A team comprises of people who come together with the aim of reaching a common goal. For a team to be successful in its mission there are various issues that have to be addressed at the onset of the mission. A team brings together people from various departments in an organization. Besides, they each have unique abilities and skills which must be utilized for the benefit of the organization. This paper focuses on the fundamentals of raising successful teams.
A team leader should consider explaining the mission of the team to the members because if he/she assumes that they understand it, he/she will be surprised later on because people understand things differently and this can hinder the success of the whole team. The main objective in team building is to create a setting where the members embrace each other regardless of their diversity in skills and abilities.
Members should have a strong bondage with each other because this is what keeps the group intact. If they do not accept each other it will be very difficult for the group to carry out tasks that require collective responsibility. Furthermore, if they have personal issues with each other they will not perform effectively.
This is because some will think their efforts will benefit their rivals. In team building personal issues must be put aside for the purpose of accomplishing the mission ahead. This means team members have to develop friendship for the sake of the organization and if they wish to go back to previous enmity they can do so after they are through with the team.
At times the organization’s administrative unit becomes a stumbling block to the efficiency of the team. They do this by undermining the ideas brought forth by team members. This includes declining to approve the suggestions presented to them by the team, which in return discourages the team members from making any suggestions at any given time.
The only way that team members can be motivated into coming up with new ideas is by implementing those that they have already forwarded. This will create an impression that the administrators appreciate the efforts of their teams.
When a team is being developed there are five approaches that can be applied. The first approach is called interpersonal approach and it entails establishing relationships among team members. This is accomplished by making them mingle and engage in personal conversations.
The conversations here are intended to help them understand each other. At times the mingling will help them identify each others strengths and weaknesses. This will make them develop strong linkages with the group hence they will feel like they are one family.
The second approach is based on the functions and norms of members. In this approach members are assigned to various duties and are formally briefed about what is expected of them. The roles can be allocated according to personal skills and experience and they are distributed in way such that the efficiency of the team is dependent on how every individual performs their tasks.
The third approach entails having a common awareness in the team, but this does not refer to their personalities. The key issue in this approach is to make sure that all the members have a common knowledge about the team’s mission. This is quite helpful because when all members are aware of what the team is set out to accomplish they will be in a position to dedicate themselves to the accomplishment of the mission rather than when they think they are in the team just for the sake of being united.
The fourth approach is based on the skills that are possessed by the team members and how those skills and abilities can be utilized. In this approach duties are assigned according to an individual’s skills and abilities. This is because people perform better in their field of specialization. This ensures that team members will be able to overcome the challenges that will face them in their respective roles due to their top-notch skills in their area of specialization.
The fifth approach entails establishing targets and the timeframe in which they must be met. The tasks in this approach are allocated timelines and the team manager has to keep an eye on the progress of the team and thus constantly remind them how much they have already finished and the remaining duties.
In this light, establishing team communication is beneficial to the whole team and the entire organization. The communication allows team members to express themselves concerning the relevant issues that bother them. Communication in team building is a two way traffic which means that the manager must be willing to listen to the team members and the team members must also be willing to listen to their manager. In this kind of communication listening is the most crucial element than talking.