The Power of TEAMWORK in the Laboratory
TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More.
This popular acronym is very true, but in reality, how does it work and what application does it have to your laboratory? To find out we turned to our own team for ideas and this is what they said….
Have a Common Purpose & Goal
The concept of a lone scientist toiling away in the lab is history. Communicate your key goals and get the team united behind a common purpose. The results will speak for themselves.
The Power of Collaboration
Even when Thomas Edison was inventing the light bulb, he had a team of scientists working for him helping him build on existing knowledge. Many hands make light work! Don’t be afraid to reach out to your peers and be humble enough to accept advice, sometimes this can come from unexpected quarters.
Celebrate Successes Together
Celebrate successes together – appreciate the work of teammates and say thanks for even small contributions. As a team leader, it is important to give each team member the credit that is due to them. Often it is the smallest cog in the machine that keeps it moving. Many laboratory personnel spend their time doing repetitive daily tasks, it all contributes to the whole, so appreciate it.
Teamwork Encourages Creativity
As we said earlier, Teamwork encourages collaboration which embraces a positive attitude and promotes good work ethics, which in turn leads to further ideas and creativity. This results in exploring more options and ideas than can be expected from working individually.
The 3C’s of Teamwork
Contribution, Cooperation, Communication. These three core values are essential ingredients for any team. Each member is to be valued, so respect them! They may not be able to complete the tasks as well as you but if they can do it 80% of the way you would do it, you should be 100% happy.
Have Clear Tasks & Deadlines
A report can be completed more effectively in a shorter time if it is broken down into smaller specific tasks for each member. All the information, data and findings can then be collated into one complete report, on time.
Here at Westlab, we work as one team on a mission– this is what drives us every day – and serving you, as our valued customer, is what unites us in our common purpose to ‘Enrich the World of Science’. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey!
