‘Teamwork attitude’ is one of those attributes you often see on CVs. We want to hire people who can work well in teams.
There’s another side to that. Teamwork is not a natural talent or a personality trait. Nor is it a skill that can be expressed, no matter what. It needs the perfect environment to thrive.
And…creating that right environment is our responsibility, as leaders (by the way, there’s a module on that inside the Leadership Essentials Programme).
It’s…
- Permission to speak up
- Clarity about what we’re aiming for and who is doing what
- Trust to lean on each other.
And often I hear “well, that will come in time…as people get to know each other”.
Yes, it will, but only if we are consistent, intentional leaders. I think we all like to think we are exactly that and we often assume our team knows what’s expected of them. But do they? Is there a shared understanding of what they’re trying to achieve?
What’s happening in your team now?
Are they all striving for the same goals?
Are you guiding the culture so they can do their best work and be ‘team players’ not just a group of highly talented individuals?
How could you help that team cohesion grow and thrive?
All good things,
Juliet Robinson
Leadership and Change Specialist
