Creating a cohesive team from a group of independent workers with diverse backgrounds, abilities and aspirations takes patience, persistence and clarity of vision. Will it be hard work? Undoubtedly. Will it be worth it? Absolutely.
The following four environmental elements have been proven to move incongruent groups into effective teams and have a dynamic impact on how organizations function.
Commitment Through Input
Dictated goals and mission statements do not inspire. If you want your team to be fired up about the company’s direction, let them help shape it. Soliciting and using organizational input to craft a vision everyone shares will tether employees together toward the company direction. Whereas before, employees had nothing to lose if the company did not achieve its vision, now each person has a personal investment in the goals set.
Personal Accountablity and Leadership
The most progressive companies have learned that only through universal accountability can they function at their highest level. Circular models in which employees are interdependent and self-policing are highly effective. If you want your team to hold itself accountable, give each team member something to lose for poor performance and the ability to do something about it.
Collaboration and Trust
If there is a potential landmine that can derail the best team building efforts, it is the inability to resolve conflict harmoniously. Therefore, you must keep lines of trust and communication open by valuing all contributions, regardless of employee position or topic. Encourage respectful diversity of opinion. Understand and communicate that team members ultimately have the same motives – to satisfy their customers, families, fellow employees, managers and owners. The team is simply trying to determine the best course of action to satisfy all of these parties simultaneously.
Synergy
Organizations that reach their peak potential have a unique ability to combine solutions, “leap” beyond the collective knowledge of the team, and spontaneously generate new solutions as ideas are shared. A high level of synergy stimulates innovations that force competitors to constantly play catch up. Opposing companies cannot duplicate the game plan of a synergistic organization because it is organic and only grows when the team comes together and combines their creative energies.
Focusing on these four environmental elements will not only enable you to build strong organizational teams, but give your employees the one thing outside a paycheck they desperately want, but will never speak of – a sense of belonging.
Leave a Reply