In the business world, an effective team is like a link in a chain that determines the success or failure of a project. But how can you create such a team, based on common goals and trust, unite it and achieve outstanding results?
What is a team in business?
This is, first of all, a social group in which there are clear common goals, and the abilities of each person complement each other. A striking example: sports teams, where everyone has their own roles aimed at solving common problems.
Recently, the concept of “team” is often used in business, but it is quite rare to create one. More often in practice one can observe “working groups”. What’s the difference?
In a work group, the leader is one person. In a team, leadership functions are distributed among the members.
Researchers D. Smith and J. Katzenbach are confident that building a real team is not always worth it, but only under the following conditions:
- the need for collective products created as a result of the joint activities of participants;
- opportunity to share leadership functions between participants;
- the need not only for individual responsibility, but collective responsibility.
Smith and Katzenbach drew their conclusions from numerous studies in various organizations.
A prime example is the Burlington Northern Intermodal Team. After deregulation of rail transportation, they created a business in intermodal transportation (using different modes of transport to deliver goods faster and cheaper).
The company faced difficulties due to the chaotic location of branches throughout the country. Seven people created a team of 45 employees within the company, setting themselves the goal of transforming operations, and achieved success.
The story of the Burlington Northern Intermodal Team demonstrates how teamwork allowed the company to achieve billions in revenue despite difficult external circumstances.
What should a “dream team” be like?
In theory, achieving efficiency at work is simple – you just need to define a common goal and divide tasks between participants. However, in practice this turns out to be much more difficult due to the differences in personal qualities, views, characters and working styles of each person.
What characterizes a real team:
- Open discussion of general issues;
- Definition of basic rules by all participants;
- Coherence in work – everyone plays their role and influences the operation of the entire system;
- Equality;
- Openness and trust;
- Collaborative learning, which involves encouragement and recognition of mistakes, rather than competition;
- Planning tasks and processes;
- Analysis – regular checks to ensure team spirit is maintained.
Teams can be created only for a while, to solve specific problems, or be long-term.
In the second case, the relationship is usually well established, which allows the participants to work effectively. At the same time, long-term teams may become burnt out, resistant to change, or withdrawn. For example, when employees are convinced that only the leader ensures effectiveness. And when such a leader leaves, the rest are unable to produce results.
How to create an effective team: instructions for an entrepreneur
To create a stable, ongoing and productive team where employees feel comfortable and want to stay with the company, it is important to spend enough time building relationships within the group. How to do it?
1. Create a supportive atmosphere
This is a work environment where everyone feels valued and included. Listen to experts, encourage new ideas and actively “promote” mutual support between employees.
Foster a culture of open dialogue where everyone can speak up without fear of being ignored. Regular meetings, both formal and informal, are especially helpful in this regard: from corporate lunches to team building events.
2. Assign roles and expectations
Make sure each team member understands exactly their tasks and what is expected of them. This will reduce the risk of conflicts to a minimum.
3. Provide working conditions and opportunities for professional development
This can be training, promotions, career prospects, incentives. This not only affects qualifications, but also strengthens employee loyalty: they see opportunities for growth within the company.
Ensure that employee salaries, benefits and bonuses meet or exceed industry standards.
4. Implement a feedback system
Regularly collect feedback from employees about their performance, work environment and management. Use this information to continually improve your working conditions.
5. Maintain work-life balance
Encourage employees to take charge of their health and well-being by offering opportunities for regular vacations, hobbies, etc.
What mistakes do entrepreneurs make when forming a team?
Inefficiency can lead a company to missed deadlines, poor product quality, high staff turnover, employee burnout, and other problems.
What other factors influence the quality and coherence of teamwork?
The belief that if a person works well in one role, he will also be effective in another
Different positions require different skills and qualities. Promoting an employee only on the basis of his current achievements without analyzing the requirements of the new role leads to the fact that the employee loses motivation and productivity decreases.
The desire to select personnel without taking into account whether he is suitable for a certain role in the team or not
It is necessary to take into account both the professional skills of the employee and how he will fit into the team of the enterprise.
Selection of people suitable in temperament for management or leadership
Sometimes managers tend to choose employees who they personally like and are similar to them in beliefs and character traits. This often results in truly valuable talent being overlooked.
Avoiding those who are annoying
Team work requires from each participant not only professionalism and the ability to perform their functions, but also a willingness to cooperate, collective problem solving and constructive interaction.
This means that each team member is willing to put aside their selfishness and strive for a common goal, even if this requires taking a step towards others.
How to resolve work conflicts?
When different people gather in one group, conflicts are inevitable. Each person has his own unique experience, makes decisions taking into account internal attitudes and through the prism of his beliefs. It is important to be able to resolve contradictions so that the connections between people are strengthened. How to do it?
Space for dialogue
It is important to create a safe environment in the company where everyone can express their feelings and thoughts without fear of being judged. These can be either private conversations or general meetings, where everyone shares their vision of the situation.
Mediation
Sometimes it is helpful to introduce a neutral third party into the situation who can help resolve the conflict in an unbiased manner. The mediator helps the parties hear each other and find a solution that suits everyone.
General goals and action plan
At the peak of conflict, people tend to make rash decisions in the heat of the moment. At this moment, it is important to remember the goals for which the work is being done, look at the problem from a different angle and find compromise solutions.
After discussing the conflict, it is important to determine where you can move in solving the problems that have arisen.
It is important for a leader to set an example of leadership and care for his subordinates. The ability to manage conflicts helps maintain a positive atmosphere and makes relationships within the team stronger.
Team spirit is something that cannot be bought with money; it is not taught in special courses. It is born from the interaction of people, from common goals and interests, from attention and care for each other.
