TEAMWORK
When a workforce joins in good faith, they can support each other and work in harmony toward a common goal. Like the way a sports team works together. From the time you are “on the clock” at the start of a shift, you are “on the field” with your teammates.
Regardless of how you may feel about them in other contexts, once you are on shift together you must work to treat each of them with support, encouragement, respect, and care.
Teamwork means that you are aware of each other and available for personal support if needed. If you are confronting a problem with persons or things that results in escalating anger or frustration, you should know that teammates will be there to help de-escalate the situation and support an effective resolution.
When you see a co-worker intervening it is helpful to track what they are doing without interfering and be available to them for help if they ask for it.
If you feel calm and centered for example, and the person you are interacting with is upset, you will tend to get upset with them or they will get calmer with you.
You won’t stay in different states of excitement for very long. If there are two of you staying calm and centered it will be much easier to get the other party to calm down with you.
It is high priority for the team to stay as “grounded” as possible while on the job. It is much easier to feel relaxed and strong when you feel the support of the team behind you.
Shattering The Team
The concept of teamwork is shattered if a crew gets into blaming, vicious competition for positions, “practical” jokes that are cruel, or any kind of harassment.
Moods are contagious. We have worked with individuals who felt they had been “chosen” by co-workers as a scapegoat for practical jokes and who were suing their employers for not stopping the practice. This type of hazing has been common in the history of work, as was sexual harassment in the past. Both can now get you fired, but some workers still practice harassment in subtle ways, and this undermines the whole concept of teamwork.
