Submitted by: Mel Hales
How to improve the performance of the team and the relationships among team members is one question often pondered by leaders. No matter what indicators you look at, the reality is that effective teams will always cope better than individuals, especially in situations with high stakes and need for a diverse skillset.
With all of this in mind, you really need to consider that team development is an important goal, which should be pursued at all times. If you are the manager of a company and you want to foster teamwork, you need to think of it as more than just abstract commitment. A number of steps in the right direction are required:
Establish a leader role – one of the ways to foster teamwork is to establish leadership. Effective team building begins not with authority, but rather with fostering transparency and trust. It is true that managers cannot be around at all times, nor can they be everywhere. However, if employees trust and respect their leaders, they will work very effectively, even when managers arent around.
Know your employees – dont be one of the managers who hire CVs and cover letters instead of actual people. Know more about each member of your team: dislikes, likes, skill sets, motivation and aspirations. This knowledge will prove to be invaluable in terms of assigning the right tasks to the right people. You can also include competent employees in the decision making process. You will also be able to more effectively delegate tasks.
Foster relationships among employees – when your team starts working together, you will begin to notice how good their communication is and how they work together. Take steps to boost communication and cooperation, along with trust. Should any conflicts arise, resolve them immediately. Be an honest mediator and take your decisions objectively. Keep in mind one of the ways to resolve issues is to brainstorm solutions with the affected team members.
Encourage teamwork – once there are good relations in the team, it is wise to boost teamwork. Encourage members to share information within the organisation and among them and communicate with them yourself. This isnt to say you should just hold meetings. Ask about their work and offer help where needed. Dont disregard the potential of teambuilding programs and events. They have the potential to turn your team from ok to highly effective.
Establish ground team rules – by creating team values and common goals, you can create a solid foundation for establishing your team. One thing you should never skip is evaluating team performance in addition to individual performance. Include the team in this process so that they are aware of the requirements and they all agree with them.
Remember, one of the most important responsibilities you will ever have as a manager is team development. It is not something you get from the start and then completely forget about. It is a process that you need to guide and facilitate at all times. That is the only way to ensure your team members start working ever more effectively.
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