When pursuing excellence, Michael Jordan refers to the key as teamwork and intelligence. For a library staff the formula is just as simple: like-minded individuals with similar objectives, interests and abilities who have the desire to provide the dynamics for customer service. A basketball team works together interacting and coordinating their objectives toward a common goal on the court, enabling the group to perform at a higher level of unity through purpose, loyalty and mutual accountability. “Advocates of team management say that teams are beneficial because they increase productivity, lead to better decisions, enhance employee commitment to work, foster creativity and innovation, increase organizational flexibility, and lead to greater customer satisfaction” (Stueart & Moran, 2007).
This team involvement and mind set is often an answer to individual empowerment allowing for individual contributions and accountability even within a library setting. Some organizations flourish in this type of flexible and trusting environment often leading to improved customer service and innovation. Because teams are so multifaceted and complex due to individual personalities and dynamics, successful teams enable all members to excel through the excellence portrayed by the entire unit. Teamwork enhances individual success through the common ground each team member shares with the team focus. For a basketball team, that team focus would be winning games. For a library staff, the team focus would be cementing the library and its services as essential within the community it serves.
The dynamics of teamwork, whether on a basketball court or within any sized library, enables interaction of individual talents, individual interests, and individual abilities and skills meshing together to create a quality experience for everyone involved.
For example, a Center is usually the biggest and tallest member of the team so that he/she can block and rebound the ball effectively. That is his/her skill, ability and talent on the court. In a library staff, there are those who are excellent writers, or have a talent in archiving, or another who enjoys planning events. Each member of the team is not only used corporately, but also individually. For the basketball team, this variety of positions equals added performance. For the library staff, a variety of individuals with personal expertise equals added value. The team or staff experiences increased job satisfaction, appreciation and respect, and the public experiences added value through that offshoot of team empowerment. Everyone contributes, and everyone benefits. Customer service becomes the point, the goal and the achievement.
In teamwork there is a greater unity of purpose: a loyalty to the group for the attainment of the goal placing the team purpose ahead of individual self-interests. This holistic mindset creates relationships: relationships which foster opportunities for greatness - and opportunities for lending a helping hand - making the individual just as successful as the unit itself. It’s a win/win for everyone.
Customer service IS added value; so market it by Being It.
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