Do you ever wonder why teamwork is a skill that is sought after by many employers? During recruitment processes, candidates are often asked to give a few examples of instances when they have demonstrated effective teamwork skills. In some cases, these candidates are even asked to participate in practical exercises during the assessment processes that showcase whether they truly have this skill.
Is this skill of teamwork really so important or has this question of its demonstration become a default one, such that employers feel obliged to ask, without really realising what it means for the success of a job or a business? During recruitment, would they or should they, for instance, select a graduate who has a first-class degree but demonstrates no evidence of good teamwork skills, or another graduate who has a second class lower degree but shows evidence of successful teamwork skills through participation in committees and extracurricular activities. How much attention do we really pay these skills at the workplace and even beyond?
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Whether we choose to recognise it or not, teamwork actually plays out in pretty much every aspect of our lives, for as long as we have to interact with other human beings. Without teamwork, business success could be difficult to attain, families could crumble and friendship bonds could weaken etc. This is because teamwork is actually a somewhat complex skill which requires many other competencies and dynamics to work successfully. These include communication (including oral and written), listening, organisation and management skills. Additionally, having a good understanding and appreciation of the strengths, weaknesses and uniqueness of individuals, making compromises and exercising patience are critical aspects of teamwork, yet often overlooked or taken for granted.
One of the most important things to understand before getting into the dynamics of teamwork is establishing a shared vision. Without this, the team would have no direction and would work without a clear purpose (what I like to call “busy being busy”). Everything else comes after this, but we must start to build these skills early so that we become more effective individuals, families, colleagues and friends.
So how early is early? It’s never too early. Children can start to learn teamwork from as early as preschool age (2years), the stage at which they advance in the development of their cognitive and interactive skills. Through a well-planned and deliberately delivered curriculum, schools can ensure that they instil the ability to work in teams in children. Involving them in group activities and team projects at school force them to interact with one another, without even realising that they are learning these skills. These activities do not have to be complicated, especially during the early years; they should actually be suited to match the children’s developmental stages. Otherwise, the children might struggle to meet up, and the purpose of this delivery would be defeated.
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At home, parents can get children involved in various activities and tasks that require them to interact with others and take responsibility and leadership positions. Some examples of ways to build these skills at home include participating in the preparation of meals and cleaning up after them, playing board games, sharing household chores etc.
Developing these skills should not be a daunting process, especially if done correctly. In fact, starting right from the early stages of life, we could enjoy certain benefits from learning to collaborate: The feeling of inclusion, for instance, is priceless; that sense of belonging or working towards a mutual purpose is a good driver for building relationships as well.
Teamwork (particularly in sports teams) also inspires healthy competitiveness amongst the members of a team. If involved in teams early on in life, we would learn how to win and also lose gratefully, such that when we come across more serious real-life disappointments, we would be able to better handle them.
Teamwork also helps us to communicate and express ourselves more clearly and with emotional intelligence. We learn to interact with one another better. If exposed to teamwork early, we get a better understanding of each other as unique individuals who have different abilities, preferences and backgrounds. We can then demonstrate a deeper appreciation of one another, and therefore get along better.
Good teamwork has its many benefits, but if we do not get the dynamics and all elements involved correct to a large extent (or at least have a good sense of awareness of them), we could suffer in our relationships (personal, social and professional). The common saying goes, “no man is an island”. This holds to a large extent because as human beings we need each other…that is the way that we have been designed. Companionship in any capacity and for whatever purpose can only be achieved if we learn to accept each other for who we are and work together to attain success in our shared visions. Teamwork is critical, we shouldn’t take it lightly.
OYIN EGBEYEMI
