Maybe because I am around it a lot and maybe because I work at it on most days, but teamwork seems to be at the forefront of most organisations wish lists and is, therefore, a regular topic of conversation and focus.

From my perspective, many people go about developing and enhancing teamwork in the wrong way. They talk about it, demand it, run team-building activities, and then wonder why teamwork hasn’t happened.

Now, as much as I would like to think that I could give you specifics on what you should do rather than simply point out what not to do, the fact is, I can’t.

When I say I can’t, it’s not because of a lack of desire, knowledge, or skill. It’s more about a lack of insight and understanding specific to the team you are working with. As you no doubt know, teamwork is dynamic. It is never still—well, at least good teamwork is. Therefore, it would be wrong of me to try and give you the one-size-fits-all approach to enhancing teamwork.

However, there is an insight I want to share with you, and that is this.

I don’t believe you can mandate teamwork.

Teamwork occurs when all the pieces of the puzzle are on the table and the individuals involved believe, desire, and commit to putting them together to create teamwork. For that to happen, we come back to two key elements.

1. The winning is in the picking
   Simply put, if you want a great team, pick great people. Hire for attitude and train for skill. However, make sure the individual has the aptitude to be able to take on the lessons needed to increase their skill set.

2. Communication
   Once again, this is another area you have seen me raise on countless occasions. But the truth is that teams talk on one of three levels:
   Rubbish
   Safe
   Real

To get the team to be real, open, and honest with each other takes time, effort, focus, and commitment from all involved. It is also greatly expedited by how and what the team members say to each other. So, let’s take a look at some of the things great teammates say to each other.

a. This would be better if you were involved.
Not from the perspective of ‘I am too lazy to do it’. But from the point of ‘I am good but together we are better’.

b. I trust you
No real communication, no trust. No trust, no team. But don’t leave the trust aspect to be open-ended. If you trust someone, let him or her know, and tell him or her how and why he or she has earned your trust.

c. I am here for you
Teamwork can never happen and will never happen if the individuals think that as soon as the pressure comes, people will take off in all directions, and they will be left standing looking like Wile-E-Coyote after the Road runner has finished with him.

d. Thank you
As in life, it is in teamwork. A simple, heartfelt thank you can have a huge impact.

e. My bad
Verbalised individual responsibility will go a long way toward helping a group of individuals begin to function as a team. When others know you will not shirk your responsibility, they will trust you, and with trust, teamwork has a chance.

f. Our good
The one exception to the point above is that you should not take responsibility for what is not yours to take. Yes, you may have played a major role in the success, but share the love and watch as the team’s confidence, interaction, productivity, and performance grow.

g. Say nothing
Sometimes, being a great teammate means stepping back and letting others work things out for themselves.

h. I got that wrong
Whether you are the leader or part of the team, regardless of your experience and level of skill, you will not get everything right. You know this (put the ego aside for a moment), and believe it or not, the team knows it. And that is OK. So don’t try to hide it or bluff your way through things.

‘I got it wrong’. Own it, learn from it and move on.

i. That’s a better way than what I was thinking
Recognise, support, and cheerlead ‘better’. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room 100% of the time. But here is the thing: Recognising that something is better is one thing, but actually heralding the fact that someone’s approach is better than yours is a great teammate.

Be that teammate and as you do, watch as…

The Journey Continues!