Building Cohesive Teams
Every individual is unique and has different strengths and weaknesses.
Our strengths can be exploited for the
benefit of the organization; whereas our weaknesses push us to learn new skills
for our professional development. Having individuals in a team with different
capabilities can be fruitful for any workplace, if differences are respected
and utilized well.
Every individual will work as part of a team or different teams at
some point in his/her career. Team’s cohesiveness is crucial to align all
members towards a common goal and work effectively together to achieve it. Cohesive
teams are capable of functioning more efficiently towards their mission. This
cohesiveness does not come naturally. It is something to be fostered with
understanding, tolerance to diversity, trust, and open communication. Cohesive
teams are more likely to succeed when members understand their roles and responsibilities
in a clear and transparent direction, and when they are working under a fair
system.
The most effective teams
are products of great leaders – they don’t just happen. Great leaders
understand that a cohesive team worth much more than its individual members
each one alone. The collective wisdom of the whole system is invaluable. When
we define the unique gift of each individual and keep nurturing it by allowing
him/her to practice it more within the team, under good management, the
resulting energy will help reaching our goals much faster.
Any organization may
have some of the best employees with great capabilities, but if they are not
willing to work together as a team, or unable to blend due to any reason, we
become limited in terms of what we can achieve. It becomes an individual play,
where members are stabbing the back of each other to reach their individual
goals. And the organization goes nowhere.
Building a cohesive team
or refining an existing one requires a lot of efforts. Here are some practices that
can help you achieve the best results:
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Clear mission
Before forming a team, educate
the members about its mission. Decide the goals of the group and the strategy
for its execution. Select team members who will contribute best to this
mission. Having no clear mission is like working without a purpose.
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Communication agreement
Making an agreement on
how team members want to communicate in advance will save you a lot of time
when conflicts happen. Define the needs of each member, how they will communicate
them, and what is best to be done to bring them back to the team when conflict
arises. Define any trigger words or expressions to be avoided by other members
and explore their meanings to each individual.
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Growth in diversity
People of different genders, ages,
experiences, and backgrounds can contribute a lot to a team’s success. Diverse
teams possess varying skills and capabilities. When a leader infuses an
atmosphere of acceptance and respect, he can easily exploit those skills to
achieve the team’s mission, and consequently the organization’s big vision.
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Invest in strengths more than weaknesses
No human being is complete. We all
have strengths that we do naturally, and skills that we are not very good at.
When we focus more on individuals’ weaknesses, we may end up spending a lot of
time, money and efforts to reach a limited level of enhancement, let alone
affecting the employee’s psyche as s/he will keep thinking they are not good
enough and must keep on improving themselves, which will lower their
enthusiasm, energy levels, and appetite to work. While when we give extra care
to their natural strengths, it will boost their confidence and willing to work,
and their weaknesses will fade gradually as they are compensated by their
natural strengths.
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Utilize individual strengths
Studying strengths and weaknesses of
everyone in the team will help you to delegate work accordingly. Using each
member’s expertise and strength is the best way for the group to accomplish its
goals. Communicate what everyone is responsible and accountable for.
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Collaborative work
Giving opportunities and platforms to
your team where collaborative work is encouraged helps the members to build
interpersonal skills. Encourage discussions when a problem arises and seek a
solution by involving the entire team.
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Provide and seek feedback
Giving and receiving feedback helps
the team to function constructively. It also helps the team to realize whether
they are going in the right direction or not. While giving the feedback,
explain what worked well and what didn’t. Also, ask for their feedback.
Multiple opinions can reflect on the flaws of the process. This way team
members will feel that their opinion is valuable, and they are part of a
cohesive team.
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Communication gateways
Communication barriers can restraint
your team members to voice out their opinions and function productively. Give
clear instructions and set achievable deadlines. Team members can easily get
frustrated if the guidelines are not clear and they don’t see a proper channel
to communicate. Such barriers can prevent the team from performing well.
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Maintain a fair system
Avoid bias in your judgment. Your team
members can easily become unmotivated if their efforts are not appreciated. Give
more weight to merit. Unfair favoritism can lead to conflicts and demotivation
among your team members.
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Celebrate successes
When your team achieves its targets
and becomes successful in accomplishing its established goals, it is important
to recognize them for it. Ensure your group knows that you appreciate their work,
and you thank them for it.
Building cohesive teams is an on-going
process. Every new project can bring different challenges and demands for
solutions. At the same time, it is an opportunity to draw team members closer
and strengthen their connections, by utilizing their curiosity to learn about
themselves and each other.
It is important to consistently ensure
that your team members are working effectively together to achieve the desired
results. Train your team members and give them opportunities to build and
enhance their skills. Though building a cohesive team can be challenging, the
rewards are always fruitful.