Successful teams are the foundation on which businesses are built. Strong, consistent teamwork helps ensure that safety and quality standards are upheld, deadlines are met, employees are happy and engaged, and productivity and profitability are optimized.
What can you, as a manager, do to help your teams thrive and maximize their potential?
Start with who’s on the team, and why.
If you inherit an already existing team, it may have a legacy component that can pose challenges. You may be reluctant to make changes, especially if you’re the newcomer and some of the team members have been around for quite a while. But in reality, that may be the problem. Is it time for fresh perspectives and ideas?
- You may need to act, but a word of caution: not too quickly. Team building takes time and patience. But it also takes courage, so when the time is right, you can acknowledge that a team is not functioning as well as it might, and then make changes.
Align team vision with business vision.
There should be a team vision that’s in sync with your organizational vision and goals – and that vision should be clearly and frequently communicated. Once this is happening, you can help people grow and develop in their roles on the team, and help your business achieve greater success as a result.
- Show, don’t tell. Define what behaviors coincide with your values and what progress metrics you need to track. Then, to truly embed them, you need to embody them. Practice what you preach. Don’t micromanage or do other people’s jobs for them, but be prepared to roll up your sleeves and help as needed. Know your role, as well as those of each team member.
Get to know your team members.
Even though you may be facing a pressing deadline, it’s a good idea to spend as much time as possible getting to know your team members as the unique individuals they are. Learn their passions as well as their strengths, weaknesses, ideas and concerns. Build relationships early on and nurture them on an ongoing basis.
- Actively listen to people. It’s critical that they feel heard and understood if they are to be engaged and productive.
Demonstrate your confidence in people’s skills.
For team members already meeting or exceeding performance expectations, find tasks and challenges that help them stretch beyond even their own expectations. A majority of the time, they will achieve these goals, even if they don’t believe they can. And when they do, it will further build their confidence.
Are you Looking For Better Staffing Solutions?
For further resources and insight into being an effective team leader – and building your teams with the right talent for optimal business growth and success – contact PrideStaff Fresno today.