Teamwork in Japan is engraved in language. In the Japanese language, the word for trust.
(信頼) is a combination of two phrases; “to believe” and “to rely on.” This form of language is heavily translated into the working culture in Japan and is part of what makes the teamwork aspect so prevalent.
Team unity
Team unity is critical to team success. If team members are not working together, obviously, they will be much less successful. When team members are working together, there is strength. I saw it in their customer service over and over.
The more trust team members have in each other, the better they will trust other team members’ intentions. Getting a team to a point where they trust each other is difficult but possible. Without team trust, you get unhealthy and personal conflict. With team trust, you get healthy and productive conflict focused on the issues.
What are you doing to build trust in your teams?
Story of Warwick the Mule
A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So, the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help. “Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating,
“Yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,
“Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!” And the mule pulled the car right out of the ditch. The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, “Why did you call out all those names before you called Warwick?” The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. If he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a shared vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows ordinary people to obtain uncommon results.
10 Reasons Why Teamwork Fails
There are many reasons why teamwork fails, and learning how to work around them can help prevent it from happening. For any business finding a way to get co-workers to work as a team is essential if you want a productive and efficient workforce.
- A lack of leadership
2. The presence of disruptive personalities
3. Lack of proper training
4. Lack of defined goals
5. Lack of incentive
6. Teammate’s strengths and weaknesses are not considered
7. Fear of failure
8. Poor team meetings - Too much employee turnover
10. Individuals don’t feel included
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”
Written by: Richard Coles
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