Teamwork and Organisation

Working as a team on an expedition

To get the most from your expedition, always work together as a team. Here are some hints and tips:

• Start early in the day, especially on hot days. The weather is cooler first thing in the morning.

• NEVER split up as a team – unless going to fetch help.

• Everyone must be properly equipped and able to cope with any weather conditions, be it rain, cold, wind, or sun!

• Avoid climbing late in the day when you are more tired.

Teamwork Skills

1. Communication - the ability to communicate in a clear, efficient way. When working with others, it is important that you share relevant thoughts, ideas and key information. There are many different types of communication skills including both verbal and nonverbal.

2. Responsibility - it is important that the parties involved both understand the work they are responsible for and make the effort to complete said tasks on time and up to the expected standard. With the entire team functioning properly by taking responsibility for their own work, they can work together towards a common goal.

3. Honesty - practicing honesty and transparency might mean working through a disagreement. Without transparency, it can be difficult for a team to develop trust and therefore work together efficiently.

4. Active listening - active listening skills can help a team to understand and trust each other. Active listening is the act of making an effort to focus intently on one person as they share their ideas, thoughts or feelings.

5. Empathy - having empathy for your teammates can allow you to better understand their motives and feelings. Taking the time to listen and understand how others think and work can help you to communicate with them in the right ways.

6. Collaboration - teamwork exists so that a group of individuals with a diverse set of skills and talents can work together towards a common goal. It is crucial to work with other teammates to share ideas, improve each other’s work and help one another to form a good team.

7. Awareness - it is important that you hone your ability to be aware of the team dynamic at all times. For example, if one person is dominating the conversation or does not allow others to share ideas, it is important that a balance is achieved that allows each teammate to contribute evenly. Alternatively, if one person tends to be more shy or hesitant to share ideas, it is important to create space so that all teammates feel comfortable contributing their unique skills and abilities.

Teamwork Quotes

• "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

• "None of us is as smart as all of us."

• "It takes two flints to make a fire."

• "The value of achievement lies in the achieving."

• "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."

• "There's no "i" in "team"!"

• "Teamwork makes the dream work."

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done