Successful team building: one for all and all for one

One of the greatest responsibilities of a leader is to push the team towards better performance. The relationships within the team are essential in that aspect. An effective team will definitely outperform a disconnected collective, where people work individually.

The process of team building is nothing abstract, but it demands a great deal of effort on the part of the leader. There are many challenges that leaders have to overcome to create great teams. If you’re interested in how exactly you can build an effective team, we have 7 tips for you to follow.

1. Understand What a Great Team Is

Flawless teamwork doesn’t just occur out of the blue. It demands conscious efforts from all individuals within the team including the leader. A great team consists of a few elements that must be present at all times:

• Clear objectives – each team member must be aware of the meaning of a particular activity as part of a larger objective. If, for example, you ask the team to engage in blogging for the sake of business promotion, they must understand how this blog will help the organization achieve higher objectives. If they don’t see the purpose of the task, they will fail and you’ll have to invest additional funds to outsource that task to a writing service.

• Clear roles – everyone within the team must be aware of the hierarchy and their role in it.

• Flawless communication – whenever someone has a question or gets an idea, they should be able to communicate it. The communication within the team must be as smooth as possible.

• Cooperation – teamwork is not about individual achievements; it’s about what the group accomplishes together.

• Individual development within the team – although it’s teamwork we’re talking about, the individual must not lose their authentic voice throughout the collaboration.

A great team is the one whose work is based on clear objectives, clear roles, clear communication, cooperation, and opportunities for personal development. Remember that recipe and you’ll be on the right way towards building an effective team.

2. Establish Strong Leadership

If you want to know how to build an effective team, you must learn how to be an effective leader first. Only an effective leader has influence even when they are not around. That influence pushes the team to work effectively throughout all group and individual activities.

The right kind of leadership does not mean imposing authority in an authoritarian way. It means fostering trust through transparency and an honest approach. You don’t have realistic chances to be with your team at all times, but you must be open enough for them to approach you with any issue. There are a few things that will help you establish effective leadership:

• Big picture vision. All your decisions must be transparent and guided by a greater perspective.

• Delegate tasks and responsibilities. Delegate in the most effective way possible. Do not overwhelm individuals with too much work while leaving other members of the team with tons of free time.

• Communicate clear goals. Know your team's purpose and be able to help them understand it by communicating clearly and without room for misunderstanding.

• Be honest and friendly to an acceptable extent. You’re the leader, after all, so you do need some authority. However, show your human side to your workers and they will be more willing to follow your lead.

3. Build the Connection Between the Team Members

The leader must continuously evaluate the way the members of the team are working together. Ideally, your team should be self-sufficient and perform without you having to lead them through every step. Your job is not done by forming the team and giving instructions, but rather guiding your team to work well with one another more effectively.

As teams become comfortable with one another, their efficiency and productivity will improve as they build trust and confidence in each other.

Here are a few ways to help members of the team to familiarize themselves with each other's roles and work styles:

• Team-building exercises. Simple activities to help members build trust and letting them know they can depend on one another can go a long way toward increasing your team's effectiveness and productivity.

• Improve cooperation among team members. Try different things such as taking them all out for lunch or an after-work get-together. Encourage them to get to know each other. Ask them about their hobbies and interests, so you’ll take the conversation on a more personal level. If possible, invest in a fun activity, such as a workplace wellness program.

• Encourage them to collaborate! When you hire someone new, assign a mentor to introduce them into the workflow. Mentorship programs are great for developing connections!

You should always be aware of the fact that conflicts and misunderstandings will occur. Your role as a leader is to solve those issues in the most amicable way possible. Invite both sides to share their arguments and listen to them. Then, act as a mediator towards the most acceptable solution.

4. Establish a Connection with Each Team Member

As a leader, you must get to know each team member as an individual. Each person has a specific set of skills, as well as interests and drawbacks. When you know these things, you can match each worker with the right task. That’s the best way to help them boost their productivity and become more satisfied with the job.

Work to build trust and engagement with each employee on a personal level. Find out how their unique skills, interests, and strengths can be used to improve the team's output. As you build your trust in them, they, in turn, will be building their trust in you and the company to provide the necessary resources needed for them to grow and succeed.

You shouldn’t get too personal with the employees, though. Congratulating their birthdays and attending their weddings (when invited) should be enough to keep the connection going. However, remember that you’re the leader and you must keep these relations professional.

5. Invite Contributions And Collaborations!

Harnessing the power of your employees' ideas can really help your company grow. You want to inspire the practices of contribution and collaboration for each and every member of the team.

You can create an environment like this only if you start contributing and collaborating yourself. The team members will follow your example. In addition to serving as a good example, you should encourage trust and cooperation among the employees, too. Pay close attention to the way the team works together and take specific steps to improve the level of trust and cooperation.

You may encourage them to share more information about the progress of their tasks. Ask for frequent reports and feedback so that you can evaluate the level of contribution and collaboration of each individual and within the group as a whole.

These simple things will provide a transparent workplace environment that allows everybody to see the bigger picture and feel more personally invested in the overall progress of the company.

6. Invest In Team-Building Events

Different types of team-building events will develop strong relations and a sense of community within the team. These types of events are a great way to foster better communication and collaboration amongst team members. If approached in a way that is both educational and entertaining, it can create a memorable experience that creates lasting friendships and partnerships.

Consider investing in some of these activities:

• Fundraising projects, which will connect the team towards accomplishing a noble goal.

• Social events, such as picnics or bowling competitions.

• Outdoor adventures, such as hiking, sailing, climbing, and other physically challenging activities. The challenge shouldn’t be overwhelming. It should be attainable for all members of the team, but they should still make an effort to achieve a common goal.

• Indoor activities, such as filming an office video, playing team board games, or inventing a social game.

7. Monitor And Review

Evaluation techniques are part of the process of developing a great team. You need to use obvious metrics, such as financial measures to evaluate the success of the team and each individual in it. When you set precise goals, you must measure the achievements at precise intervals of time.

Some questions to ask yourself:

• What has the team achieved so far?

• What did they change?

• What did they learn?

• What’s working well?

• What aspects of teamwork need improvement?

Monitor the work at all times and provide appropriate feedback to push your team towards greater effectiveness.