15 Tips on Building an Effective Team

• Establish a common goal for team members or a “collective vision” to work together (e.g., increase quality, increase productivity, etc.).
• Encourage collaboration and teamwork to pull the team closer together. Encourage your team to learn from each other.
• Pitch in when needed: you should be a member of the team as well as the manager.
• Delegate work wisely: give your team members the opportunity to learn and grow.

Induct new members into the team

If a new member joins an existing team, you need to make sure they feel welcome and integral to the group.

• Conduct new employee/team member orientation so that team members will understand how your department or team works.
• Provide information to the team member and involve them in departmental activities when appropriate (to build teamwork).
• Help the team member understand the business and market segments served.

Communicate effectively

• Give feedback often. Don’t hold back on praise when someone exceeds targets, learns quickly, or shows initiative. On the flip side, be quick to let them know where they are falling short. Frequent, direct feedback helps people know what’s expected of them. If you give positive and constructive feedback often, your team members are far less likely to resent you when you give negative feedback.
• Establish trust and a healthy working relationship by allowing the feedback to be a two-way street, not unidirectional. Encourage and ask for feedback for yourself and other team members. Managers who are open to providing and receiving feedback can improve their effectiveness, understand team members better and create mutual respect.
• Hold regular meetings to discuss and resolve issues; take the opportunity to acknowledge and recognize good work and take corrective actions.

Lead by example

• Live by the company’s work ethic and create an environment that encourages and enables a work-life balance.
• Follow company policy even on what seem less important issues such as the dress code: this communicates to your team that company policies deserve respect and conformance.

What practices have you found useful in managing teams? What practices do you wish your manager followed? Do leave a comment: I’d love to learn how we can be more effective.