In business, success is a result of a perfectly orchestrated and collaborated team effort. In fact, without a team to back you up, success can be next to impossible. It is important to understand that teams are built through time. You cannot possibly expect your team to work out on the first day. There are different factors to consider for someone wanting to build a winning and effective team. I’ve put my thoughts together on the necessary ingredients for an effective team. Scan through these and you’ll find a pointer or two that you can later apply to your team.

Good leadership

This is the most critical and must be at the top of all priorities. The leader establishes the team’s drive for excellence. Thus, it is important to develop leadership skills. It is important to note that a leader faces a multi-faceted role as mentor, cheerleader, slave driver, and counsellor; and sometimes, even as a servant. A leader could make or break up a team, so if you are a leader in your team, step up to the role and do not turn back.

Goals

Goals serve as the team’s guiding compass, the direction for any organization. Knowing your own goals, and the goals of your business will motivate your team members to contribute immensely to the team since goals give them a sense of purpose. Communicate to them your organisation's goals so you are sure that you are on the same page with the rest of the group.

Commitment

Commitment is vital for your team’s perseverance. Whilst involvement says "Yes, I’ll do this", Commitment says "Yes, I’ll do this, and will be with you on the same page until the end." Commitment is very important to a team because it tells you that everybody will be there and will be helping out, even more than the 8 to 5 workday, and even, against the odds.

Communication

Communication bridges gaps and will create the firm bonds of the team. There can never be too much communication in a team. Everybody must know that communication lines are open and that everybody should be willing to listen. As long as communication lines are open, the team will be okay. Trouble usually sets in if people do not communicate anymore.

Organisation

Organisation is the cornerstone of any team if you’re to prevent an ambiguous environment from existing. You need to organise your team so that every member of the will function according to their specialisation or their assigned tasks. In this way, the team will be able to rise to all business challenges and get quality outputs as a result.

Collaboration

Collaboration will occur if there’s a clear division of labour. Division of labour will make the team members function better than having a much-generalised version of what to do.

Competence

Good relations and a positive attitude can only do so much. Another vital ingredient in teams is individual competence. This means everybody must be able to contribute to the different areas needed to complete your business objectives. Without competent individuals, a team can only do a small fraction of the work needed, and that means the entire team become ineffective.

Respect

If you currently don’t have the full support and respect of your team then you may be experiencing a leadership issue and this is where a Business Coaching Program may be a solution. Respect should always be present in a team since, without it, you’re not moving forward. Furthermore, respect breeds trust, and with trust, your team will be more than willing to help out.

Passion

Passion is by far one of the most important traits present in a team and this comes from the top. When You are passionate about your work, vision and mission, you are more than willing to go beyond expectations, go beyond the norms. That same passion will get you and your team motivated to stretch.

Start with these traits and you are well on your way to a more efficient and effective team. If your team building problems are more serious and need more work, you need to let us work with you to inject the kind of world-class business coaching excellence we are recognised for by both our clients and peers.

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