Effective teams rarely happen by accident. They are the product of intentional formation, relationship building, skill building, and constant attention to group process. As a manager responsible for helping people and teams function effectively in the new environment, you do not want to leave the outcome of team formation and development to chance.
Building effective teams rests on the four pillars mentioned above.
- Intentional formation – purpose, goals, roles, and work process are foundational matters that must be clearly established at a team’s launch.
- Intentional relationship building – trust is the most important ingredient of effective interpersonal relationships. Additionally, it is very important to understand each others’ strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.
- Intentional skill building – core skills like active listening, giving and receiving feedback, conflict management, and problem solving are essential to build.
- Constant attention to group process – staying on topic, managing equitable participation, soliciting input, testing consensus, etc. are group process skills that are vital to smooth group functioning.