As a business leader it is your role to get the most from
your staff. You must become the team
coach, not the centre-forward. You must
create the conditions for your team to succeed whilst striving to remove any
dependency on your own efforts or technical knowledge. Here are some guidelines for creating a
successful team.
-
Define a
shared, clear, worthwhile purpose for the team – and continue to reinforce this
o
Define clear boundaries for the team and empower
every member to question things within those boundaries (not only in their own
area of responsibility)
o
Define the desired outcomes. Make these challenging but not demoralisingly
difficult
o
Make sure there is regular, objective, actionable
feedback on team performance
o
Make improved team functioning, or dynamics, one
of the desired outcomes
-
Create
wholesome team dynamics*
o
The foundation for any high-performing team is
trust amongst the members. People must
feel able to be open about fears and failings and to give and receive honest
feedback
o
Trust enables constructive conflict, which is
necessary to surface and explore options and arrive at optimum decisions
o
Constructive conflict, where everyone has had
their opinions heard and debated, allows buy-in from all members to the agreed team
goals and decisions and their part in delivering them
o
Because individuals have bought in to the team
goals and decisions, individuals are prepared to be held responsible for
delivering their elements of the plan and to hold fellow team-members
accountable in turn
o
Shared goals and mutual accountability means
that the team is focused on results
-
Build in
diversity amongst the members
o
Don’t allow superstars to rule the roost. Everyone, including them, puts the team first. If your star performers can’t understand and
deliver this then drop them from the team
o
Make sure everyone recognises their own strengths
and weaknesses and those of their colleagues.
Make sure they understand that great teams are made up of individuals
with complementary abilities
o
Respect amongst members starts with individuals
having self-respect. Make sure everyone
understands how their contribution is valued and inculcate a sense of belonging
and feeling of achievement in all team members
-
Create
pride within the team
o
Look for opportunities to build the team’s respect
and reputation in the wider organisation and beyond
o
Create opportunities to build team coherence
beyond the task – perhaps through social
bonds
o
Acknowledge and reward their achievements
*Based on “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”, Patrick Lencioni
