Tiffany's "Teamwork" talk for weekly Hey Clinic Quality Meeting

Teamwork

by

Tiffany, Hey Clinic

One of the many definitions of teamwork is, a cooperative or coordinated effort by a group of persons acting together as a team or in the interests of a common cause.  Teamwork is used and applied in a variety of different settings including sports, corporations, marriages, law enforcement and the list goes on.  In order to achieve success in these, and several other areas, working together and using effective teamwork is imperative.

Everyone has heard the statement, there is "no 'I' in the word 'Team'." This is more true today then it has ever been. In researching teamwork, I discovered that many businesses now rely heavily on creating an atmosphere of teamwork.  They have found that the key to successfully completing and accomplishing projects is often through the development of teams. In the past, teamwork was used only for special projects.  However, in today’s society it is often the norm (Castro, 1994). Teamwork has become an essential element for the success and survival of a business.

The hardest part in achieving successful teamwork is true collaboration of each individual.  This is difficult to achieve because people are often rewarded on individuality more often then team participation.  Team players are encouraged to learn how to grow and develop as a team. 

In my opinion, a team player is someone who is willing to ask for help and at the same time always available to assist others.   A good demonstration of teamwork is an individual who communicates effectively and helps others/co-workers in need.  It is also the ability to accept advice from other people and to have the flexibility to adapt to any role within a team environment.  Being a team player means collaborating your efforts to help the “team” complete the tasks at hand.  Teamwork creates an atmosphere of mutual appreciation and respect towards co-workers.  It eliminates competition and strengthens the bonds between different people striving towards a common goal. 

“Simply stated, it is less me and more we” (Unknown).