Creating a team is easy. Creating an effective team takes more effort, but it’s well worth the time. One of the most important things is giving the team self-awareness and identity, and once that’s accomplished—that’s when the great work begins. Here are some tips:
1. Give the team a name
Whether it’s purely descriptive or something a little more whimsical and fun, an actual name gives your team an identity to unite around.
2. Have a mission statement
It may be why the team created, who your target audience is, or what result is expected. Also, it’s important to have your mission statement written down so everyone on the team knows why they are there.
3. Do self-assessments
Team self-assessments are similar to individual self-assessments. Questions such as “What are we good at?”, “Where are our weaknesses?”, “How close are we to our goals?” should be addressed in an open format. This is also the opportunity to make sure everyone on the team is in a role that’s best suited for them. Trust grows through this process because no one feels like they have to double-check and second guess one another.
4. Develop listening skills and empathy
An effective team makes sure that they know all the issues at hand when working toward any sort of milestone. Take time finding a solution instead of rushing into action mode.
We all recognize the synergy of an effective team. Taking steps to develop the relationship and roles helps bring that synergy into being.