Note: The following article contains material from Beau Hamilton's Team Building seminar, which is conducted for the collision repair industry and approved by ASA's Automotive Management Institute (AMI) for continuing-education credits.

1. The first rule for any effective team is mutual trust and respect between all team members.

I rarely say never, but in this case, I will say that a company will never have total teamwork without trust. Trust is the foundation for any successful relationship. And what is a business team if not a series of professional relationships - relationships between supervisors and subordinates, between peers, between departments, between the office and the shop, etc. Trust between everyone in the organization is an essential ingredient for successful business teamwork. We enjoy working with people we trust, and we're always suspicious and guarded around people we don't trust. How can we ever build winning teams without trust and respect for our teammates?

2. The second rule is cooperation and collaboration at all levels and between all departments.

The body shop must cooperate with the paint shop, and the estimators must cooperate with the body shop. In many shops, the paint department must sign off on the quality of work performed by the body shop technicians. If the quality isn't sufficient, they won't accept the vehicle. Similarly, the body shop must accept the quality of the paint department before they accept the vehicle for final assembly and detailing. All departments must work together and perform their jobs properly for the customer to be pleased.

3. The third rule that's essential to instill teamwork is for the employees to feel involved and really part of the team. Building a sense of ownership is vital to create a really solid team. One way for management to make everyone feel they're on the same team is to provide a "team uniform." It can be as simple as a hat and shirt with the company logo or as detailed as having a shirt with the person's name, title, years of service and certification/training received, Company jackets also build the appearance of a company team.

Another way to make employees feel part of the team is to ask their opinions. I can't think of a better way to make employees feel important and involved than by asking for their suggestions or comments about things.

4. The fourth rule that's required for teamwork is getting recognition and appreciation for doing a good job.

Employees need to be thanked. We have to get away from that old attitude of, "Why should I thank them, they get a paycheck, don't they?" Most employees don't leave a job because the work was too hard, the hours were too long or they couldn't handle the stress. Most people quit because they simply don't feel appreciated for the work they do. They say to themselves, "I came in on my own time, I helped out when they needed someone, I busted my butt to pitch in and do the dirty work, and no one even bothered to thank me."

If you expect your employees to be loyal to the team, they must feel appreciated for the work they do.

5. Open and honest communication is the next ingredient necessary for maximum teamwork.

Everyone on the team must feel they can bring up topics, even if they're perceived as uncomfortable. Employees must be able to voice their real opinions about the attitudes and work habits of their peers and supervisors. The estimators, paint and body shop departments, and office employees should feel comfortable bringing up situations that need to be discussed. If the messenger gets shot for discussing negative information, no one will be the messenger and valuable information will never reach the manager or owner.

6. Working toward positive results and being committed to continuous improvement is absolutely necessary for an effective team.

Each department, from the estimator to the detailer, must always try to improve its performance. The collision repair industry is getting more technical, customers are demanding more and it's becoming more difficult to operate with adequate profit margins. Everyone on the payroll must look for ways to increase sales, reduce costs and eliminate mistakes. Improving the quality and reliability of workmanship, customer service and overall professionalism will be required for the on-going success of any collision repair facility.

7. Showing a forgiving attitude and being flexible is the final ingredient for successful teamwork.

We all have bad days, and we all make mistakes. Things go on in our personal lives that can distract us at work, and we all can't hit a home run every day - sometimes just showing up for work is a challenge. It's important to cut our teammates some slack, knowing that someday it will be our turn to need some compassion and understanding from our peers.

No effective team was ever built on criticizing, judging and blaming each other. Working together day in and day out without ever having problems or personality conflicts is unrealistic, and my advice is to focus on the positive qualities of your peers, supervisors and owners to help them be more successful in every situation. That's the real mark of teamwork.

Profiting from Teamwork

It may take a little work for you to integrate the seven steps to successful teamwork into your shop, but it will be well worth the effort Employees work a lot harder for someone who appreciates and includes them than for someone who doesn't. So, not only does teamwork foster a healthier and happier work environment, it also creates a more productive and profitable one.