... getting more results from the team
Effective teams which produce great results are the cornerstone of successful businesses. And 'what makes an effective team' is no longer a mystery, as they have been widely studied. The characteristics of effective teams include -
- A shared purpose that the team all feel is important and worthwhile and the goals are defined.
- Unity - "we are in this together".
- Mutual respect which results in frequent collaboration.
- Trust in each other's competency to do their part, which means having the right people on the team.
- Belief they are being fairly rewarded for their work.
- Team members have a clear understanding about their role, and the roles of their team mates.
- Feedback and communication is open, clear, respectful, honest and frequent - no one is in the dark. Everyone feels they have a voice.
- Leadership is shared, even though one person may have the title.
- The values of the team and the team players are in alignment.
- They enjoy the journey.
But it's much easier said than done!
Managers often underestimate the vital importance of the above characteristics and default to 'positional leadership', thinking that because they have the title then they are the leader, and that is enough. It is not.
Although creating and maintaining an effective team takes ongoing effort, it pays enormous dividends in the form of productivity, quality, loyalty, positive workplaces, creativity and discretionary effort. And it actually makes the manager's work easier and more rewarding.
Supporting leaders, managers or teams in understanding how to create such teams is a key service of Fair Advantage.