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Teamwork has all the right ingredients.
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Are You a Team Player?
"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to
direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel
that allows common people to attain uncommon results."
—Andrew Carnegie
For most of us, teamwork is a part of everyday life. Whether it’s at home, in the community,
or at work, we are often expected to be a functional part of a performing team. Have you
ever worked in a group where no one knew what his role was? Where you didn’t trust your
teammate or coworker to do her job? Where bickering, nitpicking or competition took away
from the greater good?
When individuals share responsibility, the group as a whole can collaborate and cooperate by
taking advantage of the collective talent, knowledge and experience of each team member.
There are several ingredients in the recipe for teamwork. The TEAM fundamentals are:
Trust
Trust is the foundation of each and every relationship – without it, we have nothing to build
upon. Trust goes beyond simply expecting your team members to tell you the truth. It
involves confidence in their abilities, and in their commitment to the success of the team. It
means that you can ask for and offer help when it is needed, without resentment or fear.
Establish roles and responsibilities
Of course, trusting someone will do you no good if you don’t establish roles and
responsibilities that match the abilities of you and your team members. Decide together
what each of your strengths and weaknesses are and how they can best apply to the task at
hand.
Accountability
Once you’ve established roles, accountability is the next necessary ingredient for a healthy
team. It is necessary to follow through on what you’ve accepted responsibility for, providing
your team members with updates and/or progress reports. If you encounter difficulties, it is
best to address them as they come up instead of putting them off until the last minute. If
you find you can’t fulfill your prescribed role, being accountable doesn’t mean you will be
penalized for your failures, but that you’ll admit to your limitations and work together (as
often as possible) to figure out different routes to success.
Maintain a united front
Finally, it is important that you maintain a united front. While you won’t agree on
everything, make every effort to share your thoughts and ideas. Once a decision is made
through collaboration, support the team in its implementation.
One of the most common objectives of a team is to solve a certain problem. It is usually the
reason a team is created. Teams that are made up of individuals with a variety of work
experiences and a diverse set of abilities have the best chance in finding a solution. Because
the team is comprised of individuals that bring a unique skill set, they provide a “the whole
is greater than its parts” setup that is a valuable tool.
If every member believes in the recipe for teamwork and does the work needed to succeed,
you will surely have a winning team.
Tips for a Successful Team
Start by establishing trust within your team.
Establish and clearly define roles and
responsibilities for the team and each team
member.
Accountability is all about follow through. Holding
yourself and others accountable to the
team’s commitments is critical to the success of
the team’s objectives.
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Shannon Lake
Vice President of Operations
This month’s spotlight is on Shannon Lake, our vice president of Operations. Shannon is a
native of South Carolina, born and raised in Swansea. She has earned an associate degree in
Computer Technology and a bachelor's degree in Business and started with First Sun 14
years ago as a receptionist. As a receptionist and in subsequent roles, she learned about
employee assistance program services and developed a mastery of First Sun operations. She
currently handles contracting with our corporate customers and oversees our technology and
administrative processes. Shannon has a reputation with her coworkers for being diligent,
dedicated, professional and having an eye for detail. She excels at spotting potential
problems so they can be avoided. But Shannon is not all business — she is also warm,
considerate and a wonderful team player and leader.
In her personal life, Shannon has been married seven years to her husband, Dan, and has a
darling 2-year-old son, Ryan. Life has been an adventure since his birth! In the rare event of
down time, Shannon loves to read mysteries. She also enjoys watching supernatural and
science fiction shows and having girls’ nights out with her friends.
Copyright © 2015 First Sun EAP, All rights reserved.
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