When I think of teamwork, I don’t think of tired, overused clichés like “There is no ‘I’ in Team” or “ TEAM=Together Everyone Achieves More.” No, I think of pencils. Try this yourself. Take about 20 pencils and hold them together lengthwise using both your hands. Ok, try to bend them and break them in half. No really….go ahead, use some muscle. I can’t claim it’s impossible ; however, you will see for yourself, it’s not easy. They won’t break! Now, pull just one pencil out of the group. Hold it lengthwise in both your hands and again, try to break it. SNAP! Easy, wasn’t it? You could almost do it with one hand. Truth is the whole IS greater than the sum of its parts. When we stand together, we are stronger. We can support each other through challenging times, even when someone or something tries to break us down. When we stand alone with no one to lean on for trust and support, we are likely to not only bend under pressure, but we are also more susceptible to cracking….or snapping.
Before any major decisions are made, include the whole team in the process. From shared participation come shared ideas and improved strategies.
- Respect your team players perspective . Just because you think you are right, doesn’t necessarily mean someone has to be wrong. Open your mind; try to understand a side different than your own. It’s enlightening!
- Share – Why not end your staff meeting on a high note? Encourage everyone to turn to the person on their right and say something complimentary about them – about their personality, something they accomplished, something they said. Go around the table until everyone has had a chance to speak.
- Communicate – People are not mind readers and you can’t expect others to do something if you don’t tell them how and why. Neither does the reverse work…don’t imagine you know what someone might say to you; that kind of ESP-thinking can blow things out of proportion and get you in trouble.
- Show unexpected appreciation and thank your team players not only for jobs well done, but for little everyday things that are many times taken for granted.
- Whenever possible, place your team player in the spotlight ; build them up, let them shine.
- Practice the “power of nice.” Do something that makes your team player happy. It not only makes them feel special, but you’ll be surprised how great it makes YOU feel too!
- Listen – really listen, don’t just hear. If someone stops their story right in the middle and you don’t ask them to continue…you just failed the test.
- Build a workplace culture. You share the same space with your team players every day. Think of things that can bring you closer – what do you have in common? Sharing hobbies, stories, experiences, movies, books or favorite foods can set a tone of friendship. The culture you create in your office is transferred to your patients. In fact, it’s the reason they prefer to come to your office instead of the one down the street.
- Follow author Robert Fulghum’s simple [but often forgotten] advice . Do some of the things you learned when you were in kindergarten. Say please and thank you, share everything, don’t hit people, put things back where you found them, clean up your own mess…say you’re sorry. Play nice with others.
- Hit a practice target or goal? Celebrate your successes together !
