!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> Streamline Training & Documentation: Teamwork Do's and Don'ts

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Teamwork Do's and Don'ts

First the do's:

To reinforce teamwork and defuse conflict, do:
  • Reserve judgment until you're sure you understand the situation under discussion.

  • Acknowledge one another's contributions.

  • Deal fairly with problems.

  • Display openness to others' ideas and suggestions.
Also:
  • Do make sure everyone has basic collaboration skills, including how to ask open-ended questions, how to practice active listening, and how to get along with others in conflict situations.

  • Do create a norm for civility and respect by discussing good behavior, and seeking and rewarding good examples of it.

Now for teamwork don'ts.

To avoid unnecessary conflict, don't:
  • Be aggressive.

  • Attack others' ideas and opinions.

  • Fail to let others express opinions (with rationales).

  • Avoid group interactions (e.g., in hopes of avoiding conflict).

  • Dominate the group.
Don't proceed without:
  • A long-term vision.

  • Sufficient commitment of time and money to accomplish the mission.

  • Adequate planning.

  • Adequate coaching and training.
One last do: Constantly evaluate both your output and your process. In short, ask regularly, "How are we doing?"

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posted by Karen Nelson @ 11:54 PM