Team Building Tips

The skill of any team leader is to get the members of the team working together in a common direction and with a sense of purpose and commitment.

The skills required to be able to create this solidarity and unified approach come from a opportunities and experiences that the team leader has been exposed to over many years.

These skills are learnt as much from observing, understanding and communicating with the teams they have lead. The skills also come from a dedicated and well structured self education program that explores all aspects of effective teamwork.

This self directed education program and the experiences and opportunities gained from the hands on experience all go into the creation of the team leaders philosophy of leadership.

It is one thing to be able to bring a group of people together and call them a team, but it is a great skill and a highly talented person that can bring a group of individuals together and have then think, act, create and perform as one. There are many obstacles and negatives that the team leader will encounter in the quest to bring the team together and have them function as a team.

But without doubt the greatest skill a team leader must have is the ability to continually provide for the needs of each individual within the team. Of course the team leaders responsibility is not to answer every little want and need of each individual, but in a conceptual sense the leader must be able to provide a certain amount for each individual within the team.

In some cases team members enjoy the strength, the comeradary, the unified direction and the success of being in a team. Even with the most loyal of team members the team and its leader must provide for the individual as well.

The team leaders ultimate quest is to find ways to answer the wants and needs of the team and its members simultaneously. This quest although hard and in some cases depending upon the individuals involved very challenging is not impossible. The first and foremost information the team leader requires is knowledge about the members of the team.

What things do they like?

Who or what motivates them?

What do they do away from the team environment?

What do they see as challenges and or as obstacles?

Who are the influences in their life?

What are the things they are passionate about?

Are they a person who enjoys working for a result?

These questions and many more will provide valuable information the team leader can use to understand the individual team member. This information will also provide insight into how best through the team pursuing and achieving their goal the individual team members can also attain there individual wants and needs.

The great team leaders have that ability to get the individual team members, thinking, acting, creating and performing as one. The skill of the team leader is to get the team leader is to get the team to play or work for something greater than themselves, the team.

But even in doing this, and having the individuals forget about themselves for a while and think only about the team. It would a foolish mistake for the team leader not to continue to provide for the individual both directly and indirectly.

Maintaining the individuals sense of purpose, providing them with the goals and direction to learn and grow. To allow them to get the things in life they feel they require, to allow them the opportunity to a certain extent to maintain their independence but at the same time have the individual team members working as a tight cohesive, highly motivated, well directed single unity that embellishes the word team this is the work of a master team leader.

All team leaders and probably without exception have come into contact with or have had people that have been part of the team that only think, care and operate for the benefit of themselves. The only time they talk about team is when they refer to their child's local under 10 sporting team.

Of course teamwork is not for everyone, but if you as a team leader can continue to show to the individual team members that what is in this teamwork concept for them then you have a chance, no a great chance of getting them involved and committed to the team, its philosophy and its direction.

Ultimately the commitment lies with them but at the same time the skill lies with the team leader. People will follow competence, people will follow someone they trust, people will be drawn to a motivational and exciting environment, but most of all people will follow someone who knows where they are going and why.

© 2008 Total Performance Concepts Pty Ltd For More Information Visit http://www.totalperformance.com.au Or Email us  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Bill Nelson is an elite international sporting coach who has turned his knowledge of developing peak team and individual performance into a world-class corporate consultancy, Total Performance Concepts Pty Ltd. Bill's wisdom on the science of motivation, performance coaching and team building has been utilised by business organisations, defence forces, the real estate and telecommunications industries, educational institutions, local government, numerous businesses and elite sporting programs throughout the world.