You read a lot of articles, blogs and posts about team building, team development and leadership – but what are you not reading? Learn what no one tells you about team building so that you can alleviate those pain points and build a stronger, more successful team.
Team building exercises don’t always work
Forbes suggests that team building exercises often don’t work because there is an energy blockage on the team. If there is a root cause to the problem, more time together won’t solve it. Leaders have to identify the problem on the team, so that they can resolve the issue. When team leaders address the root cause, the team can begin to grow cohesively and collaborate together.
To find out the root cause of miscommunications and misunderstandings in your team, try our Team Room feature. You’ll be able to see the diversity of thinking on your team at a glance. Delve deeper into our team reports to learn the best ways to delegate tasks within your team, and which member is best suited for each role.
Bigger isn’t always better
Harvard Business Review says that your team may not be functioning well because it is too large. A large team with many people includes many voices, thoughts and opinions. While this may seem advantageous, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes when a team is too large, it can get hung up on making decisions that might be quicker to make with a smaller group. Also, large teams may “drown out” the voices of those that may disagree with the majority. Smaller teams are more decisive and the members have more opportunities to voice their thoughts and concerns.
If your team is encountering trouble due to the number of members, try splitting the team into two and then dividing the tasks accordingly.
There will be difficult times
Sometimes the future may be uncertain for your team, for a variety of reasons beyond your control. Perhaps your company is struggling financially, or there may be business disruptions due to economic or environmental factors.
There are several ways that you can reassure your team and keep everything running smoothly. HBR suggests maintaining as much transparency as possible to keep your entire team informed. If your company is facing difficulties, be upfront with your team and let them know about the challenges that they may encounter. Be encouraging with your team, but also realistic to prepare them for a future that feels uncertain. A well-formed and function team can weather any storm.
A lack of trust will sink your team
A team that doesn’t trust one another is destined to fail. According to Inc., to build trust within your team you have to spend time together. While spending time together is an important part of getting to know and trust each other, it takes more than just shared time. You have to learn to rely on each other and believe that each person has the best interests of the whole team at heart. To really understand each other, use our assessment and create connections with each of your team members to learn the ways that you’re most compatible.
Build your team on a foundation of trust and understanding, and ensure that every voice is heard equally. When you’ve formed a strong team, you’ll be able to withstand any uncertainty and keep moving forward together.
