They say teamwork makes the dream work, but it’s not always that simple. Let’s face it; some teams simply do not perform. So, what the secret to great teamwork? A recent article published in The Harvard Business Review set out to answer this very question. The following information is a brief overview of their findings.
Teams today are different from those of the past. Ones found today are more dynamic, dispersed, digital, and diverse. However, regardless of how drastically teams change, the hurdles remain the same. The team’s success relies on a set of core fundamentals for group collaboration.
What does this mean? Well, one pioneer found that when it comes to collaboration, it’s not about the behavioral styles, personalities, or attitudes of the group members. Rather, teams need certain conditions to thrive
Teams need direction, structure, support, and a shared mindset.
Clear Direction
The best foundation for any team is a clear direction that engages, energizes, and orients each member. Simply put, a team will lack inspiration if the members are not sure of the goals.
Structure
Another essential quality of a good team is having the right number and mix of members. So, when creating teams, be sure to think about including a balance of skills, diversity of views and knowledge, and a combination of races, ages, and genders.
Support
Finally, an effective team needs the right amount of support. This can take many forms, such as a reward system, information systems, or educational systems.
Shared Mindset
The easiest way to ensure that your team is effective is by choosing members who complement each other with a shared mindset. Leaders need to focus on fostering common identities and understanding among everyone.
Evaluate Your Team
The four enabling conditions we discussed above are the ingredients needed to build a great team from scratch. However, even if you inherit an existing team, you can use these four simple fundamentals to set the stage for success.
If you want to know if your team is working, there are three areas of criteria at which to look. These three things are the development of each member, collaborative ability, and output.
These areas of interest are not only great for determining the effectiveness of your team but also for helping calibrate it occasionally too.
