Understanding Leads to a Better Team

By Jean Colvin
Writer/Consultant
Wisconsin Youth Company

Building a strong effective team is essential for the success of an organization. People do not work in a vacuum. One person's deadline can affect many people. But there are so many different types of personalities and approaches to work! How can people come together and create quality work, meet deadlines, satisfy customers and not step on toes?

It is a tall order and like many important things that are worth pursuing, it takes time, effort and understanding.

The foundation of teamwork is understanding. Do you really know the people on your team? Do you know their work style? Is it a "ducks-in-a-row" type of approach or hustle it together at the last minute? Do they work best in solitude or get creative juices flowing by talking to others? Are they risk takers? Would they rather play it safe? Are they confident about their contributions to the team or are they afraid that what they bring to the team is lacking? Are they self-starters? Do they need reminder memos? Do they communicate directly or indirectly? Do they like praise and recognition or are they fine quietly contributing their part? Can they ask for help when they need it or are they likely to struggle on without saying anything?

You need to be able to answer those questions about the people on your team in order to get your work done in an effective and timely way at least most of the time

Of course people should be responsible and do their work and we shouldn't have to worry about psychoanalyzing them. After all this is work, not group therapy. But people are people. They come with all sorts of baggage. Many of us aren't even aware of our baggage. We just know that things don't work for us sometimes. Others of us are aware of our personal issues but think everyone else can just adapt to us or get the heck out of the way! And then, of course, there's that rare third group that is aware of their personal issues and honestly tries not to let them get in the way.

Rule number one of a good team is that you can't change people. People can, however, change themselves if they want. Rule number two is that no one believes rule number one so everyone goes around trying to change each other. (Some people call that marriage.) People don't like being tinkered with. They get downright balky at times and dig their heels in and then you have even more trouble completing your work. Or they love being fussed over and soak up all your suggestions like a sponge then go right ahead and do what they want anyway.

You will have more success forging a team and completing quality work on time if you make an effort to get to know and understand your teammates and how they function. Do you know the following things about your work colleagues?

• What is their attitude towards work? Is it just a paycheck or do they care about your mission?


• What is their work style? Wait till the pressure is on then produce? Plan ahead?


• What kinds of outside factors influence their work--family, health, weather?

Begin now to get to know your teammates better. Get to know them before the pressure is on to finish work projects. Ask about their family, their hobbies, what they did on the weekend. Getting to know them on a personal level will help pave the way for a smoother work relationship.

Ask them the best way for you to interact on work projects. Do they want lots of specific input or more general suggestions? Do they need a long timeline? What about interruptions? Should you make appointments to talk to them? Once they've told you what works for them, try to at least meet them halfway. Don't forget to tell them what would be most helpful to you in completing your work. Have these cordial conversations well in advance of deadlines if possible.

If crunch time comes and they haven't been able to meet your needs and you haven't been able to meet theirs, do the best you can with what you have. After the dust has settled, go back and evaluate. What could you try differently next time? Where did the communication break down?

Then let it go. Don't carry a chip on your shoulder or gossip to the first available ear about how incompetent your teammate is. Complaining about others creates an atmosphere where people don't feel safe. People who don't feel safe don't do good work. They aren't creative because they're afraid of change. They won't take on challenges because they are afraid of failure.

Be the member of the team who works to know and understand the others on the team. Stay positive and try to work with everyone's quirks and needs. The rewards are great: the respect of your colleagues and the knowledge that you are contributing to something greater than yourself.