Time has come to our first internal project at the data school. It is time to test our knowledge and also our ability to work as a team.
We had an intensive one day training about project management that was very helpful before we started the project. The work was not complicated and the outcome was pretty good, we only struggled with delivering our end project.
So, here I would point at an important skill that is very essential for project management, which is Teamwork. Teamwork is one of the most important factors for the success of any project, so how can we ensure that we have a good level of it?
Would you consider yourself as a good teammmember? Let’s see!
When we work in groups, we have to make sure that we have two important things:
First, a detailed planning:
Task Planning:
If you are starting a project, you have to set a solid plan with specific deadlines and alternative solutions for possible problems. You have to make sure that you have a clear plan of who, what and when. Every member in the group should know exactly what is expected from them and what they expect from others.
Time Planning:
Strict deadlines should be set as a priority. Short term deadlines are significant to keep track of your work efficiency. Catch up meeting should be set as frequent as possible to make sure that everyone is on the track and everything is going well.
Second, a good level of communication:
Working in groups could be tricky and difficult if you lack a good communication skill. So here is a list of the important things that you should be aware of to achieve a good level of communication with other team members.
1. Accept conflict:
People have different mind sets and they think differently and that is pretty good for a group because it opens the door for more creativity at work. The problem is that we sometimes are not flexible enough to accept disagreements. If you think that you have a brilliant idea and another member disagrees with you, do not take this personally. Try to listen and understand and go through the conflict. If you find it hard, then you probably need to learn how to deal with conflict.
2. Be tolerant:
People always have differences if even they were from the same race, color or religion for example. And we do not always like everyone and that is okay. The problem is when we let our personal preferences affect our communication in groupwork. You must learn how to tolerate other people and work with them even if you do not like them personally.
3. Express yourself and listen to others:
You should always say what you want to say. If you disagree or you think you have a better idea, then do not be afraid to express yourself. On the other hand, make sure that you also listen carefully to what the others say. A healthy communication will make it always easier to figure out problems much earlier and lower the level of complexity.