Public Relations and Teamwork

How teamwork, in-house and out, helps strengthen PR

Lately the phrase “We’re in this together” and similar slogans seem to be everywhere. When things get tough, people tend to band together. But, teamwork isn’t just for tough times.

When it comes to PR, a team approach is always a good idea. By learning to work as a team rather than going it alone, you not only lessen your workload, but give your company and your clients a big advantage. Here are just a few of the advantages teamwork brings to the field of PR.

Teamwork Allows for Continuous Learning

Working as a team, in any capacity, paves the way for learning. Just doing the same thing as others, you end up picking up new knowledge – even if it’s just learning something as trivial as other people’s habits. So imagine the possibilities when you try to learn from your teammates.

Of course, you can learn exciting new ideas, smart strategies and proven processes from co-workers. But, working as part of a team also regularly tests your thinking. Other team members, or the act of working as one, can challenge your opinions or creative processes as well. While this may seem frustrating at first, ultimately, these challenges become benefits. Having others question your thoughts and beliefs help you grow – professionally and personally – by expanding your thinking and sharpening your talents.

Teamwork Encourages Positive Communication

One of the best things about being part of a team is having a shared goal. This gives everyone a reason to pull together, which in turn promotes open and encouraging communication.

When you work as a team, you get to know your co-workers or clients on a different level. By all striving together toward a single positive outcome, there’s no room for animosity. You begin to communicate more clearly as you begin to understand each other.

The very nature of teamwork inspires positive communication and encouragement as you share ideas. In the end, no one in your team should feel alone. That is the recipe for success.

Here’s a recent example. Nichols sent out a press release to area media about a healthcare webinar a client was hosting. Everything was on course until half an hour before the seminar was set to begin. The registration link suddenly stopped working. Instead of panicking, everyone joined in as a team to work around the glitch. Nichols heard about the problem first because members of the media were calling to say they couldn’t join. Our first step was to inform the client about the situation. The client relied on Nichols to communicate with the media, while media personnel relied on Nichols to help them get connected to the webinar. Through teamwork with Nichols and the client, and our team with the media, we were able to get media connected to the webinar and our client was able to conduct the webinar without any interruptions or further glitches. Because everyone was already accustomed to working together, it all came together seamlessly and without any undue stress. That’s the power of teamwork.

Teamwork Helps Ease the Stress of the Job

Making mistakes is never the goal. However, mistakes are the best ways to learn. When you have the burden of a project completely on your shoulders, even a minor misstep can feel earth-shattering. It may also cause real damage.

Working as a team lessens the chances of mistakes, because there are always others to help you stop mistakes before they get too far along. But there’s more to it than just avoiding mistakes. Working as a team opens the door for both comfort and improvement. You learn from the mistakes of others and gain valuable support as they share how they overcame similar challenges.

Something that’s even better than commiserating with the team when things go bad is the group celebration that comes with big wins.

Teamwork Provides Inspiration

Being a part of a team opens you up to discovering new perspectives and ideas. This is true whether working with your internal PR team or with your client. Teamwork provides inspiration by discovering the personalities, skills and thought processes of other people. Seeing something from a new perspective can be extremely inspiring. In turn, you can use your thoughts, practices and processes to inspire others.

Shared ideas and encouragement from teammates lead to exciting, out-of-the-box ideas. Working as a unified team made up of vastly different people can leave you feeling inspired, and satisfied, every day.

Nichols Brand Stories is all about teamwork. We would love to show you how together we can make a great team. Contact us through our Nichols Brand Stories site, or simply reach out to me anytime at mbakle@wetellyourstory.com.