Ten “must – haves” for successful teaming
Have you wondered why some teams get it right and others, so clearly get it wrong?
Given the many variables of team development, it’s surprising that we ever end up with effective, functioning teams. So many teams struggle to get the balance between performance delivery and team relationship right. Effective teamwork is profoundly simple, yet it can be difficult at the same time. Teams have basic needs that must be acknowledged and fulfilled if expected to thrive. No team succeeds if these basics aren’t there. Check your team dynamics against these ten ideas. They can have a significant impact on the success of your team.
1. Clear Purpose – team members are clear about their purpose, roles and responsibilities, they know what success looks like and what they need to do to get there. Clear direction, common purpose and agreed outcomes are the norm.
2. Reasonable Risk – team members creatively step out of their comfort zone to problem solve and get things done. Personal accountability builds trust and they are not punished for opposing views and disagreement.
3. Clear Communication – communication is open, honest and direct. People are on -the-level and practice the listening, questioning, clarifying skills that build understanding. They are aware and work at improving their EQ skills so that respectful interaction is a given.
4. Team Synergy –all team members have a strong sense of belonging and group commitment. They see the value in team synergy and work at collaborating to add value. Their uniqueness is valued and they openly share their expectations of one another.
5. Diversity – different viewpoints are expected and encouraged, team members appreciate individual differences, show tolerance and flexibility. They maximise their abilities to creatively problem solve, improve work processes and reach team goals.
6. Pleasant People – people like to do business with nice people and it’s no different in teams. Team members bring with them different life and work experiences and varying degrees of success in working in teams. Team members prioritise and develop their inter and intra personal skills so that they always bring out the best in each other.
7. Innovation – team members review processes and practices and look for better ways of working. They openly discuss what keeps them from progress in areas of effort, talent or strategy. They regularly review their progress and how they can work smarter rather than harder.
8. Beyond Conflict – team members understand that conflict is inevitable and fighting is a choice. They do not support personality conflicts and clashes nor do they pick sides in a disagreement. They work at resolving problems and disagreements with effective interpersonal astuteness.
9. Right Leadership – there is a participative style that inspires peak performance. Team members feel acknowledged and respected and in turn show commitment and accountability. Every team member actively contributes to building the team and supporting their leader. It’s a challenging and enjoyable work environment.
10. Quality Decisions – team members collaborate to ensure joint decision making. They have the support and commitment of the group to carry out the decisions made. They willingly share their expertise and experience to ensure purposeful, practical and timeous decisions are made.
If a team can get these ten ideas right, a rewarding sense of teamwork and success will follow because as the saying goes, the strength of the team is each individual and the strength of each individual is the team. trainingmania February 2019
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