Teamwork

At its best, here's what teamwork looks like.

HA! Anyway, this week I learned about what it means to belong to a team, and the many roles that team members can play in ensuring that the team achieves its goals. As an engineering student, I have been required to work on several teams since my freshman year of college. As a result, I have seen myself display some attributes that made it difficult for team members to work with me. One of such attributes is a consistent lack of preference. Due to my ability to adjust to any condition or context, I have a tendency to allow the preferences of team members to take precedence over mine. In my mind, I am showing consideration for them, since it would be easier for me to adjust to inconveniences. However, in many cases, teammates have taken this as passivity or a lack of desire to achieve the team’s goals.

Another attribute that can make it difficult for teammates to work with me is that I can be quite indecisive. It is in my nature to examine all components of every issue, and to be very critical of myself, so this translates to my work. In trying to make the best decision, I become over analytical. This means that if teammates give me a deadline, it is likely that my work will be turned in last minute. Although this can be frustrating, I balance it out by being very open to feedback from other. Therefore, if teammates make a compelling argument for a certain decision, I find it easy to accept their comments and move on quickly with the project.

That is probably as much as you want to know about me on that subject....... or in general. The summary is that it is absolutely vital for humans to work properly together to be able to solve the world's biggest problems. For emphasis, I have included a pictorial representation of teamwork below.

#photo