Team Communication
Communication as defined by answers.com is "the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior." Teamwork is "cooperative effort by the members of a group or team to achieve a common goal." Communication is the foundation in the success of a team.
From the time of birth every individual has been taught some form of communication whether it be verbally, sign language or written. Individuals use communication to acquire what they need for survival and for personal success. This same concept needs to be applied when working in a team.
Teams are made of individuals with unique skill coming together for a greater good. Most teams are made up of three to four individuals utilizing their skills to succeed in a project. Most individuals have worked in a team sometime in their lives. Many individuals have worked in teams as children in the classroom and out on the playground playing sports.
Collaboration of communication and teamwork is necessary for the team to reach its goals. Each member of the team needs to actively communicate their ideas, questions and thoughts. All communication should be honest, effective, and useful. As children playing a kickball game, everyone one needs to cheer one another on, clearly state their objectives and work through disagreements.
A key to clearly stating objectives is utilizing the many forms of communication avaliable. Verbal communication requires individuals voicing words to state their ideas or thoughts. Body language is an unspoken form of communication. Individuals can use body gestures to get their point across to other individuals on the team. Electronic media has streamlined communication making it more efficient and allows individuals to re-read i ...