There is no "I" in Team and Other Teambuilding Musings

We are all members of some type of team. It can't be avoided. Even people who enjoy flying solo have some ties to other humans somewhere along the way. There are work teams, family teams, sports teams, clubs, societies and religious organizations. No matter what type of team we are on, there will be challenges along the way. Why? Because we are human. We all have different behavior styles and communication patterns and although these things bring creativity, energy, development and talent to a team, they also bring conflict.

So what makes up a good team? There are several important factors in a high performing team. Some include:

A Clear Purpose and Goals - Without goals, the team has no focus. So, a team needs a mission or vision that is defined and accepted by everyone. The process of goal setting in itself can be a team building exercise. This is where people can share ideas, learn about one another and create a shared vision that all are excited about achieving.

Clear Decision Making Processes - How decisions are made is often just as important to a team as the decisions themselves. Is the decision one that needs to be made by authority? Is it one that can be decided through collaborative team effort? Are there specific choices the team can decide upon? It is a good idea, in many situations, to allow the team to reach consensus on decisions so there is team "buy in." This is not appropriate in some instances, like an urgent situation or emergency. However, if possible, see if your team can agree to support decisions, even if they don't agree with them.

Open Communication - This is the stumbling block for many teams. Encourage frequent positive and constructive feedback among team members, in both structured and and informal settings. Be sure to celebrate wins and address concerns when they arise. Conflict avoidance is not healthy. If conflicts arise, deal with them immediately and with respect. Create an environment where people feel safe to share their feelings on tasks as well as the group's operation.

Full Participation - Just like communication, participation is needed by all team members. Some people feel less comfortable sharing or bringing new ideas to the team, while others love to contribute. This can cause friction on a team if some members do not feel work is shared equally. The key here is to create an environment in which everyone feels safe to share their ideas and to make contributions, no matter how large or small, to the team vision. This may take some work at the onset. One way to get team input is to hold "round robin" sessions in which everyone contributes one concrete idea or solution. Start this process with non-threatening topics (how should we celebrate our sales goal?) to build trust. Always accept ideas from team members with respect.

Clear Roles and Responsibilities - Make sure everyone is clear on who is doing what and who is responsible for each task. It is also important that individual team members understand how their individual tasks contribute to the larger vision or goal of the team. Knowing how they can make a difference motivates team members to perform at their highest levels.

Diversity of Styles - Teams are made up of individuals who bring individual styles, skills and behaviors to the group. Understanding differences is the first step. This can be done through targeted discussions or through behavior style assessments such as DISC or Keirsey Style Dimensions (I love the versatility of the DISC assessment and use it frequently to help build high performing teams). Once team mates understand one another, they can learn to communicate and work efficiently and in harmony. The diversity of personalities and ideas is truly the strength of a team.

Whether you are playing with your family, the Boy Scouts or your CEO, these tips should help pave the way to high performance. What are your success tips for building a successful team?