By Chris Hughes | Hughes Copywriting
At first glance, I may not be the best person in the world to write about teamwork in the workplace.
Take, for instance, the following points:
I hated group projects in school because I didn’t want to rely on other people for my grade.
While working in a full-time job, there were times when I picked up additional work because doing it myself was easier than showing someone else the way I thought it should be done.
I now run my own business where I rely on me, myself, and I to get things accomplished.
So why should you read what I, someone who has an apparent preference to work on my own, have to say about teamwork in the workplace?
Because while I enjoy working alone, I came to understand almost immediately upon starting my career how working as a team is crucial to success in the workplace. And the sooner you can embrace being part of a team, the better off your career will be—especially as you transition into a supervisory role or if
you become an entrepreneur and have to lead a group of departments, each with its own set of employees.
You can find plenty of articles and even whole seminars on the importance of fostering a team mentality when you’re in a management position. It’s too late, however, if you’re trying to learn at that point. It would be like becoming the coach of a football team without ever having played the game.
While working at a full-time job, I had managers that understood the concept of not only working as a team but fostering a team mentality too. In each case, teamwork made us better. We were more supportive of each other, would lean on each other more to get things done, and would have more brainstorming sessions that always were productive because each member of the team felt empowered
to express their ideas to the group.
Functioning as a team also allows you to improve as an individual. By working closely with others, you may find yourself adopting a new idea or process that can improve the way that you work on your own.
So even if you’re like me and didn’t like group projects in school and the thought of relying on someone else in a professional setting makes you a little queasy, try letting go a little bit and help foster a team mentality as best you can from your position.
Doing so will not only reap benefits now, but your future self will thank you once you earn that promotion or decide to start your own business—when you’re not just a part of the team, you’re responsible for the team.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris created Hughes Copywriting in 2021 after the concept of it began as a side-hustle during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The business specializes in copywriting, content creation in the form of articles and blogs, and digital marketing services. Chris worked in TV news and sports journalism for much of his career, serving in roles of executive producer and web content editor among others. He also gained several years of professional experience in digital and traditional marketing before pivoting to start his own business. He has lived in Lakeland since 2012 with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.