Real Life Teamwork in Action

CCS Cleaning recently completed a large initial cleaning project for one of our French Clients.  This involved providing a cleaning service during the fit-out phase of an 80,000 sq. ft 1930’s retail building. As a company, we have delivered many similar projects across Europe in the past.  However, each project does present individual challenges and more importantly new learnings.  For me, one of the takeaway lessons from this recent project reaffirmed the importance of teamwork.

During our Project Review meeting, the CCS Team addressed the three questions that are a permanent fixture on the Project Review Agenda. Asking these questions after completing a project is an essential part of the learning process.

1. What worked?

2. What did not work?

3. What to change next time?

As a manager, I see this as a key component in the review meeting and vital for any organization that embraces Teamwork and Continuous Improvement. When we facilitate a discussion with clear and considered questions, the very best ideas emerge.

In relation to our recent project in France, we delivered on time, on budget and to a high standard.  We received excellent feedback from our client. We ticked all the boxes.

But the review process enabled the CCS Team to dig deeper in a structured fashion.

It is important to ask, how can we improve?

What transpired was as expected, yes, we did get a lot of things right, but also there are some areas for us to improve upon.  Specifically, as the conversation and collaboration process developed some new original ideas and “next time thinking” around communication and supply chain gathered momentum.  Initially, the conversation was meandering but once we put a structure on it, we had a definitive direction.  We did work together as a team, we produced action items and energy in the room was palpable.

Now I think we have all seen the tagline’s and presentations around teamwork, I am sure many of us can recite a few we have gathered over the years and that’s fine.  But for me, teamwork and collaboration does not come from logo’s or from long presentations.  The truth is, teamwork is multi-layered.  While there is no “secret sauce”, some ingredients are key; respect, clear goals, trust, involvement and participation.

It is a privilege to see real life teamwork in action and to be a part of it.  It is so much more than fancy Anagrams, Logo’s, or words on a page.

It can be difficult to describe when in full flow, but it is obvious when you see it and feel it. Given the correct conditions “Real Life” teamwork it is potentially transformational.

With this in mind, I suggest a useful approach as a manager is to ask yourself how can I create and sustain the environment for teamwork to really flourish?   And if you are a team member, I suggest you could try asking yourself the same question.  In my experience, it’s definitely worth the effort!