When it comes to teamwork in the workspace, you could say: "the stronger the team, the better the performance." The Smartphone manufacturer Nokia almost went out of business due to a lack of teamwork. But how do you build a good team in the workspace, and what are the most essential components for a team to function effectively? A nice team excursion is fun, but that alone isn't enough. And teams rarely emerge by themselves.
An excellent example of a strong team is the Rolling Stones which have been together since 1962. After all these years, they still seem to inspire and strengthen each other.
But can the lessons we can learn from the Stones also be applied to larger teams in the workspace or complete companies? Team coaches at TheONE believe so because creating a good team usually comes down to a number of simple rules listed below.
How to build a good team in the workspace?
Even though forming a good team in the workspace depends on just a few simple underlying principles, the implementation of those principles is different in every situation. It requires leadership qualities and an appropriate hiring policy because not everyone can function in every team. One of the ways to form a good team is, therefore, to start with a team scan.
Indicators that show how healthy your team in the workspace is
In a team scan, various indicators can provide insight into how healthy your team is. Some of the dozens of factors can be excluded in advance. Usually, only the most important indicators will be mapped.
What are the 5 most common teams in the workspace scan indicators?
1. The percentage of illness absence
2. The turnover of team members
3. (Complementary) competencies and qualities
4. Percentage of team members who mainly act or think
5. Conflict frequency and intensity
Team coaches can use their experience, during intake, to quickly see which indicators are best mapped out within your team.
What are the advantages of a good team in the workspace?
If a team functions well in the workspace, you will save costs anyway by reducing staff turnover and absenteeism. But there is much more to gain with a good team. People are more motivated, more creative, and more effective if the team they work in functions well.
What are the 5 biggest advantages of a good team?
Taking responsibility for every individual
Increased efficiency and better internal communication
More resilience in the event of a setback
Increased problem-solving capability and more innovation
The counterparts of less-performing teams are numerous. Think of increased stress, burnouts, miscommunication, fights, carelessness, and so on. If you suspect that there are problems within your team, consult a team coach. Maybe with a few tips or advice, you are already doing a lot to form a better or good team.
What makes a team function well in the workspace?
For a team to function well in the workspace, 5 basic rules of the game are required. Let yourself be guided by a professional team coach if you want to implement these basic rules of the game appropriately.
5 Basic rules of the game for a team to function well in the workspace
1. A clear vision and mission with a higher purpose than the profit on its own.
People want to contribute by nature, but they want to contribute to something that they find important and that matters. That is why a vision is so extremely important. Of course, money or an income is important, but consider why someone wants to learn to play the guitar without earning anything. If you have a common (higher) purpose to which you all want to contribute, you create unity.
2. The strategy must be clear and unambiguous.
The strategy is the step-by-step plan you go through to get somewhere. Within the strategy, you take into account setbacks and alternative scenarios. If everyone is aware of the strategy and alternative scenarios and agrees with them, you prevent panic behavior. Most of the setbacks are foreseen, and as a team, you can anticipate them.
3. Giving leadership and responsibility.
Good leaders know how to take the first step and let others follow. Not because it's an order, but because it's a logical step that motivates team members. However, the responsibility for one individual action always lies with the team members. Real leaders know how to delegate responsibility without imposing it.
4. Listen and respect
Within a good team, everyone can present his or her idea, and that is listened to attentively. Every idea is considered and potentially enhanced by the team. For each idea and each suggestion, the question is asked: "How does this inspire us". Only when no one is inspired by the idea, the idea is rejected with respect.
5. Learning and continuing to learn based on feedback
With good teams, everyone knows what they are good at and what they are less good at. There is a constant loop of feedback to learn from. Something that someone is not good at is not seen as a weakness of the team but as a point of improvement for the future.
The lesser side of a person should get as much light as the strong points so that team members can grow. There is no room for egos or megalomania because everyone understands that nobody can be good at everything.
