How to... have conversations about performing in teams
Understanding Teams
A well functioning team will foster strong relationships and create synergy not possible alone. Organisations need teams to deliver work using a variety of skills. A good team will have trust, work hard, be cooperative and supportive. If one person it can negatively affect the whole team.
A team is a group of individuals all working together for a common purpose. Individuals tend to have complimentary skills.
Being part of a high performing team can be energising, motivating and rewarding. When individuals work seemlessly together challenges can be overcome, we can think in new and creative ways, solve problems and achieve significant results. Some. key attributes of high performing teams include:
- Clear and aligned purpose
- Clear roles and responsibilities
- Trust build through strong, understanding relationships
- Communicate frequently and effectively
- Collaborate often
- Appreciate and encourage diverse thinking
- Manage conflict constructively
- Learn and adapt
- Celebrate success and show appreciation
- Measure outcomes and success
Individuals within a team should have common goals, objectives. Teams work well when individuals connect on their similarities and appreciate their differences.
Every need to play an equal yet different part to ensure a team functions best. There is no room for passengers or superstars within a team. Both can have negative affects on the overall performance and wellbeing of the team.
Everybody needs to play an equal yet different part to ensure a team functions best.
Are you a contributor, collaborator, communicator or challenger? All are required for a successful team.
Belbin team roles also identify a number of types of roles that are required to by individuals in a successful team:
- Shaper
- Implementer
- Completer finisher
- Co-ordinator
- Teamworker
- Resource investigator
- Plant
- Monitor evaluator
- Specialist
Things to consider
Useful Questions
It can be useful to notice what others are doing and apply it to your situation. What do you notice about high performing sorts teams? What is a success team in your organisation doing differently?
A healthy team will share and learn together
Build trust with individuals in your team and encourage every team member to build trust in their relationships across the team
Ask you team for their input. They will likely have more ideas than you about how to make it even better
Ask yourself and your team!
If you get the sense the team is working as well as it could, seek to find out what is causing the underperformance
Where there is a gap, ask the team if they have the experience. People aren’t always forthcoming about things that could be useful util they are asked. And if you don’t ask, you won’t know. If someone in the team is struggling, have them ask this question so they can connect with the person who can help them
Magic happens when we choose to face the reality of a situation and find a way forward together
This is a great question to ask where someone in the team is not performing as planned. It is a positive way to engage a conversation about what else can still be done to improve the situation
In a team, there can be many factors at play. Asking yourself and others in your team what might be at the root of this issue can often provide surprising insights
If we get stuck in a rut, looking at the opposite can help us find alternative ways forward
In a team many things can be at play. We tend to carve up scenarios and situations into either or issues. In a team setting there is plenty of place for the ‘and’
Teams have great capacity to fulfil requirements within them. However as a manager this question can help others feel supported. It can also be used to encourage team members to ask this question to their teammates or to you too
