Team Building Does Not Equal Teamwork

It’s nearly impossible to think of a work situation where teams are not present. From the mega-companies like the Amazons of the world, to the small mom and pop type businesses, teams are instrumental at every level of an organization. Even the scrappy solopreneur has at least some degree of a team, whether it’s with his/her vendors, freelancers and clients. 

And while teams are ubiquitous across the globe, teamwork is not. Often, teams are thrown together simply out of structural norms, ie.) everyone in Sales at the company is part of the Sales Team. Likewise, teams are frequently created strictly on a project-basis. A new marketing campaign. Product development. Launching IT infrastructure. In any of these instances, a team was likely created- often hastily- and then set loose to complete the project. And at project completion, the team was probably dismantled, with members jumping to the next project and next team. 

What is the impact on team performance- the actual obtainment of KPIs? It’s staggering. Simply- teams cannot be high-performing when they are thrown together hastily, without deep commitment to teamwork training. 

Yet, it’s extremely rare for an organization to engage in actual teamwork training. Team building, however, occurs frequently at the organizational-level. How many of us have participated in a ropes course, or a cooking class, or bowling tournament via our work? 

While these activities can unquestionably be beneficial for building relationships and trust, they fall flat when it comes to actually teaching a team how to work together. That’s where teamwork training comes in. 

Teamwork training teaches the actual skills and knowledge that are critical for engaging in effective team processes. It is a systematic, strategic process, just like any other learning and training endeavor. And while they are existing models for teamwork training, they must be highly customized to a specific organization and/or team. A one size fits all approach will not work. 

This is especially true now more than ever, as millions of people around the world are suddenly working on remote teams. Creating a strong, effective teamwork training program is imperative for organizations to survive- and thrive- during these challenging times. 

But so how do you do it? How do you create an impactful, measurable teamwork training program? And further- how do you adapt it for remote teams? 

Simple: you call WeLearn. We are the experts on designing engaging and powerful teamwork training. We have a simple and painless process to get to the root of your challenges in teamwork. Through our rapid consulting, we will hone in on the best strategy for YOU and YOUR teams, not some off-the-shelf program that doesn’t account for your unique organization. In less than one month from your first phone call with us, we will hand you the blueprint for you to improve- or create from scratch- your custom teamwork training program. 

Our team of experts is ready and excited to help you build high-performing teams. What are you waiting for?

By Kate Hixson