Can teams be strong without teamwork?
When remote working was only at the start of its rein businesses everywhere expressed concerns. Teamwork, collaboration and company culture were at the forefront. The idea of isolating teams seemed counter-productive and was sure to create grave challenges that would be hard to overcome.
Now, with nearly 5 months into the remote working ecosystem, it appears as though the space experienced has actually done well for most teams. It raises the question: can teams be strong without traditional teamwork?
Being Nimble
Many companies have had to downsize and become nimbler. The route to being nimble often means simplifying tasks and responsibilities which in turn cuts the dependence on teamwork. With simpler, repeatable tasks, workers become more efficient and can often find solutions to daily challenges much easier on their own.
While this doesn’t entirely mean workers cannot, or should not, work together to find solutions, it does mean that in many cases the just don’t have to. Critical thinking skill certainly become stronger when individuals must get through challenges on their own. It means that workers are now strengthening their independence.
Working in specialties
Much like with repeatable tasks, working through tasks that you are good at undoubtedly leads to efficiency. It goes without saying that an individual who enjoys, or who is a professional in one area will perform much better than an individual who is not. With this in mind, it makes sense to work independently on specialty tasks that really are done best by one person.
An assembly line of strengths
So long as the worker is not overwhelmed, completing a task independently can promote focus and flow. When trying to write a story for example, having each paragraph written by a different writer likely wouldn’t warrant good flow or storytelling. However, one writer with many editors, would.
Rather than having each team member do a small amount of everything, it makes better sense to set up an assembly line of clear-cut roles. Each new task gets passed along to the person who does it best, who sees it through to the end.
The remote work environment does not mean all collaborative work comes to a screeching halt. Rather, it means collaboration has evolved. With roles better defined, and tasks able to be completed independently, teams are striving together, individually.
Enable Education is working hard to help businesses create sustainable training resources that can be used in the current working environment and once our world settles into a new normal. We can help you record professional training videos remotely, or create a sustainable plan that will guide your organization when things return to normal.
Contact ben@enableeducation.com to get started on your solution.
