What Is Teamwork & Why Is It Important? (3 Reasons & Examples)

Teamwork is often described as a key proponent to any successful business.

A business can be made or broken on how well its staff works as a team. 

Studies have shown that teams who respect each other both work faster and work harder. 

Teams working together towards a common goal in a positive manner are also far more likely to be creative and happier. 

But what actually is teamwork? And is it as important as people say? 

We’ll take a closer look at a breakdown of what teamwork is and why it’s important. 

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

What Is Teamwork?

1. Good Leadership

2. An Organized Workflow

3. Communication

Key Takeaways

What Is Teamwork?

Teamwork can be defined as the activity of working together in a group with other people, especially when this is successful. 

But in reality, it is much more than that. 

When a business has a group of employees who not only work for the business but work for each other, you can create a wonderful sense of cohesion. 

This all sounds simple, but being able to manage a team to create a positive atmosphere is harder than it seems.

Here are the 3 points we believe are key to being able to build a cohesive, fluid team:

1. Good Leadership

Effective teamwork doesn’t just happen, it has to be built. As a business owner, team building is part of your job. You should be able to identify the different skill sets of your team to be able to create specialized individual teams. From there, you can equip them with the tools and resources that help them collaborate effectively.

It’s a key leadership skill to be able to identify people who will work well together and give them the right tools to succeed. 

It’s also important that a leader works with the team. 

For example, no employee wants to see their team leader slack while everybody else is working hard. So as a leader, it’s important to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

2. An Organized Workflow

Speaking of the right tools, successful teams need an organized workflow. Being able to equip themselves with the tools and resources, helps them to collaborate effectively. 

An organized workflow is a key tool when it comes to successful teamwork. 

For example, if a team takes a scattergun approach to a task, then it often ends with people doing similar tasks and stepping on each other’s toes. 

This is why teams often use a project management system that helps everyone track tasks and progress in one place. 

There’s a huge amount of organizational tools for small and large businesses. So it’s a good idea to find one that works for you and your team. 

3. Communication

Communication skills are a key proponent of any successful team. There should be no room for confusion within a team as everything should be clearly laid out. 

When people are given clear, achievable tasks then they can work at an optimum level with no time wasted. 

Conflict management also falls under this bracket. It’s important for a team to be able to communicate through conflict and know how to handle it. 

In pressured situations, personal conflicts can seem inevitable. But conflict doesn’t always have to be negative. 

Sometimes it’s best to put your grievances out on the table for everybody to solve together. There’s nothing worse for team spirit than underlying anger, tension or gossip. 

For example, if a certain team member needs a task to be completed before they can finish theirs, frustration can arise. 

But if this is clearly communicated and all parties understand the process, then it can be quickly solved. This means that the project can continue moving forward. 

That is why it is important to communicate a solid foundation of ground rules and clear expectations of each and every team member. 

Key Takeaways

The benefits of teamwork are clear. Working as a part of a solid, positive group can be a great way to work. People tend to be happier and productivity tends to be high. 

So when you are building a business and building a team, it’s important to choose the right types of people. 

Some people work best in a team, some work best on their own. So if you’re looking to build a group that works cohesively as a team, then you will want to be able to identify who is a team player and who isn’t. 

Are you looking for more business advice on everything from starting a new business to new business practices? 

Then check out our FreshBooks resource hub.

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