Team Building Involves More Than Throwing a Few People Together

Teamworking has infiltrated nook and cranny within just about every organization. You can't get away from 'teams' that are supposed to be able to create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Or so the theory goes.

Yet the truth about teams is that the large majority of them do not achieve the synergies they could. For example, poor teamworking is the culprit when meetings regularly overrun, when there are the frequent arguments between team members or there is an unhealthy level of competition between individuals. Other signs of unproductive teamworking are people not always completing tasks assigned to them or last minute panics to meet deadlines. More often than not, ineffective teams are the result of poor planning.

There are six measures that need to be taken before you can get the most out of a team:

1. Common goals with challenging target

In other words, a clear reason for the team to exist. But don't think of goals as wish lists - they have to be achievable, yet challenging enough to motivate team members.

2. Open communication

Members must be able to express their opinions freely without fear of retribution, and feel that suggestions will be taken seriously. The team might also need to agree whether politically sensitive topics of discussion in meetings should be kept within the confines of the team or shared with other employees.

3. Respect to all of team members.

It is easy to think (albeit subconsciously) that a junior team members may have less to contribute than more experienced members. This is not only demoralizing, it also makes no sense - people that have nothing to contribute should not have been selected for the team in the first place. You need to ensure that every member has an opportunity to add his or her thoughts to discussions.

4. Conflict resolution

Disagreements are natural and, in fact, debate and discussion should be encouraged. A team made up only of 'yes man' can make disastrous decisions that few people honestly agreed with in the first place. Consequently, there should be explicit rules on how lengthy disagreements should be tackled. For example, team meetings may not be the most appropriate place for a discussion that involves only two people, so the team could agree to certain issues being taken 'off line'.

5. Leadership

Most high-performing teams (whether it is in the workplace, sports or even in a pub quiz) have leaders. A good leader should be able to play to individuals' strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. "A good leader is critical" says Gary Spellins, Managing Director of Managed Services, Lex Service plc, which delivers a range of outsourcing solutions to the public and private sector. "It should be someone who can act as a catalyst and a constant reminder of what the team needs to achieve." The leader must, above all, be skilled in sharing responsibility and delegating work for others, coaching them to achieve tasks, and providing constructive feedback on how the tasks went.

6. Measuring progress against goals

Team members need to be able to see how they are doing against the objectives set at the beginning of the project.