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Teamwork is a big buzz word in the workplace, yet many companies have not trained their employees on how to effectively TEAM together. There are many ways in which we need to team together within our organizations. Department members need to team to meet deadlines and share responsibilities. Cross-departmental teams represent a bigger picture and need to team together to make decisions for the overall good of the company. Employees need to team with managers to trust they are making the best decisions given the parameters in which they need to operate. Many of us have problems around the idea of teaming together due to differences in the ways we relate to one another, our personalities, our values, and our desire for control and independence. Team Autonomy takes you through the 4 stages that develop a team. Stage 1: CLOSED COMMUNICATION
Often times teamwork is stiffled because of closed communication. We think that if we speak up, we might be judged or we might get a consequence we don't want to face. Or maybe it's the opposite situation. Perhaps we don't have a problem speaking up, but we do have difficulty listening. In either case, one-way communication inhibits teamwork.
Stage 2: UNRESOLVED CONFLICT
Most people do not like the thought of conflict. They will speak up and listen, but when it comes to disagreement, they don't know how to agree to disagree. When conflict occurs, instead of creatively collaborating to find the best solutions, many people fight to be right, or flee out of fear. This leaves "the elephant in the room" which can appear in the form of low motivation or resentment. Although the team may appear to be working on the surface, the team is not performing at it's best because it is not synchronized. Stage 3: OPEN COMMUNICATION
Open communication allows for members of the team to have a voice on matters of concern. Communication alone will not create teamwork if it is done one-way through e-mails, through notes and through meetings that have someone TELLING others what to do or what has changed in a company. Communication that leads to effective teamwork is open-minded and two-way, which means everyone speaks their truth regarding their own feelings, needs and perceptions, yet in the same breath is open to the feelings, needs and perceptions of others. Changes and solutions are made collaboratively. Openness leads us to possibilities that perhaps no one could've thought about on their own because openness leads to curiosity and creativity.
Stage 4: TRUST
Trust occurs when we have communicated and problem solved to a point where we are seeing the same vision and agree on the means to get there. The best decisions =the solution + the buy-in. When we have reached this point in our discussions, we have achieved a level of trust and become a high performing team! Call us to find out about how you and your company can benefit from our Team Sutonomy Program. Ask about our 4-Step Proven Performance Process. Call us at (262) 785-8188 
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