Teamwork

1-Minute Strategies: Dec. '11

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Build unity among distant team members

When you're working with a virtual team scattered across locations, foster unity with these steps: 1. Make messages "location-neutral." 2. Share success. 3. Don't waste meeting time during rare face-to-face gatherings.

Making teams work

Here are five questions you should have each team member ask when offering criticism to a teammate’s suggestion:

3 steps to working collaboratively

Workplace conflicts often arise because different people have different ways of doing things. Tips for navigating a clash of the styles:

Great minds don't think alike

Great minds don’t always think alike, a new OfficeTeam study suggests. Work styles vary based on personality traits, communication preferences and organizational methods.

Should you call out a co-worker?

Another admin on your team just made a cringe-worthy mistake. It was so bad that, although you’re a team player, you’d like to make sure your co-worker is held accountable. Is there a way to place the blame in a professional way? Opinions differ among the experts.

How's your company culture?

According to a recent Randstad survey, finding a fit with a company’s culture is essential. The survey reveals that 35% of employees report company culture has the greatest impact on morale, while 22% believe it has a major effect on productivity. So, what kind of company culture do you have?

Does your office need 'creatonomy'?

Not everyone in the workplace needs to be innovative. Think about a movie set. For every director, there are hordes of people who must be technically proficient, patient and disciplined about their jobs. If everyone innovates, the project turns chaotic. What the workplace actually needs more of is creatonomy.

Do you know your company's core values?

Are you in touch with your company’s core values? And what about your team? Have you sat down as a group to talk about what your core values mean? If not, suggest to your boss that it might be time. Here’s the potential payoff for you and your boss:

When to put a stop to office bickering

As hard as it is to listen to two co-workers arguing, it’s even worse when people keep their opinions to themselves. Creative tension happens when people share constructive differences of opinion, which can ultimately lead to better work. Of course, not all arguing is constructive or productive. Here’s how to tell whether you should step in to defuse bickering: