So I feel like we all carry trauma from group projects, where like three people randomly disappear and one person turns into an overly caffeinated dictator. And then you end up doing like 85% of the work. The final result? You have a Frankenstein presentation with five different fonts and no clear point.  Whether this was a college project or in your previous role during product roll out. The feeling is reliability, and the consensus is that teamwork can go horribly wrong.        

There is good news though, teamwork doesn’t have to feel like herding cats. When you apply the right approach, teamwork can be magical. Ideas bounce, progress accelerates, and success is shared. This article is about simple ways to become a better teammate. These tips can help you, whether you’re in charge or just helping out, do better work and boost the whole team. 

The Foundation: What Makes Teamwork Actually Work 

Sometimes, we get lucky though, where you have a team project and things just click. You don’t have passive-aggressive emails or duplicate efforts. Instead you have honest communication, mutual respect, and somehow miraculously deadlines that stayed dead. 

It was no longer that we were just a team, but we were in sync. And no, it wasn’t magic. It was clarity, structure, and a little something called team intelligence. But let’s establish one thing from the start that teamwork is not the same as collaboration.  

Teamwork is the structured, ongoing coordination toward a shared goal. Collaboration, on the other hand, can be spontaneous or short-lived, think brainstorming or pitching in. Great teams across industries can do both. However, the two often lead to fuzzy roles, missed handoffs, and a lot of awkward Slack threads.      

The main reason why traditional teamwork models fails, is because there is an assumption that people will naturally figure it out.  Unfortunately, that is not the case. Without clear expectations, psychological safety, and systems for feedback, most teams default to siloed efforts and quiet resentment. That’s where the power of teamwork comes into play. The capability of a group to reason, communicate, and carry out plans as a unified entity. This skill can be measured, taught, and is essential.                      

According to Gallup research, employees who feel connected to their team experience significantly less burnout. Now before we dive into strategies, it’s important to align on this foundation. If you’re in sales, for example, understanding the dynamics of high-performing groups is essential—check out our guide to building effective teams in sales for more.  

Master These 7 Essential Teamwork Skills 

Teamwork skills should be part of your personal toolkit. Without them, even the best professionals can end up frustrated and spinning in circles. Explore with us below 7 essential teamwork skills. Each one includes a relatable scenario, step-by-step action plan, and a quick “Try This” to put theory into practice.          

Active Listening That Actually Drives Results 

Here is a scenario: A team member shares an idea during a Zoom meeting, only for someone to repeat the idea five minutes later, just louder, and steal the credit. They get praised. This is unfortunately, a classic example of no one was listening.  

Here are some steps, you can take to avoid these types of scenarios:  

1. Stop multitasking. Turn off notifications during meetings.  
2. Before responding, make sure to pause and paraphrase what was said.  
3. Be sure to ask clairfying questions such as “Can you walk me through your thought process?” 
4. Use nonverbal cues such as nodding and eye contact to show presence and engagement 

This does work; during roundups, team members go around paraphrasing others, this reduces the number of misunderstandings. Not to mention people actually feel heard.  

Try This: In your next team meeting, listen for one idea you don’t agree with. Paraphrase it back before you counter. Watch how it shifts the tone.   

Constructive Conflict Resolution 

One of the most dreaded aspects of any group work is conflict resolution. Here is a scenario that may sound all too familiar. You have two team members that may disagree on the direction of the project. The emails will get frosty and maybe a little passive aggressive. You will see that progress will stop or slow down. And as a final blow, no one wants to step in.  

Here are some actionable steps to take in this type of scenario:  

1. Address the conflict early. Don’t wait for the 3rd, 4th or 5th passive aggressive email. 
2. You want to reframe conflict as collaboration, not confrontation. 
3. Use “I” language not “you language. For example say “I see this differently…” instead of “You’re wrong.” 
4. Agree on shared goals, as opposed to focusing on who is “right”.  

I’ve seen this work for various cross-functional teams where the weekly sprint is paused to realign goals, not tactics. Before you know it the ‘conflict’ becomes productive.  

Next time you find yourself in a conflict situation try this “Can we unpack this together? I think we’re aiming for the same thing.” 

Emotional Intelligence in Team Settings 

Unfortunately, during team projects, it’s all too common that someone gets overlooked and doesn’t feel heard. Let me know if this sounds familiar:  

A team member shuts down after being interrupted one too many times. No one notices until they’ve gone radio silent for a week. 

Here are some action steps to take:  

• Read the room or the video call. Notice if there is a shift in energy or in body language.  

• Make sure to acknowledge feelings without trying to solve them. Try saying something like “that sounds frustrating”  

• Keep your emotions in check when in a stressful situation.  

• Ask thoughtful check-ins: “Everything okay after that call?” 

When a manager began each Monday standup with a one-word mood check, I witnessed this in action. Although it may seem insignificant, openness and engagement skyrocketed. 

Accountability Without Micromanagement 

Here is a scenario: A task is overdue once again. The manager instead of following up with the person, they decide to reassign the task to someone new. This makes the first owner of the task feel overlooked. While the new person feels punished.  

Steps to take for accountability without micromanagement:  

• Clarify ownership at the start of a project. Establish who’s responsible and who supports. 

• Frame meetings as check-ins, not check-ups. You should offer support, as opposed to questioning why something is not complete yet.  

• Normalize deadline resets when priorities shift. 

• Make sure to celebrate follow through, not just the hero moments.  

This works really well for agile teams because they make task status transparent to everyone. No one had to chase anyone, and peer accountability quietly took the lead. 

You can also consider trying this ask your team “What’s one way I could support without hovering on this task?” Then actually do it.  

Adaptive Communication Styles 

So picture this scenario: You sent a detailed Slack message to a teammate who responds with a thumbs-up emoji. Two days later, the task still wasn’t done. Also, neither of you knows what happened.        

Here are some things to do when communicating with team members:  

• Identify your communication style (direct, detail-heavy, big picture). 

• Figure out your teammate’s communication styles. For example, some need visuals, others want bullet points, etc.  

• Make sure to match your tone to the context. For example, a launch meeting doesn’t equal a casual conversation. 

• Don’t assume, if you don’t know, make sure to clarify.  

I’ve seen this work in distributed teams where we created a “Team Communication Playbook.” Once we acknowledged preferences, misunderstandings dropped overnight.  

Trust-Building Through Transparency 

Sometimes, team leaders make big decisions behind closed doors, without any input from the team or previous knowledge. This creates a snowball affect of morale drops, rollout flops and everyone wonders why it’s being kept quiet.  

Here’s a strategy to use, to avoid this type of conundrum:  

• Make sure to share context. You don’t need to share decisions but explain why something matters.  

• Admit mistakes quickly and openly. No one is perfect.  

• Be consistent in follow-through. Remember small actions build big trust.  

• Use shared tools to keep information visible (e.g. project boards, updates). 

I’ve seen this work when a leader shared the “messy middle” of a strategy update. Being honest about uncertainty actually built more buy-in than a polished reveal ever could.  

Collaborative Problem-Solving 

Every now again a client issue pops up and someone on time tries to handle it solo. They also don’t inform anyone else that this is happening. By the time that leadership does hear about it, a small issue turns into a big fire.  

Here’s some ways to avoid this from happening:  

• Define the problem together, not in isolation.  

• Bring diverse perspectives, even if they’re outside the “core” team. 

• Make sure to brainstorm solutions, accept even the wild ones. Don’t judge right away.  

• Finally assign clear steps and owners. Create a schedule with clear deadlines.  

According to a Stanford study: Teams that practiced structured collaboration frameworks saw 38% faster project completion and lower mental fatigue than those that didn’t.  

Building Your Personal Teamwork Development Plan 

Now, as you work on your teamwork skills, you may fall into the trap of well as long as I’m easy to work with, then it’s all good. Unfortunately, and I hate to break it to you, it doesn’t work like that.  

Often times avoid conflict and pulling your weight, doesn’t mean that you are improving as a team player. I wasn’t measuring anything or making any changes really. When you are serious about becoming a strong team player, you need more than just good intentions. KEMP Center’s approach to professional development emphasizes structured, measurable growth. The best way to tackle this is by creating a structured development plan. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you get started. 

Step 1: Take the Team Skills Self-Assessment 

You start by rating yourself across various teamwork behaviors, on a scale of 1 to 5.  

1 = Needs Improvement | 3 = Solid | 5 = Strength 

Here is a table that you can print out or drop it into a spreadsheet and fill in:  

Step 2: Set One SMART Goal Per Skill Area 

Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to fix every aspect of your teamwork skills at once. Choose 1–2 focus areas and set SMART goals: 

• Specific. “I will ask one clarifying question during each team meeting” 

• Measurable. “Give and receive feedback biweekly.” 

• Achievable. “Spend 10 minutes prepping talking points for key updates.” 

• Relevant. Tie each goal to a real project.  

• Time-bound. Review progress every 2 weeks or perhaps every 30 days.  

I’ve personally used this to improve conflict resolution skills and it’s amazing how my teammates opened up to me. The difference was night and day.  

Step 3: Track Progress and Reflect Monthly 

Now, when you are trying to make progress in soft skills, it can be hard to see and measure. So, try to make it visible:  

• Use the table that we provided up above and re-rate yourself every 4 to 6 weeks 

• Note specific team moments where you applied a skill 

• Create a reflection journal and write: What worked? What didn’t? What surprised you? 

Even a 5-minute journaling habit can highlight patterns and build momentum. 

Step 4: Get Honest Feedback (Yes, Really) 

You can’t rely on your own internal feedback; you need to get external feedback. Here’s a few ways you can go about it:  

• Use 360-Degree Feedback platforms 

• Peer feedback rounds 

• Informal “quick check-ins” after meetings 

During these informal quick check-ins, try asking questions such as:  

• “Have you noticed a change in how I handle disagreement lately?” 

• “What’s one thing I could do better when we collaborate?” 

If you are looking to integrate this into a broader career path, then check out our comprehensive business management course for structured learning on leadership, communication, and strategic teamwork.  

Navigating Common Team Challenges 

Even a team that is usually aligned and in harmony can hit turbulence. It’s unavoidable. However, there are few things that can help navigate challenges and uncertainty. Below are four common challenges and field-tested frameworks for handling each. 

When Team Members Don’t Pull Their Weight 

Here is a common scenario: A project is lagging and it’s clear that one team member is hiding behind excuses for missing deadlines. Meanwhile, others are scrambling to cover tasks and morale tanks. 

You can set up a resolution framework:  

• Identify the behavior. Whether this is missed deadlines, low engagement, zero input, etc.  

• Do private check-ins. During these meetings you can ask questions such as “How are you managing current priorities?” 

• Realign expectations when necessary. “Here’s what the team needs from you this sprint…” 

• Set consequences and support. Offer help but be clear about what happens if nothing changes. 

Here are also some quick solutions that can come in handy in these types of situations:  

• Build a shared dashboard for clear visibility.  

• Use peer accountability, rotate during each sprint  

• Publicly celebrate contributions and follow-through. 

Managing Personality Conflicts 

Another common scenario is two members clashing due to personality differences. For example: extrovert vs. introvert, big-picture visionary vs. detail-oriented executor. Meetings become tense, and collaboration stalls. 

Here is a resolution framework:  

• Reframe conflict as a difference, not as a deficit  

• Facilitate safe conversation. “Tell me more about how you see this.” 

• Make sure to find a shared purpose and goal. Remind the two conflicting employees what they are building or solving together.  

• Agree on collaboration norms going forward. 

“Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.” – Virginia Burden, quoted by Atlassian  

Working with Remote and Hybrid Teams 

As one teammate starts their day, another one is logging off. While hybrid teams sync up over impromptu chats by the watercooler or over coffee, those working remotely miss out on the opportunity. Deadlines may shift but not everyone hears about it. Tasks start falling through the cracks while communication slows down. Slowly, collaboration turns into coordination… and then into silence. Engagement begins to fade before anyone realizes it. 

When working with a mix of remote and hybrid teams, make sure to clear communication norms, response times, and meeting etiquette. Also, rotate meeting teams or find overlap so that time zone differences aren’t so much of an issue. Use regular syncs and informal check-ins. Finally, host periodic in-person gatherings, even quarterly. 

Atlassian research found that intentional team gatherings boost connection by 27%, and daily tracking makes workload feel 36% more sustainable.   

Leading Without Authority 

As a project coordinator you are expected to align teammates, push for deadlines, and mediate conflicts. But guess what you are not the boss and have no formal authority, so how are you expected to lead in a situation like this?  

Well, first of all earn trust of your colleagues by being dependable, transparent, and fair. When asking for help or someone to do a task, use soft influence as opposed to ordering people around. You may say something like this: “Could you help me think through…?” Also, highlight shared outcomes and goals, as opposed to hierarchy. You can build coalitions to find allies and bring them onto projects early.  

Advanced Strategies for Team Excellence 

Once you’ve secured the foundation of contributing effectively as a dependable teammate, the next step is moving toward more advanced contributions to the team. Moving into advanced contributions does not mean that you will be more of a leader as in being out in front of others; instead, you want to create conditions that allow others to feel safe to speak up, feel safe to share displaced and bold ideas, and work across functions with trust and clarity. These strategies are not just about your own performance; they are about optimizing the performance of the team.          

Creating psychological safety  

Enabling a team to speak up is not about being a leader but rather intentional. A great way to enhance your contribution is by fostering honest conversations and encouraging open reflection.  When team members know they can express concerns, share ideas, or own up to mistakes without fear, the level of collaboration skyrockets. Remember, you don’t need a fancy title to help set that positive tone. 

The greatest way to build psychological safety is when leadership can admit to their own mistakes. This is a signal to the team that they take risks and speak candidly. This allows for open conversation that won’t lead to blame. According to Dr. Scott Tannenbaum research teams conducting short, structured debriefs perform ~25% better. It’s a good idea to encourage employees to question ideas because this helps create constructive disagreements.  Over time, this creates a culture where people contribute more freely because they know their input is valued.         

Consider starting your next meeting by sharing what you could have done better. Also, close team meetings by inviting people to share anything they disagree with or want to question. And after key milestones, hold short meetings to ask what worked, what didn’t, and what to try differently next time. Now, these simple habits set the team up for psychological safety.  

Facilitating Innovation 

Don’t limit driving innovation strictly to leadership, often times it’s team members that ask better questions, challenges stale thinking, or suggest a new way forward. A good way to boost team creativity is to encourage experimenting and facilitating brainstorming of new ideas. This way they see that failure it is part of progress not something to hide.  

Building Cross‑Functional Partnerships 

Regardless of whether you work in design, web development, finance, etc., you are not meant to work in isolation. The best and highest performing teams work together and collaborate. Be a bridge builder, by being someone who aligns goals, communicates clearly, and understands different team dynamics. This is a huge asset in a dynamic and fast paced environment, where typically silos slow everyone down.  

Mentoring Others in Teamwork 

You can mentor someone or be a leader with the title and still help someone grow. Mentor someone in teamwork whether it’s coaching a new hire on giving feedback or modeling how to navigate conflict.  This can raise the bar of the whole group. Peer mentorship fosters a culture where collaboration is learned, shared, and sustained.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

How long does it take to improve teamwork skills? 

This really does depend on where you are starting from and how intentionally you practice. When you are consistent efforts where you have feedback, adjusting communication styles, or participating in debriefs, you can see an improvement in 30 to 90 days.  

The key to improving teamwork skills is small, repeatable habits: one conversation, one check in and one collaboration at a time.  

What if I’m naturally introverted – can I still be a good team player? 

Yes, of course. An introvert you most likely already excel at active listening. Also, you probably are a thoughtful problem solver and calm conflict diffuser. The truth is you don’t need to be the loudest in the room to make a meaningful impact. Focus on being present, engaged, and intentional in your contributions. 

How do I handle team members who resist collaboration? 

Begin by understanding the reason for the resistance to collaborate. People often push back due to fuzzy job descriptions bad team experiences in the past, or worry about becoming irrelevant. Have a short one-on-one call and ask “What’s your ideal way to work with others?” or “Tell me about teams you’ve enjoyed being part of before.” Once you know this, make roles crystal clear and set up common targets to pull them into the group—not shove them in.     

What’s the difference between teamwork and leadership skills? 

So, teamwork is about contributing effectively to a group. This means listening, sharing responsibility, and solving problems together. Leadership does include a lot of the same skills. But it also, includes having a vision, decision-making power, and assistance of others going through change. Not all team players will lead or make good leaders. But leaders tend to be fantastic colleagues.  

How do I measure my teamwork skill improvement? 

You can use a self-assessment to measure your teamwork skills. Take the time to rate yourself on communication, accountability, and conflict resolution. Also, ask for peer feedback, track how often you apply new behaviors, and reflect on outcomes (e.g. smoother meetings, fewer miscommunications). Finally, you can use online tools such as 360-degree feedback and project debriefs are great for getting objective input. 

Summary 

Not all team players wear superhero capes, but they show up every day ready to speak up and step up when it counts. Teamwork is a set of repeatable, learnable skills. So, if your first thought is well I’m not a team person or your allergic to long meetings, you can change this narrative. You can start by practicing 7 teamwork essentials today, to become that dream team player:   

• Active listening, tune into meetings and listen don’t just wait to speak  

• Constructive conflict resolution, so that every Slack conversation doesn’t turn into a war  

• Read the room even if it’s a zoom call, have more emotional intelligence  

• Own your part and be accountability. Let’s other take responsibility for there’s, without micromanagement  

•  Flex your communication style to fit the person, not just the project. 

• Build trust by being transparent. No hidden agendas. No “Reply-all” power moves. 

• Solve problems together through collaboration.  

You can start now by rating your self, setting a goal and trying the exercises from this guide. No jargon. No trust falls. Just real progress.  

Want to build teamwork skills and learn how to lead like a pro? 

Our Business Management Course covers team dynamics, collaboration, and leadership fundamentals in one power-packed program. 

Want to dive deeper into building effective teams? 

Read our guide on creating high-performance sales teams, where we break down advanced collaboration strategies for competitive environments.