Analysis of The Myths and Realities of Teamwork

Teams are prevalent in every organization that functions daily today, and they are highly needed, especially as organizations are becoming more dynamic. For these teams to be successful, however, they must retain effective and successful teamwork, which is the process by which a group of individuals work interdependently to achieve a common goal. Because of the importance attached to building effective teamwork in organizations, challenges that could lead to having a dysfunctional team should be dealt with as early as possible. Thus, some myths versus realities of teamwork identified by Wright (2013) will be analyzed in this discussion.

Examining the Truths and Misconceptions of Teamwork

Myth #1: Teams are harmonious people who compromise their needs for the sake of the team.

Reality: Good teams are made of diverse people with specific needs to be met. The team’s diversity can be a strength. There is no “I” in TEAM but there is a “ME” and ignore the ME at your peril. Firstly, understanding the team members, that is, identifying the different talents, strengths, and weaknesses of the members is key to the success of teamwork. When a team is made up of the same type of people profile, they are not able to perform at their best, and it becomes easy to predict the outcomes of such teams. The beauty of having a diverse team is that people from different backgrounds and experiences will come together to work towards the same goal. Hence, there will be ideas from different angles and perspectives, instead of the team just working in one direction. Every member can contribute differently from their widespread experience, and this makes the team stronger.

Myth #2: Team conflict is unhealthy.

Reality: Conflict can be healthy and should be harnessed for the common good, rather than suppressed. Conflict is an energy source, so harness it. Team members must be passionate about achieving their common goal, as this passion will be the driving force to see the positivity in team conflicts. Conflicts are likely in teamwork, but the earlier it is dealt with, the better it is for the team. It ignites creativity, participation, and engagement, hence it is healthy in teamwork (Wright, 2013). When managing conflicts, team members must possess emotional intelligence, give feedback without degrading others, and also receive constructive feedback in readiness to learn and be better, without being defensive.

Myth #3: Most people like teamwork.

Reality: My observations suggest that about one-third of the working population enjoy teamwork, one-third are indifferent, and one-third prefer to work solo. A team profile model given by Wright illustrates that people's personalities are important when working in teams and as such, these personalities must be understood because they determine how people would act and respond within the team. Hence, members of the team must accommodate these different qualities people possess while also ensuring that they focus on achieving the team's objectives. It could be difficult for people with extreme personalities to work together in a team, and these differences, if not properly dealt with, could affect the success of the team. Therefore, it is important for individuals to put themselves in other people's positions before passing judgments.

Myth #4: Teamwork is essential to business success.

Reality: Teams thrive on complexity; however, if a task or process is simple, an organization can cope without teamwork. Not all organizations require teamwork; it is more prevalent in companies that have more complex operations and are striving to sustain competitiveness in the market. In such cases, people are given several challenging tasks to complete, and when these tasks become overwhelming, it is encouraged to build a team where people from diverse backgrounds can share ideas (Wright, 2013). If a task is not challenging enough, there will be no need to have a team because people will eventually have little or nothing to contribute or work towards, and this can affect employee morale and motivation.

Myth #5: Teams are easy to influence and manage.

Reality: Teamwork requires courage and high levels of personal awareness from its leaders. It is absolutely not easy leading a team of people with different personalities. As a team leader, one has to have certain skills in order to achieve success. Team leaders must focus on empowering members and delegating effectively, not micromanaging or commanding. They must also be able to identify the different talents within the team, develop leaders from amongst them, and build on effective communication, encourage participation, and ensure adequate engagement of the team members. Leaders should encourage effective collaboration in teamwork and ensure there are frequent teaching and coaching for team members on how to eventually manage themselves and manage others (Hackman, 2011). Also, it is important for team leaders to carry the members along and accommodate their contributions when making decisions. This will make them feel important and they will also feel their ideas are well appreciated.

Myth #6: Senior Managers encourage teamwork.

Reality: Most senior managers are anxious about teamwork and the potential loss of power or control. Senior managers tend to compete for position and control, which is unhealthy for the teamwork. They should focus on how they can make use of the different talents within the team to achieve success. This they can do by making necessary efforts to be transparent in their leadership styles. When an organization has too many managers, it breeds unhealthy competition and shifts focus from the important things (Wright, 2013). Senior managers must be able to create an environment where team members can give and receive constructive feedback and learn from each other. They must eradicate self-centeredness and detrimental egoism when directing a team in order to have a highly effective team and achieve outstanding results.

One common myth that people buy into is that team conflict is unhealthy. Feigenbaum (n.d.) states that team conflict is unavoidable as long as people are still people. However, some theorists believe that conflicts are harmful to the functioning of an organization. Team conflicts could be destructive when they are not properly handled but instead become part of the company culture. But if team members are all working together to achieve the best results, they are able to drive one another to perform better. When team members see things from different perspectives, it creates an opportunity to understand their differences, learn, grow, and achieve better results. It also builds relationships and strong bonds between them; it promotes empathetic understanding and enhances trust (PON Staff, 2019). Hackman (2011) highlights that conflicts generate creative solutions, especially when it is focused on achieving the objectives of the team. Research has proven that when there is avoidance of conflict in teams, it leads to certain consequences such as ineffective decision-making.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to achieve highly effective teamwork, adaptability is a crucial factor. Team members and leaders must be able to adapt and adjust to individual preferences. This will encourage information sharing, trust, collaboration, and the ability to make changes to situations when appropriate. Salas, Shuffler, Thayer, Bedwell, and Lazzara (2015) identified six Cs to be considered for successful teamwork: Cooperation, Coordination, Communication, Coaching, Conflict, and Cognition.

References

Feigenbaum, E. (n.d.). Conflict management: Resolving conflict with emotional intelligence.

Hackman, J. R. (2011). Collaborative intelligence: Using teams to solve hard problems. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

PON Staff. (2019). Conflict management: Difficult conversations and negotiation skills. Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School.

Salas, E., Shuffler, M. L., Thayer, A. L., Bedwell, W. L., & Lazzara, E. H. (2015). Understanding and improving teamwork in organizations: A scientifically based practical guide. Human Resource Management, 54(4), 599-622.

Wright, P. (2013). Teamwork myths and realities: What every manager should know. Business and Management Journal, 5(2), 34-45.