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Teamwork and the Power of "We"

October 25, 2011

By Barbara Haubrich-Hass, ACP/CAS

 “Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success.”  ~Henry Ford 

If you have worked for any length of time in the legal field, you have come to realize the basics of what an attorney expects from you: loyalty, talent, and work ethic.  These are all great qualities to have for success in any field.  Some attorneys, however, leave out the core to a successful practice, which is the power of teamwork. 

Professionals today must work closely, and with more people, than ever before.  In a law office, teams are very common, and getting results is a challenge, especially when the team is diverse.  This article will discuss ways to help others develop commitment and motivation, create positive team dynamics, and the components necessary to build successful legal teams. 

The Leader Must Set the Example.  Team leaders can be compared to parents, and as with parents to their children, the team leader sets the example with his or her attitude and work ethic.  If your team members see the leader as a team player, they will feel part of the team.  As a team leader myself, I strongly believe that attitude reflects leadership.  Be a leader that your team will want to model, and you will see the team’s performance, motivation, and dedication to their job increase.  Give credit to others whenever possible.  Include everyone on the team frequently when there is a success.  Compliment freely.  Reward successful performance. 

Respect Others.  The cornerstone of any team is the values and norms for the team.  One of the most important building blocks is to establish the guidelines that will guide behavior.  For me, I look to what my mother taught me:  Treat others as you want to be treated, respect yourself and others around you, and put people’s needs first.  In the fast paced environment of working in a law office with deadlines, multi-tasking, a heavy work load, and the day-to-day pressures of law office politics, we sometimes get caught up in the “US” against “THEM” mentality.   The fact is, however, if you want honesty, then you need to be honest.  If you want trust, then you need to give others a reason to trust you.  If you want respect, you need to display mutual respect.  If you want acceptance, then provide acceptance.

Communication.   The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others.  Whether you are the attorney giving instructions to your paralegal, or a paralegal discussing a case with a legal secretary, it is important that the listener understand the instructions.  What I practice with my attorney is to have the listener (me) repeat the instructions so that the instructor (the attorney) is sure the listener understands the task.  Also, attorneys in particular, please pass on information to others on your team so that everyone is in the loop.  Mistakes occur when everyone is not on the same page.  Knowledge = Success!  Knowledge cannot be achieved without proper communication.  Tell people what you expect them to do.  Be as specific as possible, share your goals, and explain the standards of performance you expect.

 As a Team Leader, Ask Your Team:

• What makes them feel a part of the team;W
• Why they choose to stay on your team; and,
• What they would change.

Then…act on the information you receive!  Take all positive information as clues to what is right about your team to keep happy employees.  Then do what you can to keep these elements going and even improve upon them.  Receive all negative feedback as opportunities for growth, and if possible, make the appropriate adjustments to improve employee relations.  Bottom line….happy workers put out higher volumes of better quality work! 

 The key elements in the art of working together are:

• How to deal with change;
•  How to deal with conflict; and,
•  How to reach our potential. 

Teamwork and leadership personifies a set of values that encourages positive behavior, such as listening and constructively responding to points of view expressed by others, giving others the benefit of the doubt, providing support to those who need it, and recognizing the interests and achievements of others.

Establish Goals.  What are the team’s mutual goals?  Having a common purpose is important to achieving successful results.  The goal must be established early and then translated into achievable tasks that all team members clearly understand.

Team Design and Leadership.  How is the team structured?  Effective teams are not simply groups of people thrown together.  They are individuals who each play a critical role in the team’s success and understand their role in the structure of the unit, and the role of each team member. 

Team Controls.  If members are clear about theirs roles and how they contribute to the overall success, an empowering climate is created.  Much of the success of the team depends on how much responsibility can be delegated to team members.  Individuals begin to take initiative to solve problems and complete tasks without being asked.

Make the Work Valuable and Doable.  This helps increase employees’ confidence that they can do what you expect.  Give employees training, a mentor, and really listen to what they say when they tell you what they need.

Effective teamwork will not take the place of knowledge, experience, education, or how to manage the work.  Poor teamwork, however, can prevent effective final performance to a law practice.   It can also prevent team members from gaining satisfaction in the work place.  Be a team player and see how your positive influence will affect others!