Successful Organizations Today Have Teamwork

¶ … successful organizations today have teamwork as an essential strategy for reaching their goals. This past week, we held a meeting in our unit where all functions were invited to attend. Normally, people in our department meet with their specific areas, so this cross-functional session is very new.

About twenty people attended including secretaries, salespeople, and engineers. Our department manager facilitated the meeting, but we all were asked to provide input. For a first team-based meeting, it went very well.

First we participated in a team activity to break the ice. As with any department, there is always friction between some people. The activity, building a bridge out of popsicle sticks and tape, was a good choice. We divided into two groups, so there would be some friendly competition. The bridge could be made in any way the team wanted, as long as it held the weight of a toy car. The teams came up with two unique ideas, which showed how people work differently depending on with whom they build. It also demonstrated the value of cross-functional teamwork.

After the activity, we went around the room and asked everyone to describe his or her specific responsibilities and greatest strengths. This gave us an idea of our multi-skill base for future joint projects.

Then we had an open discussion about the value of recent projects. We looked at some specific examples of work for customers and talked about how a cross-functional effort may or may not have led to a more efficient or effective result. We discussed how teamwork can provide our customers with better quality, lower costs and improved service. We know that this is a very different mindset than what we have been doing all along, and that it will take time to integrate this new philosophy and break down the barriers. Because we have the backing of the department manager and senior officers, the message of teamwork will be an important part of our work from now on.

Finally, we put together a vision for our department regarding teamwork: "Our goal is to develop an environment of honesty, trust and teamwork to provide the best customer quality." A couple of people volunteered to make posters with the vision to put up in the department.

We will be meeting again in a week to discuss some pilot cross-functional projects we can do. Then, once we get these results, we will meet with other departments and let them know our results, so they can institute team-based work, as well.

Keeping our employees healthy has long been important in our company. Being in shape is a win-win situation. Our people are more fit, so they feel better in both mind and body. Employees who feel good are more productive and work harder toward our company's goals.

Because of our emphasis on health, we have offered a variety of programs and activities through the years. We know that each person is different when it comes to exercise and health matters, so wanted to provide varied options.

In the past, we have had speakers come in and talk about health issues, such as ways to stop smoking, following a healthy diet, handling stress and pressure at home and work, and the value of exercise. One of our employees also runs a yoga session once a week, very popular with guys and gals.