Definition: Teamwork is a set of actions done by a group having a common purpose or goal. Teamwork is generally fulfilled under a collaborative environment since there is the assumption that working together produces a better outcome than making separated efforts.
What Does Teamwork Mean?
Contents
In companies, teamwork usually occurs when several employees provide their competences, knowledge and professional experience to achieve a shared objective. A plan is generally made at the beginning to set responsibilities and tasks to each member as well as resources and timelines. Ideally, there is a leader that coordinates the activities, facilitate conflict resolution and maintain people properly aligned to the plan.
In the process, every person participating in the team is supposed to maintain communication and collaboration with other members in order to facilitate tasks as well as to enrich ideas and solutions. The team can be made up of employees of either the same department or different organizational areas. Someone with the proper authority decides when teamwork is needed to accomplish a goal and who must participate in it. The number of people involved can vary from two to many, because a very large group can be divided in sub-teams to increase work efficiency.
Example
Jones & Brothers is a large firm operating in the consulting business. It provides advice and solutions in a wide range of subjects to manufacturing companies. The founders developed a unique business model that consists in tailor-made, effective and professional teamwork. Its methodology guarantees integral vision of all operational areas as well as alignment to the client’s strategic goals.
The consulting firm first makes a complete diagnosis and then designs a plan to address each problem identified with small expert teams that at the same time are closely coordinated with the broader team. The plan initially defines individual assignments but the group could later agree to some changes in order to make teamwork more efficient. In this way, teams usually change from one client to the other according to specific subjects to solve, project complexity and timelines required by the client.
