subject: Six Reasons Team Building Is Important [print this page] Factors such as the revolution in communications, the global market and the increasing extent to which labour is specialised and divided, has led to our modern society becoming very dynamic and fluid. It is now necessary for an individual to move between various different groups of people in their personal and working lives, an issue faced by a wide variety of people, from catering staff to musicians.
This makes it all the more important for people to be able to adapt to different situations and encounters and perform effectively as part of a group. The process used to encourage and foster these abilities is referred to as team building, and involves the establishment and development of greater trust and cooperation between members of a team. There are many reasons why team building is so important.
One of these is that a true team is more successful in implementing complex plans and strategies. The work can be split into responsibility areas, allowing a team to take on a greater number of complex projects than could be managed by individuals.
Teams are also better at coming up with more creative solutions because it is possible for them to brainstorm and network. They can discuss projects with each other and generate full solutions that no member of the team would have come up with on their own. Working with a team can also bring new perspectives to an individual's work.
Teams can also be more committed to plans and ideas due to having ownership of their ideas. If a team is involved in a project from the beginning, it is more likely to have a true commitment to the ideals represented by it.
A team can also be more enduring than one individual. Placing just one person in charge of a particular project means that if that person is lost, it can bring a halt to the entire project. Assigning the project to a team, however, means that even if it does lose one person, its work can continue.
Team activities can also help a team in self-assessment processes so that it can continue to improve ways of collaborating within the group for future projects.
If a team is given games and exercises that simulate situations in real life, for example those with an emphasis on practising clear communication and developing trust during times that may be challenging and confusing, or learning to achieve a certain goal within a tight deadline, this can make the process of learning to work together and acting as a team more enjoyable.
