Teamwork & Collaboration

Strength in Numbers

The Key to a Successful Team

Spring – 2013

Being able to positively function within a team and communicate effectively are essential tools for success.  Possessing these characteristics is especially important for a professional nurse.  When nurses function as part of a unit, and when they act as a team, reaching their goal is easier and more efficient.  The healthcare field is such a complex system, that working in teams and being effective communicators is vital for the delivery of high quality, safe patient care.

Many times, in the healthcare field, individuals are placed within a team with no knowledge of who the other group members are, or where they come from.  After being placed within a group of unknown individuals, one is asked to collaborate with these strangers to achieve some sort of goal, which will ultimately bring the company or community positive benefits or results.   I feel many companies, institutions, and communities who want to obtain positive results are missing the one ingredient which will ensure their teams succeed; they are failing to have the team members first learn about each other. To succeed as a group, a team needs to understand each other’s passions, goals, strengths and limitations before working towards a common goal. This past spring, in the CSUMB BSN Program, I have come to fully understand the key to maintaining a successful team and reaching positive outcomes is to first establish the team itself.

While working towards my Bachelor of Science in nursing degree I have learned how to become an effective member of a team.  I have learned about a variety of leadership styles, as well as the various needs of a high functioning team.  I have been given the opportunity to lead my team, and I have also been given a chance to support and follow. In the spring of 2013 I was placed in a group that allowed me to see my full potential as a leader.  My team also assisted me in understanding that strength really does come in the numbers.

Before we were assigned tasks which focused on the nursing profession, our assignment was to become familiar with how we (as individuals) function in a group and to learn about one another.  Throughout my entire scholarly career I had never thought of myself in this manner.  In the past, when I was placed in a group, my main focus was on the end goal.  I had never had the opportunity to first learn about my other team members, which is the key to completing tasks in a strong and steady manner. Fortunately, I was placed in a group of like-minded individuals.  While discussing ourselves, I came to understand that each one of my team members were high achievers whom took pride in the work they produced.  We all realized arriving at our goal would take hard work, and each individual was willing to put in the hard work to succeed.  This realization was the cornerstone which supported my team through the entire semester.

After discussing our work ethic, we described what we felt our strengths, limitations, and values were. With this vital understanding the team was prepared for all tasks because we knew which member possessed strengths in each individual field. Furthermore, the team was able to select the most appropriate leader based on the situation.  Being open and honest with one another helped the team to gain trust in each other.  Being honest about one’s own limitations while being supported by one’s peers allows for opportunities to plan for self-development as a team member.

Another vital aspect involved in the development of a productive team is to establish group norms before the team initiates a project.  For example, some of my group’s norms were to:  be on time, be honest, respect each other’s perspectives, and ask for help if you feel you need it.  Discussing these norms before we initiated our projects was extremely helpful because we knew what each other felt was important.  By setting these standards we identified possible barriers to communication and we all understood the importance of taking responsibility for ourselves.  Being honest with the group is important when one feels the established group norms are not being met.  If this occurs it is important to discuss the issue within the group as soon as possible so the misunderstanding does not affect the team goal.

Working in teams has also taught me about the importance of compromising and collaboration.  It is important for an individual to understand that although they may possess great ideas; these ideas may not be mutually accepted for a specific task at hand.  As an individual, being part of a functional team means learning to accept constructive criticism and to realize that someone else’s idea may be more appropriate.  Being a true team member means you understand when it is your time to lead, and also when it is your time to follow and support.  Collaboration is important to a successful team because one understands each member brings a different perspective to the table.  Each member has had different life experiences which gives them individual knowledge in a variety of topics.  Each person brings unique ideas, various contacts, and important resources to a task.

The knowledge, attitudes, and skills I have gained pertaining to teamwork and collaboration will greatly assist me in the future, personally and professionally.  My team helped me to realize that I am a great team player if I am surrounded by individuals who honestly care about the finished product.  I am an individual who places a lot of passion into my work, and I feel extremely lucky to be a part of a team who shared this passion.

PERSONALITY STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Teamwork and Collaboration

I am a believer in teamwork and collaboration.  In this day and age, it is difficult to reach objectives and accomplish one’s goals without the assistance of others.  I am a valuable person to include on a team.  A strong believer in detail, I understand that an individual who pays close attention to detail will reap greater benefits at the completion of the project.  I believe in making changes for the greater good, and do not need to be in “the spotlight” to feel rewarded.  I’m appreciative of acknowledgment of a job well done, as I feel every team member deserves.  Many times I have thought to myself that with additional encouragement and acknowledgment individuals would become  more proactive and productive.  I am highly disciplined, set strong goals, and follow through until those goals are reached.  I am receptive to others suggestions, but if I feel those suggestions are not best for the team as a whole, I am inclined to say so.  I hold a deep sense of purpose, and when combined with a group that values purpose and envisions the bigger picture, we can accomplish anything!

Teamwork and collaboration are very different.  Teams are created to pull individuals together to accomplish a joint outcome.  Collaboration is something completely different.  Collaborators usually have some shared goals and dedication to those goals.  For this reason, I prefer to collaborate.  I find it extremely difficult to be a member of a team when every team member does not put forth their full potential.  At times, this can cause reluctancy when it comes to joining a team.  This reluctance may be considered a weakness.  Many times I prefer to fly solo because I know I will be in control of the finished project, and it will be up to my high standards.  I consider this a weakness because without teamwork, one can overextend themselves which leads to burnout.  In the past year I have made some positive changes towards group work.  One receives different perspectives from each group member, which can make for a much more dynamic result.

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Teamwork and collaboration create an environment that allows collective knowledge, resources, and skills of each team member to flourish.  Lavinia Lloyd Dock had a monumental impact on the world of healthcare, but never would have been able to make positive changes if not for her ability to work in a team and collaborate.  Dock collaborated with Progressives, Feminist, Pragmatists,  and Suffragists because she believed these groups would make a difference in equality and ultimately healthcare.  Through the collaboration and teamwork with the other members at the Hull House, she was able to collect data which provided a better understanding of social issues.  Having a better understanding of the issues enabled her to devise strategies to solve them.

Many of us are more capable than some of us; but none of us is as capable as all of us.