it to each task for the project. †¢Break the work load down into small goals of accomplishment depending on the task schedule. †¢Keep in close contact with each member so all feel the support of the group as a whole. With communication it is more than possible for any number of people from different backgrounds to effectively make the most out of a team situation. â€Å"Both the team leader and team members must isk making mistakes and even failing occasionally. Although no one should be encouraged to make mistakes, implementing creative ideas does carry the risk of failure (Temme, para. 15). † All it really takes is some understanding and diligent work. If everyone h as a part to play then everyone should play their part. In summation, the common theme is that communication is the key to successfully relating to other people. â€Å"You cannot demand teamwork. It must be discussed and understood by everyone involved (Temme, para. 5). For example, Surgeons must communicate well in the operating room or people could die. Sometimes, â€Å"team members have disparate perceptions about how well they are communicating or collaborating with each other (Mills, para. 16). † In more ways than one, communication carries what could be a disaster to a beautiful reconciliation. â€Å"Consequently, assessment of communication effectiveness in surgical teams will enable timely problem solving and potential interventions in the provision of surgical care (Mills, para. 15). † This goes for any sort of team; a swimming club, for example, or the boy scouts, even a marriage requires teamwork and with it communication is key. When you communicate, you win, and even if you do not win (these things do happen) at least you will know why. Your team members conveyed their concerns and the project was accomplished to the best of all your abilities. â€Å"The main point here is that calling a team a team does not make it a team! Teambuilding must become a way of life a behavior change on the part of management and its employees. (Temme, Para. 6). † Life is also unpredictable and the value of team work in life with your loved ones can create stability and keep relationships friendly through strong communication and a bit of organization and compassion.