Outside of academics, graduate school has taught me several things about working with other professionals. One of the things I learned was the art of an effective team. Yes, working in teams in the workplace is almost standard today; but, there is something different about being a part of a work team where everyone is getting paid to be at the same place, at the same time. You are forced to work together.

My awesome team! ©Nicole Moreno-Deinzer

In school, I mostly got to pick the team I wanted to be a part of. There were times when my professors picked our teams, which, in my mind, had a higher chance of failing. But, I digress.

In my last team, we had a semester-long project. It was a beast, with milestones and several follow-up meetings. But, it was one of the best teams I have ever worked on. Here is why:

• Flexibility – In graduate school, you are asking your fellow students to meet outside of class, away from their family and friends, and away from work. You need to be flexible and understanding. I really do not like working on the weekend. The weekends are meant for Nick and me. But I had teammates that had work and a lot of classes during the week. They didn’t want to meet after a long day. So we compromised by meeting every other Saturday. Also, not every meeting has to be in person, especially if you are asking to meet on the weekend. You can have a Google Hangout meeting.
• Organization – We planned our meetings in the beginning of the semester. If you have a long term project, it’s important to be on people’s calendars weeks in advance.
• Admit Your Weaknesses – Be straightforward about what you are good at and what you are not. For example, I tell everyone that I am not a good editor. I am great at researching and creating content but doing the final edits is not my cup of tea. It takes a special person to make five voices sound like one. Being honest about your flaws in the beginning opens up your teammates to be honest, as well as show some humility.
• Trust – Everyone has different work patterns. Trust in one another that the work will get done. You may start the paper, but someone will finish it. There was never a time when I was stressing, because something wasn’t done yet. I knew it would get done.
• Do Extra Work When Needed – Look, sometimes your teammates will go through a rough time. And, you may have to do a little bit more to get the project done. Be okay with that. As long as they are appreciative of it. Think about it this way,if you were going through a hard time personally, wouldn’t you want someone to help you out a bit.

In this day and age, we all have to work in teams. Find your voice, your work pattern and be apart of an effective team.

Hugs and Smiles,
Nicole