Building Teamwork: 6 Proven Strategies

There is a direct relationship between leadership and project success. Transformational leadership will drive the achievements of your project, but it is team building that makes it happen. Think of team building as the truck that carries the leadership to the project’s success — it is the No. 1 piece of equipment that leaders need to make a project work.

Craft a Vision Statement

The first step to building a team is defining what the team is supposed to do. You would never see a sign-up sheet asking you to be part of a team for an undetermined sport (they will decide if it is baseball, football or soccer at a later time). A vision statement is a road map of the company’s goals and the way that it will achieve them. By having a solid vision statement, there will be something for the employees to align with, acting like the rules of a sports team. Make your vision statement clear, concise and forwarding. It should be no more than a few sentences.

Create the Right Environment

The sports analogy continues when talking about the right environment for a great team. You would never try to play baseball on a tennis court. Research shows that the work environment is a crucial component to team making. You will need two components for the best environment: a system for honest and consistent communication and motivation for that communication. That is not to say that the management is going to implement every suggestion they hear, but there needs to be an acknowledgement of the idea if you want them to keep coming.

Boost Morale With Activities

Research has shown that almost anything that management does for employees will benefit their morale and increase job satisfaction. New office furniture, a high-end coffee machine or a team-building lunch will all be seen as a bond-promoting thank you. Do a ropes course or a team retreat to build camaraderie and morale. For example, Revant Optics‘ employees participated as a team in the Wild Canyon Games, a three-day race that promotes team building and camaraderie for professionals.

Ask Questions

All communication has information that is sent and received. Unfortunately, many leaders forget the latter. Consistent feedback will engage your employees to work harder and deliver their best ideas. One way of getting feedback is by using surveys. These work well when your teams are at different locations. Use your existing Internet portal or the company intranet to create survey questions.

Have Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Much like a vision statement gets everyone behind the goal, the job description tells each player what they should be doing to achieve the goal. Make certain that every team member has their own job description and that they understand every word of it.

Give Them Cash

In certain industries, time is of the essence. A project done quickly can generate more clients as well as earn bonuses with some smart negotiation. Profit sharing is a good way to motivate a team. Make certain that your profit sharing plan is narrow enough in focus to the workers on the current project without getting lost over too much time.