Building an Effective Team

Team building rarely happens by itself. You need to generate ideas for team building that focus on efforts to bring different personalities together, to complement and balance each other and work as a team. To begin with, there may be a complete lack of trust between the team members and this could result in conflicts. The team may be a group of disjointed individuals working in different directions and lacking focus. Your ideas for team building must include a good team leader who works to remove such conflicts and develops trust. The team leader provides a focus and direction to the team members and motivates them to work as team players towards the attainment of team, objectives.

Here are some things to keep in mind when team building to resolve conflict and raise a team that complements and balances each other:

• Every team member must have a clear and complete understanding, and the acceptance of the goals of the team.

• Have a one-to-one honest and open meeting with your team members to build trust. To build a good team, you need to be loyal to them if you expect the same from them.

• In a similar manner, allow your team members to build trust among themselves by providing them time to socialize. This brings in openness and improves interpersonal communication.

• Let the whole team take part in the decision making process, especially in matters that affect team consensus and commitment. Each member of the team should feel he or she has contributed towards the final decision, solution, or idea.

• Your ideas for team building should ensure that all team members are kept fully informed, and that there are no lines of communication that are blocked.

• Do not allow interpersonal issues between team members to blow out of control. Deal with them as soon as they rear up.

• Do not always give negative feedback. Whenever an opportunity arises, give positive feedback and show appreciate for an individual team member’s special efforts. This will empower him or her to do better.

These ideas for team building, if implemented effectively can produce amazing results and change the way your team thinks and behaves.