Power of Phenomenal Teams
Most of us understand that motivated and well-informed employees make efficient and productive teams. The benefit of these teams is individuals that give their best for the success of the business. This has always been instrumental within organizations, and it is more important than ever in the current environment. We need to be more conscientious of what employees need to ensure we are providing what it takes to support our teams. This can include everything from understanding motivations to making sure there is a thorough understanding of the organization’s strategic direction and the contributions needed to fulfill these goals. Regardless of employee tenure, it is crucial to everyone’s success to understand their role in moving the business forward. We have informed, and reset expectations regularly to ensure individual and team success.
“Individual commitment to a group effort – that’s what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” – Vince Lombardi
As leaders, we work to hire the right candidates. Once that step is complete, the next challenge is bringing employees together and encouraging them to work successfully with each other. It is essential to promote productivity by constructing interconnected teams. Start by making sure you fully inform each employee on the overall strategy, plans, and goals. Knowledge builds confidence and it is vital that team members feel valued and that they mean something to the organization.
What are some characteristics of successful teams? Examine the different strengths and skills of each employee. Diversity in thought is ideal for uncovering the best solutions. People have different personalities that can be essential to success. Some of the best teams have both extroverts and introverts. Introverts are observant of their surroundings and tend to process things in their heads. They sometimes notice a small detail that an extrovert may overlook. Extroverts are great for generating ideas and stimulating discussions. Together both personality types benefit each other within a team setting and encourage unity.
When promoting team cohesion, a starting point is providing a common goal. The focus on a goal is important to facilitate bonding. A great place to start is to host a session where members can hear all voices, outline roles, and review goals. Once a team works through a project by achieving its goals, a bonded team will naturally emerge and forge an identity.
Listed below are some ideas to consider when refocusing and bonding your team:
Strategic Planning: An example of a strategic method BlueFire HR by FutureSense uses is referred to as "dotology". This is a lean method that allows all voices to be heard, fosters creativity, and streamlines the process or approach to creating a solution. This is an excellent solution for strategic planning, project planning, and goal setting.
Team Building: Team building can include daily interactions and may involve structured exercises to facilitate how to work with each other and within the boundaries of the organization. It can be as simple as having lunch or a call to discuss expectations, goals, etc. The design of any effort is to unify the team and achieve goals.
Listening: If you are an introvert like me, it is sometimes hard to feel heard by extroverts. As leaders, we must listen to each other and make sure that we are still on the same page. This means that leaders should be patient. Good leaders often need to put their egos aside to be supportive, attentive, and interested in their valued team members.
Each team is different, but ensuring everyone has a voice is the most critical part of creating a great team. Many successful companies and leaders would not be where they are today if not for the power of phenomenal teams. Similar to a sports team, there isn't one person who ensures the success of a team. For example, in baseball, having a skilled pitcher will help with your success, but if the team can't field or bat successfully, they won’t fare well during the season. Everyone needs to work together, even the players on the bench, to ensure the team's success.
A successfully bonded team fosters creativity, learning, and success. Being able to trust and work together will help produce new results and often unexpected success.
We are up for this challenge and ready to forge ahead, no matter what the economy looks. FutureSense HR is here to support the expansion of these ideas. Do you or your organization require HR consulting services, the creation of a handbook, or its updating to meet with new laws and regulations? If you want to discuss these topics, need assistance with your workforce strategy, strategic planning, an HR consultant, or simply need an executive coach, contact us at 888-336-0909 or info@futuresense.com