Team Building Tips

Have you ever wondered how to get your team members to work faster and get along better?

Team members are often chosen for the natural strengths that they bring to a project. Yet, these strengths are often based on job knowledge or technical skill and may overlook or not include the underlying needs a team requires to proceed smoothly. Teams with good intentions and proper job expertise can still get stuck, lose momentum, and cease to innovate or worse, simply not function because they can't get along.

To be effective, teams must work on several levels. To be sure, the job and technical expertise needs to be present. However, other elements should be in place to ensure the team has all the tools it needs to succeed and perform at the highest standards. The best defense against a team not getting along is a strong offense at the onset. In addition to job expertise, to form a strong team that will get along, consider incorporating the following when you create the team:

Ensure the presence of self-management - each team member should know their behavioral and communication strengths and know how to adapt to different styles.  There are reliable tools or assessments available that you can provide to your team members.  These instruments are excellent at helping teams cope with dissimilar communication styles and needs.

Clearly define the roles required for the team members - team operations such as Administration, Problem Solving, Leadership and Decision Making, are some of the roles each member must take on for a smooth running team.  Who is going to be the note taker, set meeting agendas, document the findings of the team?  Who facilitates collaborative sessions or makes the final decisions when a stalemate occurs?  These are roles that need to be outlined and assigned early on.  Without this, teams will fall prey to assumptions and loss of valuable time later in the project cycle. Take the time up front to define and assign as many roles as possible.

Utilize an accepted team process - teams often try to perform too many functions at one time, especially when creative thinking is required. Learn a distinct process that is designed to tap into each step.  There are many structured team processes that can be effectively applied to the way your team works together.  Take some time to research these.  The internet is a wonderful tool for this.  But select only the ones that make sense to you and stick to them.  Do not throw too many into the mix.

It is well accepted that the best outcomes often are the result of teamwork.  Yet, teamwork brings with it a set of complexities that if not addressed, slow down the overall process and can create friction.  Managing teams can be one of the hardest management tasks you will ever take on.   It can also be one of the most rewarding.

Amy Harris Hardin is the President and Owner of SmallByte WORKSHOPS, a management training and consulting company, serving clients who want long-lasting development for their employees and management staff. SmallByte WORKSHOPS help you to improve performance through its unique workshop method - express programs made part of your regular schedule. Usually, 2-3 hours in length, SmallByte WORKSHOPS offer an alternative to time spent away in traditional training courses. Visit us at http://www.smallbyteworkshops.com