We’ve spoken several times about how important it is to build a great team. As managers we spend a lot of time focused on building a team and working as a team but we sometimes forget to step back and take a look at how our team members feel about being a part of the team – as part of a team in genearal and, more important, as part of our teams specifically.

So what areas of team building should you really be looking at in order to ensure both the happiness of your team members and the group’s overall success? Here are a few concepts to get you started…

Do your team members have clear goals and expectations? In short, has upper management given you clear directions and have you conveyed those directions clearly to your team? Your team needs to know why it exists, what it’s goals are, and what it’s limitations are (financially, chronologically, etc.) in achieving those goals.

Are your team members committed to the task at hand? Do they really want to be on your team or do they feel forced to participate? Will they be rewarded or recognized for their efforts? If the entire group isn’t committed the odds of you completing a successful project instantly drop.

Has the team created its own mission statement or charter? The team needs to work together to outline exactly what its goals will be given the task at hand. Upper management needs to support the team in its efforts to set those goals. Do they have clear goals set within a reasonable timeframe?

Do your team members understand the concept of collaboration? Are they all working together as a team or is one person (or group of people) making all of the decisions and telling everyone else what to do? Are they working together respectfully? Are they resolving conflicts peacefully? Are they all working towards the same goals?

Are the teams coordinated properly? Is your team working independently or are there several other teams working on tasks that will ultimately come together to form one large project? If they are working together, is upper management coordinating the teams properly so that the process flows smoothly? Will everyone complete their share of the project on time – and will all the pieces fit together properly?

If any one of these aspects is falling short, your team members will begin to feel as though they’re not really a part of a team. The happier they are in their work, and the more they feel like a part of a team, the better they’ll ultimately perform!

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”

Every morning I get up and take a look at my to-do list for the day. At the end of the day I look at my list again and I’m either pleased with what I’ve accomplished or disgusted by how much there is left on the list.

Then I realized there was a problem.

You see, the reality of the situation is that I can put as much on my to-do list as I want each day. The problem is that most of us make to-do lists without regard to the amount of time each task might take. In the end, there will always be only 24 hours in a given day – no more, no less.

So, yes – you can set goals. And yes, you can identify your personal “time wasters.” You can even sit down and write out a “time management plan” to help you get your work done at a realistic pace. You might even waste your money on a software program that helps you manage your tasks.

In the end, though, the reality is this – you need to put on your management pants and learn to do two things – prioritise and delegate.

Because, truthfully, those two areas are the real issue. It’s not time management. It’s the thought process that makes us believe we can (or even should) do all of these tasks on our own. You have a team for a reason. Prioritize your tasks, delegate them to the appropriate people, and cross them off of your to-do list.

You’ll suddenly find yourself less stressed and, eventually, you’ll be managing an incredibly effective and productive team.

Thanks again,

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Courses

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”