8 Team Building Tips for Leaders That Actually Work
Great teams are the foundation of any company. Great teams have shared goals, clear roles, and transparent processes for solving problems. They also have the ability to resolve conflicts constructively. While a good team might have some of these elements, a great one will have all. As a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that all these elements are present.
A playbook is essential for any successful leader of a team. These eight tips will help you lead a new team or improve the performance of an existing unit.
1. Emphasize Common Interests and Values
Facilitating group identification is possible by getting members to agree on goals, strategies, and the need to work together. Leaders who emphasize the importance of collaborating with others rather than dwelling on differences are great. Discuss shared goals and why cooperation is essential to achieve them. Encourage members of the group to share information, ideas and to assist each other.
2. Discuss the importance of building trust and collaboration
When tasks require team members to share information, equipment or to help one another, trust and collaboration are essential. You will not succeed if you lack either of these elements in your team. In new units or in groups that have members who are passionate about work-related matters, there is a high likelihood of lack of trust and acceptance. To ensure team success, the leader must emphasize cooperation and trust.
3. Increase incentives for mutual cooperation
Incentives based on individual performance encourage people to compete against each other. To promote cooperation, great leaders use group performance-based incentives. To increase team cohesiveness and identification, you can emphasize formal incentives like a bonus that is based on team performance. You can also use informal, spontaneous rewards to highlight team service.
4. You can easily integrate new team members into your system
Great leaders make it easier to assimilate new staff members faster, communicate culture and values, build community and help with orientation programs. These programs can be comprehensive. Some companies spend an hour reviewing key policies and procedures, while others ask new employees to complete paperwork. Others use orientation to get new employees immersed in the culture and values of the organization.
5. Brand Your Teams
To help a team create an identity, you should work with them. Encourage your team members to create a logo, slogan, logo, or other insignia that represents their brand. A strong team branding strategy can help develop a sense of belonging, particularly when members agree to wear the symbol of membership. Rituals and ceremonies can help increase group identification and make membership more special. Most effective ceremonies that celebrate achievements or mark an anniversary of significant events in the group’s history are those that emphasize the group’s values and traditions.
6. Teach Conflict Resolution
No matter how clear the goals of the team are, the conflict will always occur when people work together in stressful situations. People with different skills and styles need to learn how to respond to each other when disagreements arise. Teams that are able to handle disputes and conflicts constructively will find the best solutions for company and team problems.
7. Building your team inside and outside the office
When people get to know one another on a personal level and enjoy social interaction, a group becomes a cohesive team. You can foster these relationships as a leader. Give your team members a place to meet in their break rooms or meeting areas. You can host social events, parties, or outings. Get your team out of the office to learn about one another, make memories and have fun.
8. Recognize Team Achievements and Successes
When teams win a big victory, recognize their hard work and accomplishments. Celebrate team accomplishments by posting posters in common areas and rewarding them with a half-day or free lunch. Or, you can present them with an award at an event. Recognize your team’s achievements by doing something.
Your people make your company unique. Your people are what set you apart and help drive your company’s success. You can help your employees solve problems better and achieve common goals by building strong teams. As a leader, one of your most important tasks is to build strong teams.
