"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." --Andrew Carnegie
What distinguishes a good company from a great company is its ability to work as a team towards common goals. This is more relevant in the case of a startup, where duties are not structured as in larger firms helped by rule books and proper division of labor. Even if a startup has a good number of employees who are extremely talented in various functions, it may not succeed in the absence of team spirit. If employees feel like a team, the organization would benefit from a greater amount of new ideas, improved decision making and less stressful work. Teamwork can also help overcome challenges, sometimes the most daunting ones, and be in a state of confidence of doing the impossible.
A fast-growing start-up, Tookitaki has realized the importance of teamwork and included it among the core values of the company. The company always makes sure to hire the right people who are willing to work within a team and open to accept others’ ideas. Our founders know very well that the business we run is nothing without the people who toil behind the scenes. It’s ultimately this team that help the company realize its ambitious goals and execute the company vision. Here’s how our company benefits from teamwork.
Our team as strategy executers
Not only the plans should be well thought-out, but also they have to executed thoroughly. Our team sits on the broader plans, breaks them into shorter goals and ensures those are met in a timely fashion. Despite the limited resources and time, the team members with varying competence, skills and knowledge multitask and wear multiple hats depending on the situation. All these are done in alignment with the company vision.
Our team as a facilitator of learning
Employees working in a startup have to learn and do things faster. Being part of a team with members having different professional experience and knowledge would make this process smooth. Members also have the option to challenge each other’s ideas, reach a common ground and upgrade themselves in the whole process.
Our team as synergy providers
The right combination of diverse skill sets will bring synergies in terms of increased productivity, enhanced efficiency, lowered costs, increased revenues, etc. In startups like Tookitaki, this synergy formation is very important for sustainability in the long run. In order to effectively manage different spheres of business and achieve larger goals, Tookitaki employees with different experience and skillsets work in tandem.
Our team as a pressure absorber
Intense competition leads to pressurized situations at companies. Teamwork can help ease such situations with a proper and equitable allocation of duties. Tookitaki team members always take the challenges boldly, help each other in difficult times and complement each other for the special work.
Our team as fund generators
VCs typically prefer companies with a good core team for investing. While our business plan has been important for our investors, our team’s proven ability to adapt to ever-changing market conditions and grab market opportunities as and when they emerge helped us secure funds.
Our team as archangels of culture
Even if a company’s culture is heavily influenced by the vision of founders, each team member has a role to nourish, optimize and preserve it. As culture keeps on evolving, it is the team that preserves the essence of the culture in line with the company values. Tookitaki highlights the ‘cultural fit’ as an important element while adding new members to the team.
Vince Lombardi said: “Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." Tookitaki is proud of its employees’ commitment to the great vision we have and believe that our great team is the biggest ingredient in our success. They have done so much together and will continue to work together, keeping in mind that the strength of the team is each member and the strength of each is the team.
