Team Building Skills
Interest in team-building has grown from being looked upon as a “nice-to-have” quality of a work group where employees get along with their coworkers, to an essential ingredient of highly productive organizations. Yet saying team building is important does not guarantee a positive outcome. One of the hardest skills for a manager to learn is how to build a team. Team building does not naturally happen; leaders must be aware of how their efforts can actively support an environment where team building is seen as a priority.
Here are some common characteristics of high-performing teams. (Source: Ken Blanchard’s book, The One-Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams)
Purpose. Gain commitment and “buy-in” across all boundaries on the team. Supervisors and managers can increase the likelihood that staff participate on teams by being a positive role model themselves. This means being “on the level” through direct and honest communication about the team’s objectives. Respect that people all approach teams differently, and that team behaviors may take time to establish. Start small and remain persistent by discussing the benefits of teamwork and by establishing shared goals. Communicating the team’s link to your unit/dept’s mission statement and strategic plan tie in the bigger picture; performance plans can be link goals to the individual team member.
Empowerment. Providing clarity and structure is the essential ingredient leaders can provide for team members to feel empowered. By providing clarity and structure, establishing roles, and managing participation, leaders can support team problem solving and increase the likelihood of team success. Ground rules can be an effective tool in encouraging accountability and positive team interactions, even in times of conflict. Expressing expectations by asking members where they would like to take initiative (and how they can be proactive in situations) can build a sense of personal ownership and responsibility to the team.
Relationships and Communication. Continue the flow of communication throughout the entire team with feedback. Meetings are a prime forum, and can be an opportunity to cement early team norms. Whether dedicated to information sharing, goal setting, problem solving, or celebration, consider holding regular sessions to keep the team cohesive. Adding an element of playfulness, whether to the day-to-day, or to special occasions, can help break down barriers to teaming. Anonymous surveys can also provide helpful insight into what team members believe the team should/should not be doing. Encourage those who have interpersonal issues with fellow team members to take the initiative on their own through respectful one-on-one communication.
Flexibility. Flexibility is grounded in two principles: open-mindedness and trust. Leaders can support this by fostering an understanding that members can express individuality in their work styles and still be a team. By identifying areas of interdependence, members can leverage strengths, overcome weaknesses, and develop stronger bonds to the team. Trust is the foundation for all other team characteristics. It’s not just trust in other members (and their degree of competence or consideration), but trust in the outcomes that the team is striving for.
Optimal Performance. Establishing shared accountability is the first step, whether it be in deadlines or results desired, but also in terms of the degree of involvement the team has in making decisions. This characteristic is a measure of whether earlier mentioned areas (purpose, empowerment, and communication) are working in harmony. Performance depends on clear goals (as a source of shared expectation and motivation) plus timely feedback (both constructive and encouraging) to occur. Helpful activities include: establish shared guidelines for team mistakes to solidify expectations, help provide perspective in difficult times, and work on team challenges collectively.
Recognition and Morale. Recognition must go across all levels to have the greatest impact on morale. Consider ways to encourage “up and down the ladder.” Support the team’s ideas by asking members to complete the sentence, “Morale has really changed around here since we started . . .” Or try weekly team discussions of what members are most proud of accomplishing. (For more ideas, see the Reward and Recognition website)
Other Resources
UI Learning & Development web site - for more information regarding courses available.
Team Building Techniques that Work - a course offered through UI Learning & Development.
Learning Online with SkillSoft - for more information on the online courses available visit the SkillSoft site.
UI Learning & Development Resource Center - any resource referenced on this site is available for checkout.
Visit the Resource Center to search for resources on a variety of topics. Email uilearndevelop@uiowa.edu or call 335-2687 to checkout resource materials.
For more information about this section, or to arrange management training in your unit email UI Learning & Development.
