A group of competent individuals working as an integrated unit will be many times more effective than a group of superstars acting independently. Fostering teamwork and cooperation can be the most important ingredient to success in business. The effectiveness of a team reflects the leadership abilities of management. This doesn’t mean that the responsibility for teamwork rests solely on management’s shoulders. It means that the most effective teams are built from the top down and the attitudes and actions of the best teams reflect the attitudes and actions of their leaders. The most important role of management in team building is to discourage divisiveness and encourage unity. Team members must understand their role in the organization and more importantly must understand their role in relation to other team members. The environment must allow team members to make a positive contribution and succeed. And team building is not a onetime event but an ongoing process.
Understanding Roles
In any team there will be role players and playmakers. There’s no denying that talent is a significant factor in success but talent without teamwork is a waste. Every member of the team must understand their role within the team. It’s the responsibility of management to clearly define these roles and communicate them to the team members. If a team member understands their role within the group they will be able to execute their responsibilities more effectively. Understanding the roles of others within the group will enable them to be even more effective. Successful team building is inherent upon successful communication between team leaders and team members.
The System or the Individual
The most successful managers are effective at adapting the system to make the most of team member’s skills. And at the same time they’re able to teach the team members how to adapt to the system. Systems can be rigid and so can people. To make the most of them adaptability is necessary for both. Management must make the determination as to the best choice. This requires knowing the full system and business process cycles in detail as well as the best attributes and skills of team members. This way the correct modification can be identified. If modifying the system to adapt to a key competency of an individual will bring the best results then the system should be altered. If the best results can be achieved by teaching the individual to adapt to the system then the person should learn to work within the system. This is where the most significant results can be achieved.
Striving for Excellence
Change is the only constant in life. People change, circumstances change and life moves on. Team building is a continuous process. Teamwork should be ingrained in the culture of the organization. Ideas for improving the ability of the team can come from various sources and every opportunity should be explored. Many small improvements when put together can make a big difference. The success of teams and members are codependent. Individual success supports team success and team success equates to success for the individual. As the team improves the organization will become more successful. If the team continuously improves the organization will continuously become more successful.
