#TeamworkTuesday

For #TeamworkTuesday let's discuss what makes a poor team. We build good teams by knowing what not to do.

A team that behaves as a bunch of individuals out for themselves is not a team. And that kind of "team" becomes a drain on the project, the department, and eventually on the organization. What contributes to poor team dynamics? Bad attitudes, being unwilling to cooperate, lack of communication, and conflict between members. These dynamics can quickly become exhausting for those who are invested in solutions, progress, and the mission of the business.

So today take some time to consider the team you are currently a part of. And take time to consider your role in that team. Are you "just a job" or a "team player?" If you discover, or already know, that you aren't energizing your team but are in fact a drain on it, here are some things to consider about how to turn things around and be a good team player.

Comments

Call it a Day

The literal use of this phrase hails from 1838 when the phrase originally was "call it half a day" to mean leaving work early. (source) The modern use of the phrase is to indicate ending something due to false sense of accomplishment.

More bang for your buck

This phrase was used a lot in 1953 but an earlier citation puts it at 1940 in a Metals and Plastics Publications advertisement. Read about it here . The phrase means you get more for your money.

Butter someone up

There are two probable origins for this idiom and I think both are equally plausible. The first one is that when you spread butter on bread you are buttering it up like one would do when trying to flatter someone. The second is in ancient India there was a practice of throwing balls of butter at statues to ask for favor, i.e. buttering them up. ( source ) When we use the phrase today we generally mean that extreme flattery is used to gain information or favor. It's not always necessarily a compliment.

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