This Yale study suggested that the experiences we share with others are stronger and also more meaningful to us. Shared experiences help us all to shape values and define desirable, efficient norms and behaviours. With shared experiences, the performance of your team can be increased – by as much as 20%.
Process of teamwork
First of all people just get together in teams. Then there are usually some clashes between the needs of individuals and of the team as a whole. Finally, these conflicts are overcome and the team can actually do the job it is supposed to do. This process can be accelerated by offering some shared experiences.
During training in the US Navy, members of boat crews (5-8 people) must do everything together. If they do anything on their own, they are punished. During their underwater training, members of one crew must share their air supply. In this way, mutually reinforcing commitment is created, according to an article on the strategy-business.com website.
Shared purpose is necessary
The study of elite military units also revealed why some teams fail in high-pressure situations while others succeed. It is all about attitudes to stress. Stress combined with meaning makes a team become high-performing. Even low levels of stress may foster team bonding so long as a meaning is provided.
Through shared experience, emotional intelligence increases as colleagues observe the emotions and reactions of others. When you learn about working styles and the culture of your colleagues, you understand them better. And emotional intelligence is good for performance since it leads to more collaboration and learning. And, in addition to that, there are fewer conflicts.
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