Many hands make light work.
Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.
In business, there’s a lot of talk about the power of the collective. We’ve all heard the maxims – but how do they apply to you and your organization?
Collaboration and teamwork can be a make or break component of your business. As our educational and career paths continue to steer us in the direction of being specialized in our daily tasks, we’re even more reliant on the knowledge of others to fill in our informational gaps. The siloes created in our professional existence demand collaboration.
And that’s a good thing.
Workplace collaboration, whether online or in person has the ability to empower your organization. Teamwork demonstrates that everyone has the potential to make a real difference in the organization – that his or her knowledge and opinions are shaping your business. If your organization has a system in place for facilitating easy collaboration you’ll have the power to access information quickly, helping you secure business and please customers.
Think of your organizational knowledge like an unassembled puzzle. Every employee is an expert at different areas of your business, with each bit of knowledge similar to a single puzzle piece. Without collaboration and the input of others, the puzzle will never be completed – leaving a disjointed series of ideas. If you’ve got a co-worker or employee who insists upon hoarding their corporate knowledge, they’re serving as a drain on your organizational resources. What would you do if they left the company? Would anyone be privy to the information they’ve taken with them, the information they weren’t encouraged to share with others?
If you haven’t already, it’s time to infuse not only a need, but also a respect, for collaboration in your corporate culture. Expect and celebrate teamwork, encouraging employees to rely on each other and share their valuable knowledge. Success comes when everyone achieves a common goal together.
What are you doing to implement teamwork and collaboration into your daily life? Let us know in the comments below.