“None of us is as smart as all of us,” is a famous quote by Ken Blanchard. Although some may question if it is grammatically correct, the meaning of the quote is very true. A combined effort is always more productive than an individual effort. By focusing on each individual’s strengths, a good team can accomplish even more.
The key factor to an efficient team is the team members. There have been numerous occasions where group projects fail or run less smoothly than they should due to one member not pulling their weight. This could be due to lack of motivation or laziness. Or, the member may not understand their goals for the group. Eric Fox mentioned the primary roles of a workgroup are as follows: creator (idea generator), advancer (idea communicator), refiner (idea challenger), executor (idea implementer), and flexible worker for all other roles (2006). It is important to have each group member in a role they are most naturally comfortable in.
I have been in very effective and less effective groups. The most effective team I have been a member of was at Starbucks. There were certain co-workers in particular that I just clicked with, and could get the customers in and out in no time. I believe this was because we could communicate the same way and had similar cognitive styles. Since we understood things the same way, there was less explaining and more work being completed.
With my cognitive style, I tend to think through what I can do in a group, and what my decisions will allow others to do. However, sometimes I may overlook the fact that others may not think the same way that I do and decide to do something else. That is why it is important to effectively communicate to everyone the goals at hand.
-Andrew Campbell
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