communication
is not just about
having an atmosphere in which people can talk freely -- it's also about team
members listening to each other and valuing each other's opinions. If your team
lacks open communications, bring it up at your next team meeting.
2. Build Trust. Trust is
the cornerstone of all effective teams. Without trust, there really is no team,
just a collection of individuals working together. Teams need to develop to a
point where every member trusts that every other member will do the work
required and be an active member of the team. One of the trendy methods of
trust-building is having team participate in a ropes-challenge course, where
teams work together to solve problems.
3. Set Clear Goals. A team
without specific goals will not nearly be as effective as a team with goals.
Goals should be specific, including a deadline for completion. But goals should
not necessarily always come from the leader of the team; all goals should be
discussed by the entire team, especially in situations in which deadlines will
be tight.
4. Review Progress. Once
goals have been set, the team frequently goes off to complete all the tasks to
achieve its goal. This scenario is perfectly fine, except that in too many
instances, new information or actions can affect the goal's completion. Thus,
teams benefit from conducting regular check-ins with all team members -- perhaps
something as often as weekly -- to review progress and iron out any wrinkles or
overcome obstacles that have arisen.
5. Encourage Cooperation, not
Competition. Despite being placed in teams with co-workers competing with
you for your next promotion, you must find a way to collaborate with every
member of the team. One of the worst labels in the workplace is that of "not
being a team player." You will be plenty of time to showcase your personal
accomplishments, but without your cooperation, your team may not succeed.
Collaboration is a must.
6. Focus on Professionalism. The reality
of
life is
that we all have certain types of personalities that clash with our own, but for
teams to work, you have to put aside these petty differences and focus on the
positive aspects of all team members. Remember that you are not forging lifelong
friendships with your team, you simply need to work together to achieve your
goals. Downplay people's negative traits and focus on their positives –- just as
they will yours.
7. Celebrate
Differences/Diversity. One of the best trends in society, as well as the
workplace, has been a growing diversity of people -- by race, ethnicity, gender,
and age. Diversity introduces new ways of thinking and leads to new ideas and
better decisions. Rather than feeling uncomfortable that most of the team does
not look or act like you, celebrate their individual differences and the value
that each brings to the team.
8. Be Enthusiastic. Even
if you generally prefer to work by yourself, the reality you are face is that
teams in the workplace are here to stay. One way to make the best of the
situation is to jump into the team experience with as much enthusiasm as
possible. Enthusiasm is contagious, so not only will your enthusiasm help you
feel better about being a team member, it will lead other team members to also
become more enthusiastic.
9. Share the Work/Do the Work.
The best teams are those in which each member plays a vital part in work that
results in superior performance; thus it is imperative that each member not only
feels he or she plays a vital role, but actually does so. But sharing the work
is only part of the equation. The other part is that once the work has been
assigned, each team member must be accountable to complete the tasks. Much as
been written about the "free-rider" problem within teams, but with individual
accountability within the team, people cannot hide from their team
responsibilities.
10. Clarify Responsibilities
to the Team. Often one of the main causes of team members not completing
their work is not because they are "slackers," but because they simply do not
understand their role on the team -- or the importance that their work will lend
to the team. The key here is that each team member must totally understand his
or her role on the team and responsibility to the team so the team can succeed.
Final Thoughts
Your work life will include individual and team projects and assignments, and as
you move up the organization, the importance of working well in teams -- and
leading teams to success -- will gain more and more value. If you take these 10
tips to heart, your satisfaction with teamwork and your performance on the team
will improve greatly.
