Top 6 Ways To Make Any Team A Success

Develop SMART team goals

Make the goals:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time framed

Develop goals with your team so everyone can buy-in from the start, and they will know and understand what they are aiming for. E.g. finish the project on time and with 95% customer approval. E.g. win the flag.

  Create Win/Win situations- something for me and you!

A win situation can be different things for different people. It doesn’t have to be about money. It can be about a sense of achievement, a new or different experience, an opportunity, a sense of accomplishment, a chance to work with a key person, or a chance to lead others. E.g. A client of mine needed more IT support for his team. He took on a student with basic skills to learn on the job. He got some IT support at a good rate and an opportunity to see how the person fitted into his team and the student got the opportunity to get some paid work experience in an area he was interested in. Something in it for both of them.

  Create a structure with defined team member responsibilities

The team member responsibilities don’t necessarily have to be aligned with someone’s job description or usual responsibilities. For a particular goal/project/time period, the person may have totally different responsibilities. E.g. someone may lead in some way when their role is usually not as a manager. .g. someone may be responsible for training others when this is not usually part of their role.

  Ensure unity and connectedness

The team member responsibilities don’t necessarily have to be aligned with someone’s job description or usual responsibilities. For a particular goal/project/time period, the person may have totally different responsibilities. E.g. someone may lead in some way when their role is usually not as a manager. .g. someone may be responsible for training others when this is not usually part of their role.

Communicate effectively by having established informal and formal open and clear communication networks at all levels

It’s important to set this up in the beginning so everyone is clear about the communication structure. Who do I communicate with for what, and how do I communicate? E.g. formal meeting for full team catch-up, informal chat for assistance when stuck, make a time for one-on-one catch-up, quick email, no contact with manager Monday mornings when she is doing her planning etc.

Note: Interpersonally, you can be more directive once you demonstrate that someone else’s views have been acknowledged. It’s the core psychology of negotiation: we listen better once we’ve been heard. So make sure those communication lines are open for everyone to be heard.

  Identify the strengths of individuals in the team and ensure they can use these strengths to contribute

E.g. attention to detail, meeting deadlines, creativity, critical thinking, vitality, fairness, leadership. (Use differences in individuals as a source of strength). Think about what they have to offer and what they think their strengths are.

E.g. what about having a great empowering conversation? This is what I think you are good at. What do you think you are good at? How can we use all these great skills and talents of yours to contribute to the team? Don’t bring negativity into it at all. Make it all positive.

Challenge: Think about how you can make any team you are in better, whether you are leading it or as a member. Take one bit of action to improve your team this week.