What Skills Are Necessary for Teamwork?

What skills are necessary for teamwork?

High performance team cannot live without good team players. These team members have some good common skills. Communication skill is one of the common skills that good team players possess. According to Driskell, “effective communication behaviors include exchanging information in a timely manner, acknowledgment of information, double-checking that the intent of messages was received, clarifying ambiguity, and the appropriate use of verbal and nonverbal cues.” (Driskell, 2006) With good communication skills, team members can exchange thoughts, ideas, and information efficiently. Decision Making skills are also fundamental skills for good team members. Driskell describes decision making skills as the ability to identify and assess problem, exchange information, give and evaluate solutions, and assess consequences.  

According to Neil Kokemuller, listening skills also very important to the success of the team. Strong listening skills help team members better understand others’ ideas and show their support to other team members. Besides listening skills, cooperation skills also play a important role in a team. Neil Kokemuller defines cooperation as “a general skill that encompasses a helpful nature and willingness to participate actively within the team.” (Kokemuller, n.d.) The team will more likely to succeed when all team members are completely engaged in team tasks and exchanging ideas.

References

Driskell, J. E., Goodwin, G. F., Salas, E., & O'Shea, P. G. (2006). What Makes a Good                 Team Player? Personality and Team Effectiveness. Group Dynamics, 10(4),                 249-271. doi:                10.1037/1089-2699.10.4.249

Kokemuller, Neil. (n.d.) Good Skills for Teamwork. Retrieved August 26, 2015, from http://        smallbusiness.chron.com/good-skills-teamwork-21681.html