Apart to put a team together, team building is an activity that is used to improve communication, relationships, and morale in the workplace. A key component of team building is to address what people are feeling and willing to share. These feelings might be about their work or personal life. Effective team building activities include icebreakers, goal setting, trust activities, group discussions on topics such as diversity/inclusion/gender equity, or interactive workshops on collaboration.
Every year, countless businesses are launched across the world, but unfortunately most of them will eventually close because only a select few really rise to the top. Why do some businesses thrive and grow while others fail?
There are many factors for success, including an understanding of the business world, innovative ideas and of course some luck. Some might be out of our control but there’s one factor that nearly all companies can control that may affect their business the most in the long run and that is hiring and managing talented people.
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The purpose of a team is to accomplish goals that would be much more difficult if the different functions were strangled by competing for resources.
Behind any successful business you will find a great team. This goes for start-ups as well as huge corporations. A team helps ventures grow, scale, and thrive in a way that would be impossible with just one person.
It’s crucial to hire those that share your company values and mind-set. They should be goal-oriented and value contributing to your team, as opposed to just themselves. A hierarchical structure is also important for all businesses. Once you’ve assembled the best people for your project, make sure to work together as a team.
Building a strong, productive team is extremely important. Why?
Entrepreneurs need to recognise that they need a team of people to help them. Without, they cannot hope to take their business from an idea to success as there is too much for one person alone. As good as an idea might be, it is not even close to being able to become a business without the team working together to execute a solid plan.
For example, in football, when you’re on the pitch there is one objective: to score. The same applies in business – your goal is to reach sales targets.
Let’s say a Football team is fortunate enough to have the best forwards in football, Zlatan Ibrahimović. Needless to say, Zlatan is an immensely talented individual. He can attack from all angles, control the ball exquisitely and his technique is nothing short of excellent.
But if Zlatan had to take on an entire Football team all by himself, he would be crushed. While Zlatan is good in the air, quick, tall, strong, and agile, and he plays well with his back to goal and boasts some of the best finishing, vision, passing and ball control around, he’s not particularly disciplined, and certain skill sets—like aerial game or defence—have been better mastered by other players.
A business is no different. A successful team needs a variety of skill sets in order to get it done, which is why you should assemble a team with people who have skills that complement your own. Your rival may not be a single person, but an entire company with its own corporate structure, culture, and group of individuals. Think about all those other employees who themselves have years of experience to bring to the table.
To build a strong team you need to establish a dynamic atmosphere that encourages creativity and collaboration. This starts with hiring employees who are passionate about what they do and who share the same goal as your business.
High-performing teams don’t come from nowhere. They require careful cultivation from a team leader with a strong sense of what the team values, the goals they have set and their code of ethics. “Effective leadership can create a team among co-workers.” One way to do this is by giving your employees clear goals. You should also encourage them inputs and feedback on their progress, not just at the end of the project.
On day one, set some basic expectations. The phrase “nature abhors a vacuum” may be overused, but it’s also true. New employees and new team members often arrive as blank slates, open to a wide variety of company cultures. But they will quickly start looking for cues on how best to work as a member of your team. Make the most of this. Set realistic goals and expectations from the outset – not just in terms of sales goals or a five-year plan, but also the type of team environment you’re looking to establish. Do you want your employees to share responsibility, solve problems together, and make decisions mutually? This is something your leadership should communicate from the beginning. It lets new team members know what to expect and will help them form their expectations of what it means to be an employee of your company.
Workplace culture is highly important for so many reasons. I think it’s time to say something about respecting your team members as individuals. You want them to be part of a good team, but you also have to remember that they’re each unique individuals with their own stories. Workers are people too. They don’t need a company to survive and will go home after a long day. Getting to know them is important because what they do contributes to the success of your business. A good work environment is one where individuals are accepted & respected for their strengths. It’s also important to focus on what you can do for the team, not just what the team can do for you.
Connect and work well with your team & make sure to honour the individual members while also fostering a strong sense of teamwork. The team members should also be caring and respectful towards one another. Encourage people to think of their co-worker as a valuable and essential business partner and not just someone who sits next to them. Work towards common goals like growing the business, personal success, and team achievements.
Leaders who practice emotional intelligence recognize the importance of treating people as human beings, not objects. In a nutshell, this means that their leadership style reflects a focus on employing empathy & understanding in day-to-day work. A good leader understands that different people want different things. Some team players thrive when you’re working towards a shared goal. Others enjoy healthy competition and will keep going as long as there’s someone to compete against, either within or outside of the company. By accepting the realities of different work styles and motivations, an effective leader will treat people’s individual differences as a strength and not a hurdle.
Leaders with success in business understand that positive reinforcement gets people on your team more engaged than negativity. You should resist the urge to criticize team members mistakes. Instead, you should create a positive environment by highlighting events and behaviours that you particularly liked and encouraging your team to repeat those kinds of actions. Giving people incentives for their achievements instead of shaming them for their failures can increase their motivation.
Communicating with your team is a sign that you care. Make it clear to people what they can do better to improve, and how you think they’re doing after every meeting. The more open the lines of communication are, the easier it will be for you to work collaboratively with everyone on your team. Miscommunication within working environments is a common cause of stress and resentment. This can eventually lead to poor performance. If you see something that might be wrong with your team, tell them and ask for feedback. Communication skills are important for an effective team. Silence will break working relationships apart very quickly.
Increasing diversity on your team will help you build a more robust business. Different people from different backgrounds and experiences will help you create more innovative solutions, and think outside of the box. Make an effort to hire somebody who might cover up your potential blind spots. This is somebody who will come in handy when you need critical information on an issue or someone to produce better content than yours.
Find a reliable team who understands your vision. A self starter that can make decisions on behalf of the business. Groom them to become leaders by empowering them to do what’s best for the company without asking you first. Consider the potential for this individual to have longevity with your company or within your industry.
It’s important to find ways to reward positive behaviour and encourage better work. If you can do so with a few extras, try giving either a financial bonus or an in-office treat. If you’re in start-up territory and don’t have much money, think of other ways to express your appreciation for their hard work.
One way to save time and effort is to delegate. Give a team member the opportunity to make decisions you assume they would make reliably. For example, if John shows responsibility with money, give him approval for how much he should spend at the office supply store. As a boss, it’s important to take steps to let employees know that you appreciate their effort. Recent studies show that even something as small as telling them “Thank you” can help boost morale and give employees the feeling that they’re part of the team, anyway we will explore additional ways during “The Complete Guide to Productive Team Dynamics and How to Build a Strong Team” workshop for those who wants to know more about the subject and be able to manage a team effectively.
Useful links:
- Workshop developed by: https://www.cavendish.ac
- Register your interest for team building workshop: https://www.digitpro.co.uk/teambuilding-workshop/
