Have you ever heard the saying that "there's no 'I' in team"? Though that's true enough, I think there is a very important "I" in the teamwork concept: it's the individual choice we make regarding whether or not to actually be a team player. This choice can make or break a workplace. Teamwork is strongly connected to a healthy work culture as well as patient and staff safety. In fact, it's hard to accomplish anything of value that involves a diverse group of people without it.
Most employees appreciate the virtues of teamwork because it can make a tough job easier. Not all believe the concept applies to them, however. These people are easy enough to recognize (chances are, you know a few). They're the ones who rarely offer assistance while their teammates are busy struggling to manage a heavy workload or are having a bad day. Another classic: Those who remain stone silent without good reason whenever someone seeks volunteers for a project-lending a helping hand just might set a precedent and lead to future expectations of more work that they don't want to do. Worse yet are the people who deflect attention from their own lack of teamwork by criticizing others for being new, inexperienced, disorganized, or too slow.
How can you and your coworkers cultivate strong teamwork? Partner with leadership to set the clear expectation for a teamwork culture in your workplace. Spend some time defining the desired teamwork behaviors with tangible examples, share them broadly with staff, and incorporate them into performance evaluations. When a coworker strays from the expected teamwork standards, consider peer-to-peer coaching as the first step in getting back on track. Ultimately, a leader may need to step in if the peer approach fails.
The most effective strategy for inspiring teamwork is to value the diversity of talent, skills, and contributions that each individual member brings to the workplace. That includes nursing assistants, housekeepers, physicians, and staff from other departments, as well as the nurses who consistently go above and beyond. There's no better feeling than knowing your coworkers have your back when the going gets tough. Of course, the reciprocal expectation is that you have theirs.
Until next time,
Linda Laskowski-Jones, MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief, Nursing2017 Vice President: Emergency & Trauma Services Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, Del.