Guidepost #1: What is Teamwork and Why it Matters

What is Teamwork?

“Children Play With Parachute” photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash

What does it mean to be part of a team? How has teamwork changed and evolved over time? And what does teamwork have to do with changemaking?

There is no shortage of models for understanding team dynamics (see Chapter 4.2 of Potter & Hylton, 2019 for an overview of Tuckman’s Model, DISC Theory, GRIP Model, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Model, and Lencioni Model). When conceptualizing teamwork within our research project, and subsequent toolkit and conceptual model, our focus is on a team’s ability to contribute to and thrive in a fluid ecosystem that mobilizes around a problem or opportunity. This interest extends to the skills that contribute to a successful team, such as “flexibility to act in moments of potential collaboration” (Edmondson, 2012, para. 6), “a willingness to be there for each other” (Sinek, 2020),  and a “commitment to lean into vulnerability” (Brown, 2019, para. 3).

Project Aristotle (Vakil, 2024), a powerful study conducted by Google, deepened our understanding of effective teamwork and revealed five key dynamics that set successful teams apart:

• Psychological Safety – Can I take a risk on this team and feel safe?
• Dependability – Can I count on my team?
• Structure and Clarity – Are my team’s goals, roles, etc. clear?
• Meaning of Work – Is this work personally meaningful and fulfilling?
• Impact of Work – Do I fundamentally believe the work that is happening matters?

Check out this video from Insider Tech to learn more about Project Aristotle and the key qualities of successful teams.

In the video, Charles Duhigg suggests that equality in conversational turn-taking and ostentatious listening are critical factors to creating a harmonious team grounded in psychological safety. Put differently, Project Aristotle revealed that practicing empathy and non-judgment, holding space, and actively listening are the foundation on which effective teamwork happens. As Simon Sinek says, “it is the willingness to be there for each other.”

We can also pull some insight and inspiration from Ashoka (2024) who reminds us that “Changemakers actively cultivate relationships and partnerships with others. They work toward building strong teams that embody trust, sharing, collaboration, and empathy. . . . innovation and changemaking thrive through collaboration not individual triumph.” For Bill Drayton, Ashoka founder, teamwork is a critical element of becoming a changemaker and believes that, “a team is not a team unless everyone is an initiatory player, and in this world, you cannot afford to have anyone on your team who is not a changemaker.” Check out this video from Ashoka (2020) for an example of how practicing empathy and teamwork lead to changemaking.

What Did Our Research Reveal About Teamwork?

Different voices from our focus groups, including employers, educators, and learners, revealed the various ways that they believe teamwork can contribute to a fluid ecosystem of teams that mobilizes around a problem or opportunity. We have captured some of our research participants’ ideas below.

“A shared understanding of the goal/task with a foundation of trust and collaboration can allow for the unique gifts of each member to come through to produce a more innovative and successful outcome.”

Why Does Teamwork Matter to Your Learners?

Teamwork is important for learners because it enhances learning, develops crucial communication skills, teaches the importance of roles in teams, and aids in building a goal setting mindset. Teamwork is an essential skill to help children learn to work together toward a shared or common goal, reinforces the importance of and ability to work within a diverse group, leads to important learning opportunities, and prepares learners for later life. Researchers have found that teaching teamwork skills also,

• Improves communication, social, and problem-solving skills that allow learners to work with others (All Round Club, 2023).
• Increases children’s self-confidence in their own abilities (Penn State, 2024).
• Teaches children how to express themselves, including their ideas and perspectives, in a respectful and judgment-free manner (Marlborough, 2019).
• Reduces the instances of bullying (Black, 2012).