Teamwork makes dreamwork, right?
Most definitely. But only if your team is actually strong, works towards a common goal and everyone pulls their weight.
The dictionary defines the word ‘team’ as a group of two or more people working together. Sure, that’s easy enough. But having a team in place doesn’t necessarily mean that a team will work well together.
A number of different measures must be considered when putting a team together, especially one that will work well for (hopefully) years to come.
A successful team can take productivity to the next level, create a great company culture, inspire other teams into successful paths and, of course, boost business.
But how do you get there?
What to expect from a team
When humans are in the mix, things are bound to get a little complicated at times.
Everyone is different and has unique emotions and ways of communicating. Not to mention, everyone has different ways of working and different work experiences – no wonder creating a successful team is so difficult!
It’s important to take these differences into consideration and be mindful of the fact that we are all human and working together as a team can sometimes be difficult.
Remember, it’s not always the task that is a challenge for a team, it’s the relationships and daily happenings that can sometimes hinder progress.
When creating a team, you can expect clashes, prolonged work efforts and possible confusion in the beginning. But as time goes on and by utilising the following 10 tips, members will naturally begin to find a comfortable workflow that works well for everyone.
Here are the 10 tips to consider when building a successful work team:
1. Maximise individual skills
The point of having a team is to increase productivity in an effective, cohesive manner. Much like all the different parts that make up a car, work together to help it drive, each member should bring a unique set of skills to the team that will help the team deliver great work. This means finding the perfect mix of professional skills to get the job done, together.
2. Focus on diversity
The previous point focuses on professional diversity, but personal diversity is equally important. Create a team that is filled with diverse individuals. That means not grouping together employees that would usually socialise together.
This ultimately helps to build a better company culture and team dynamics along the way – one where employees from all walks of life work well together. And as a bonus, it makes for much better brainstorming and innovation.
3. Establish clear roles
It may seem obvious, but establishing each team member’s role and the tasks that are required of them, needs to be done upfront. Each member needs to know exactly how their role contributes to the team, as well as what exactly their role is. Once roles are clear, team members will feel committed and dedicated to their part in the team.
4. Lead with values and vision
One of the easiest ways to get a team to work effectively together is to share the company’s values and vision with them. It’s the ‘why’ that helps them understand their role in the bigger picture.
Here are 4 steps to creating a vision, mission and values that engage employees.
5. Communicate clearly
In order for any group of people to work together effectively, communication is key. A weekly, or daily check-in will make sure all members know exactly what is required of them, as well as what is required from the rest of the team members. Everyone will gain a better understanding of the overall work the team needs to achieve.
This is where apps such as Slack can be utilised to keep everyone in check and in the loop.
6. Show appreciation and recognition
A team works off each other’s energy – it’s what motivates the team each day. So if one member isn’t quite up to a task, it could likely dampen the rest of the team’s ability to work too. This is why it is so important to have an engaged team.
Where do you start when creating an engaged workforce? Recognition and appreciation, of course. Don’t let team members’ work go unnoticed – people need to feel valued for their hard work.
If you’re wondering how to get started with employee recognition, chat to us, or try our free 30-day trial.
7. Allow members to take risks
It may be hard to let go sometimes, but trust in the team and their ability to have things under control. Employees were hired for a reason and they should be trusted in their capability to get the job done and find solutions to problems. Let them explore methods, work ways and more. Because the key to motivated employees really lies in how much trust they are given, and how much they can explore and challenge themselves.
8. Show continuous support
Along with giving team members the trust they need to take risks, show support in their risk-taking and work capabilities. Team members should feel that they have everything they need in order to work efficiently. But if they don’t, they should feel that they have the support to ask for what they need.
9. Have a conflict resolution in place
No one likes to think about the ‘what if’ issues that could occur when working together, but the truth is, issues can very easily come about when people are not familiar with working together.
Put a conflict resolution plan in place for team members to follow, should conflict arise. This will make problem-solving clear and avoid problems dragging out as employees should know exactly what to do in the event of a problem occurring.
10. Make learning easily available
You want your team to grow, especially as the company grows and develops. But how do you make sure a team doesn’t stay put? The solution is to make learning resources readily available for members to continuously grow from and expand into directions that are needed, as well as into directions that employees are interested in.
So keep chatting to your team, making sure they have everything they need, feel appreciated, motivated and that they understand their roles, the support that is available for them, and the part they play in the team’s success.
Follow these 10 steps and you’ll be well on your way to dream teamwork, and happy, successful teams that are there to stay.