If you've never had a bad teamwork experience, then you're often considered to be very lucky. Creating a successful team at work can be challenging as it forces people with a range of opinions, values, work styles, work goals and past experience to work together in proximity. To help build a successful team, certain measures can be considered:
Choose the right people:
Taking the time to deliberate and choose a group of people with the right skill set for the project can increase the team's chances of success. Having the right amount of people doing a particular job in the team can help prevent there from being too many workers in one area with other areas failing to be completed. Choosing a diverse team can also provide a broader perspective on the project and allow for growth.
Encourage team-building exercises:
Allowing the team to spend time together before undertaking a collective project can be a good way for them to get to know each other without the pressures of work. This can strengthen relations and make it easier for team members to ask each other questions, ask for help and offer their opinion when the work begins. Having team-building exercises can also help identify who is suited for what role and who works well together.
Have a clear purpose:
Make sure that your team is all on the same page about their purpose and the short-term and long-term goals they should be working towards. It is helpful when these goals are specific and measurable to avoid arguments of what the team is working towards.
Outline performance expectations:
If the team is unsure of what is expected of them, they may get off track or not meet work standards. Outlining deadlines, work quality and work hours can help the team perform effectively. This can also prevent arguments and criticism about each others work performance.
Reward good teamwork:
If the team excels in an area of work, it can be motivating to show your recognition of their achievements. This can be as simple as verbally congratulating the team on their work, or can be more formal, such as a workplace announcement or a spot in the company's internal newsletter.
Ongoing checkups:
While teams may feel uncomfortable with being micro-managed and feeling like they are under constant surveillance, having simple evaluations throughout the project can be helpful. The results from evaluations can show you if your team is on track as well as if there are any problems that may be arising. This can help the team be motivated to succeed and help you identify and resolve problems early.
