If you have a choice on who you’ll work with, look for people who are different from you. Although it’s tempting to pick similar people so your work will go smoothly, it’s better to have diverse ideas and skill sets on your team, as you’ll be able to be more creative.  If everyone has the exact same perspective and skill set, it will be harder to divide the work because everyone will want to do the same things. For instance, let's say you're working on a project to design a brochure. If everyone on your team enjoys graphic design, you'll all want to create the brochure, instead of tasks like conducting research on your topic. Additionally, your group won’t be as innovative in your ideas because you won’t be coming at the topic from different perspectives. For example, team members from different socioeconomic backgrounds might have experienced a community issue in a different way, giving them a different perspective on it. Talk to your teammates to find out their background, strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Determine what you each bring to the table. Try to find ways you can complement each other’s skills so your team can work well together.  If you're the team leader, you might host a planning meeting and invite everyone to share their skills. If you're not in a leadership position, talk to people one-on-one. Look for ways that you can bring something new to the team. For example, let's say you find out your teammates are strong in skills like networking with clients, statistics, and design. Although you might also be strong in networking and design, you could offer to use your writing skills to complement the skills of your teammates. A team can only thrive if everyone feels valued and heard. Not all ideas are winners, but the group must still listen to them and consider if they’re a good idea for this project. Make it a priority to collaborate as much as possible.  If team members start to feel as though their ideas don’t matter, they’ll stop being an active part of the team. This will hurt your overall output as you’re losing valuable ideas and expertise. For example, you might host round table meetings to encourage participation. If you feel like people on your team aren't listening to you, talk to your team lead about it. Say, "At the past three meetings, I've tried to offer input on the project, but I keep getting interrupted. Do you think we can try a round table approach so we can also share our ideas?" It’s important that all team members are working on the same goals, rather than each person pursuing personal aspirations. Discuss your goals as a team and adopt the goals that everyone agrees on. Moving forward, you can change or adapt your goals as needed, as long as everyone provides input.  Be as active in the goal setting process as possible. If your team leadership already set goals for your group, you might not get a voice in the process. For example, your team might start out with 3 goals: “1) Design a survey to gather public input about our park project; 2) Distribute the survey to residents; and 3) Evaluate the survey results to determine how to proceed with phase 2 of our planning project.” This can include explaining the expectations or asking questions if you find them unclear. It’s likely that each teammate has a different idea about what’s expected of them, as well as what everyone else needs to be doing. It’s essential that the team discuss these expectations and agree on one universal list of expectations that everyone will follow.  If you're not a leader on your team, you may not be setting expectations. However, it is important that you understand them, so ask questions if you're confused. Write down the expectations and make sure everyone on the team has a copy. For example, you might email the copy to everyone or post it in a communal Google Drive folder. Examples of expectations might be “everyone completes their work on time,” “check team communications daily,” “upload all work to the communal folder,” etc. When you can, meet in person so you can have a free exchange of ideas. If this isn't possible, schedule a group phone call or digital conference through service providers like Google or Skype.  Teams are most effective when they collaborate, so brainstorming sessions are a great tool for good teamwork. Make sure each teammate is taking notes during the meeting so that you can all recall your ideas later. Choose one method of communication. Make sure all team members have access to the means of communication so everyone is on the same page. Otherwise, your group may not work effectively, as some group members may be unaware of what’s happening.  For example, all group members might participate on a group text message or email. If you have no control over how communication is handled, that's okay! Follow along with the guidelines set up by your group leader. When you’re on a team, everyone’s success depends on each member working toward a common goal. If you’re thinking about your own glory, you’ll be undermining the team. Keep your focus on your team’s success, and your own success will follow.  It’s helpful to remember that a team failure will reflect badly on you. Don’t let your personal aspirations get in the way of your team’s success. Let's say your personal goal is to make it onto the management team. Rather than trying to impress your supervisor with your managerial skills, work with your teammates to accomplish your shared goals. Do your best to support the team, which shows you're an asset to the company. Then, you can volunteer for side projects that will help show your full range of skills.
Pick team members who have skills that complement yours, if you can. Compare skills sets with your teammates if your team is already chosen. Include input from all team members so everyone is heard. Participate in goal setting as a team so you have a plan. Clarify the team expectations so everyone is on the same page. Participate in brainstorming sessions to encourage collaboration. Establish a universal means of communicating with the team. Focus on the success of the group, not your personal success.