Skills Series #3 - Team Development

Teams don't just happen. They are built. It is not a simple game of collecting people and managing personalities. Team development is a formula and practice that leads to individual people doing better in a group than on their own, while growing and producing better together.

This post will be simple and short, a few do's and don'ts of team development. It is a versatile skill that can be applied to just about any team, but since there are so many uses I can't cover every possible situation and dynamic.

Do's

- Allow each person to find their place and strengths as individuals in the group before assigning jobs and tasks.

- The group's goals must be clear, and understood, and the group must have some stake in accomplishing them.

- Commitment to a tangible vision. Goals are simple enough and can be easily met but the best teams have a vision of their success and how it makes the world a better place and fulfills their mission.

- Enjoy every accomplishment as a group, big or small.

-Decision-making must be strong. There should be a healthy blend of democracy and a single decision-making figure. However, it must be a consistent system otherwise confusion and personal demands ensue. Decisions shouldn't necessarily be made by the loud and powerful, expertise should be valued above all.

- Listening is absolutely key, sometimes people can be drowned out by others. Calm and continued communication is vital.

- Allow anyone to initiate conversation, the leader should not, at any point, be the one doing the most talking. People need to feel safe to agree and disagree with each other. People should not be taking sides (this is sometimes why democratic situations don't work out).

- Responsibility should be shared. Sharing tasks and delegating are simply not enough. The weight of responsibility should be shared as well. This way people fulfill their tasks to the best of their ability because they know it will come back to them if they don't. People should want to support the group.

- If possible, everyone should be given the opportunity to be the leader (this however, may not work in the workplace where there is a designated supervisor). Think of geese and how they change who is in the front of the flying formation so no one burns out and everyone ends up encouraging each other when they are in the front. People get tired of the leaders no matter how good of a job they are doing.

Don'ts

- It is a bad sign if leadership is being tested, there should be no reason for this and if it happening you are not far from people not listening and breaking off into their own groups with different goals and systems. This can be avoided if the leadership is paying close attention to everyone in the group and making them feel heard, and acknowledging their concerns and ideas.

- Steer clear of organic sub-grouping. Individuals will look for allies within a group and turn against each other. Avoid this by pointing out similarities throughout the group and making sure everyone feels comfortable with each other, don't let anyone fade into the background.

- Do not discuss issues outside of the group such as in sub-groups. No one likes someone who talks behind their backs, it may be hard to face the difficulties but it's better than gossiping, ruminating, and alienating.

Leading teams can be hard and tiring but ensuring everyone is comfortable, heard, and committed is the best way to accomplish goals quickly and in a positive manner. Hopefully, these tricks helped you realize what is important about teams and their leadership. Remember, sometimes it is just helpful to disengage for a little while, and approach again later with fresh eyes.

Skills Series #4: Listening as Communication!