Great things in business are never done by one person; they are done by a team of people.” — @Stevejobs
You’ve heard it before. The team’s greatest asset is its people. So how do you define a team?
As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, “A team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to information, resources, and skills and who seek to combine their efforts to achieve a common goal”. ⠀
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So, does your team look like this?⠀
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•Cohesive⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•Communicating effectively⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•Productive ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•Sharing the same vision⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•Focused⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
•Supportive ⠀⠀
Hmmm, see anything missing? How can Team Dynamics affect overall performance?
There are internal ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ of each team member that drive their behavior. For some, it’s money & success; for others, recognition & respect. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So much of your culture depends on everyone getting along. Imagine a new member with strong opinions (on just about everything), joining an established team. There’s going to be some conflict and resistance. Or, a real lack of trust develops between two people working on the same project. Well, you can imagine the outcome, and it ain’t pretty. It might be time for a refresher course in Effective Communication Skills. Personality assessments are a great tool for assessing communication styles, priorities, adaptability, and how they respond to conflict.⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Not every group of people can be a team. When hiring a new member or expanding your group, don’t look for candidates with the SAME skills and experiences. For example, two very strong task-oriented individuals will result in a power struggle for control. You need to bring in new members that COMPLEMENT the existing team. In this case, someone with a more people-minded approach. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We know that a team’s overall performance is made up of both individual results and collective results. EMPOWER them. Show them you know they’re valuable, and they’ve got some skin in the game. They may be high maintenance but will deliver a higher reward. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’re looking to improve to up-level your team’s performance, schedule a call. We’ll work together to create more effective and productive strategies that improve communication, productivity, and ultimately your bottom line. ⠀
Looking to Communicate More Effectively with your team? Download the FREE Communication Styles Guide