HOW TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN TEAMWORK
It’s the 21st century and globalization seems to be growing faster than ever. The details of this globalization, especially in technology and economy appears to be more broadly automated, and more reflexive than our reflex arc itself, in terms of growth. And this has made individuals who think they can successfully strive and thrive on their own without keying into globalization or without needing help from others become epic failures—they continually retard and regress without figuring out why.
As humans, we’re met to live interdependently—mutually relying on each other. Obviously, no one can survive in absolute isolation and total self-reliance, I guess that is why teamwork is virtually the surest means to attain great accomplishments. Like an African Proverbs tells, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”.
As it is, the status quo of our economy is, “So much to do, in so little time”. Now let’s be a little bit perceptive here, do you think you can actually get so much done in your life of 24-hour clock a day all by yourself? Can you really attain long-lasting success without the contributed efforts of other people around you? Absolutely not!
If you really don’t know the importance of teamwork, then you honestly need to get yourself on a team of workers and see for yourself, because the importance of teamwork cannot be stressed enough.
Getting involved with people or getting a team can prevent you from being bogged down by the numerous and countless activities you think you can do alone. In a sense, you might be able to make it through the end of it all on your own, but the aftermath of doing such may not turn out to be shoddy and unproductive, and unproductiveness is not what anyone will want to reckon with—not even you. Eventually, you may not have only wasted your time in running around those tasks aimlessly, but you’ll seemingly burn out and get frustrated.
We all know that no one is all-knowing and no one is none-knowing as well. In the light, everyone knows something you don’t. So just imagine getting on a team of workers where everyone brings their own unique idea to the table, contributing their quota zealously, to make sure that the project works. Don’t you think the outcome of such a project will be a magnum opus? Of course, it will be an epic success.
However, it is one thing to get involved on a team, and another to know how to be an active participant so you don’t end up being wheel that is tagged irrelevant and that can be discarded at any time. So in this regard, knowing how to get involved in teamwork is not only important but extremely necessary.
There are different strategies and tactics you can employ in order for you to be more involved, if not fully, with your team of workers. Below are some of the ways that I’ve outlined and might be of great help to you.
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GET TO KNOW YOUR TEAM MEMBERS
You obviously cannot do great on a team when you don’t first, know the different individuals that make up the team. Despite the fact that you guys are a team, doesn’t mean that there cease to be individuality among each of you. As a matter of fact, it’s the unique personality of each team member that makes up the synergic strength, willpower, distinctiveness and determination of the team as a whole.
Once you’re new on a team, the first thing you need to do is relate with your team members. Get to know their full names, where they live, how they ended up in the same team as you, what their aim is, for the team, would they be keen on working on such a team, would they want to continue working with such a team even after the achieved goals. Just get to know each and every one of them on a personal level. Don’t make the mistake of generalizing in your head that they are all the same.
Everyone can never be the same, we’re all unique and the only prototype of ourselves. Keeping this simple knowledge in mind will help you to approach each of your team members with an open mind and being non-judgmental.
In getting to know your team members, don’t try to make comparisons between them, at all. Don’t use a team member good personality to compare to another team member not-so-good personality, trust me, you would be doing more harm than good because your action is likely to create an unhealthily competitive relationship between them. Moreover, the fact that you were fortunate to experience the good personality of a team member, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a dark side—every one of us does.
So as a newbie on the team, be open-minded, non-judgmental and non-critical in your approach to relating with your team members. Also, always be that friendly person who makes succinct, yet sincere and honest comments or compliments to your team members. You really don’t want to be seen as the newbie who makes unnecessary flatteries here and there. Be moderate in your compliments.
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ASK TONS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEAM
As a newbie in the team, if you don’t already know so much about the team, then you can’t really get involved in what they do.
Asking questions is another way to really know what the team is about and how they operate. Asking questions can really help you to know and understand the goals and aims of the team, and in understanding this, you can easily key into the team’s vision, doing your best to see that such goals and aims are attained.
Now when we talk about asking tons of questions, I don’t necessarily mean asking irrelevant and unproductive questions; doing this won’t get you anywhere in the team. Questions you’re supposed to be asking are productive and salient questions that can make you know all about the team and that can drive the growth of the team at a faster rate.
Asking questions doesn’t mean you should keep asking questions that you already know the answers to, trust me, your team member will get sick of you and will be looking for every means possible to always avoid you—if not eliminate you. So, make sure your questions are worth asking and see yourself more active in the team.
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SUGGEST A ROLE YOU CAN PLAY EFFECTIVELY
Now that you’ve known each member of your team and you’ve known what the team is all about – its objectives, aims and visions, you’re now to suggest a role that suits you and that you can perform effectively without dragging yourself all over the place for it.
Each member of a team has a task that they can carry out with total dexterity and agility. So, figure out the task that you can do as such and make it as a suggestion to the team leader to assign such a task to you.
However, the team leader might not assign such a task to you and may have other better ideas. No qualms. Whatever it turns out to be, and whatever task you’re assigned to do, just make sure you do it with all diligence and willingness. Don’t make it seem as if the task is somewhat like a burden to you, do it like your life depends on it; be committed to it with all totality.
Now, you been assigned a task doesn’t mean that that task can’t be taken away from you; if you treat the task with laxity, showing a lack of interest and enthusiasm towards it, the team leader(s) would have no other option than to strip you of that task position. So in essence, play your role with great effectiveness and high efficiency so that the team can tag you worthy.
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ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP
Despite the fact that you’ve been assigned a task to carry out in the team doesn’t mean you can do it all by yourself still, you’ll definitely be needing the help of other team members so as to know how to perform such task with swiftness and effectiveness.
Being on a team means you would have to constantly ask for help from members of your team because if you try to do things in segregation, you wouldn’t be contributing to the growth of the team.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your team, you never can tell, someone there might help you with ideas that would help you perform your task duly.
However, asking for help is not always an easy thing to do, because there is this Ego in us humans that don’t want us seeking help from fellow humans, it makes us utterly feel that we can do just fine without any form of external help whatsoever. So in this light, for you to be able to ask for help from your team members, you need to be humble; drop your pride and ego, brace yourself with humility afterwards.
Asking for help from your team will help you to learn faster and better because there are things that your team members know, that you may not even have an idea of. So, don’t hesitate to always ask for help where necessary.
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