The Do’s And Don’ts Of Building A Successful Team
Lydia is a key contributor to brands’ ongoing success as Senior VP of Elevate at ChicExecs.
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Teamwork makes the dream work, and that’s definitely true in a corporate environment. You need a solid team to get your business across the finish line, but strong teams don’t materialize on their own.
As a business leader, it’s your job to create a strong group of advocates for your division and business. Doing so requires an intentional approach, so follow these do’s and don’ts to help build your most successful and bonded team.
Do: Focus on individual strengths.
Every employee is good at something. If Jeannie really likes social media, why not let her take charge of a new Instagram campaign? Or if Robbie likes chatting with people, why not put him in a client-facing role?
When you identify individual strengths and zero in on them, you allow employees to do what they’re best at. This will lead to not only superior work production and ethic but also happier employees with longer retention.
Don’t: Compare employees.
Comparison is the root of resentment, and it can kill your team’s identity. Never compare team members to one another. Managers often do this in the hopes of motivating their team or creating a little friendly competition, but more often than not, the opposite happens. Comparison is demoralizing, so if you want to build a team, don’t pit them against each other.
Everyone has areas in need of improvement. Instead of comparing employees, track each person’s metrics and performance over time. This allows employees to compete against themselves, which is a much healthier way to increase performance without compromising on an employee’s sense of belonging.
Do: Check in both individually and as a team.
You need to keep the lines of communication open to build a team. That means addressing the team as a whole as well as individual employees. Create recurring appointments on your calendars for weekly one-on-ones with all employees. Schedule a weekly all-hands team meeting to recognize accomplishments and choose team priorities, too.
Don’t: Brag about one employee.
There is no “I” in “team,” so don’t brag about an individual employee too much, even if they are indeed a rock star. You shouldn’t have a favorite team member that you put on a pedestal, as this can lead to resentment that sabotages team cohesion.
Instead, highlight the strengths of each employee at different times. If you really want to be fair, keep track of who you’ve recognized and who still needs addressing. Not only will this approach boost morale, but it will help you focus on the contributions of everyone on your team—not just the people who are the most visible to you.
Do: Plan fun bonding experiences.
Give your team a chance to unwind and get to know each other outside of work. Schedule regular team bonding experiences to encourage positive, lighthearted memories together.
The goal is to create an inclusive experience that every employee can attend. While you shouldn’t make this mandatory, your bonding experiences should be so fun that employees gladly attend them.
This isn’t the time to plan a whitewater rafting excursion or a ropes course. Choose non-physical team-building activities that everyone can participate in, regardless of their physical abilities. Try to plan events during work hours so employees don’t have to find childcare, too. If you need to hold an activity outside of work hours, give employees several months’ notice so they can plan for it.
Don’t: Avoid conflict.
New managers are often guilty of suppressing conflict as a way to encourage harmony. But sweeping problems under the rug only makes them worse; your team has to navigate through conflict to stay strong.
You’re the leader, which means you have to address conflict ASAP. If you struggle with managing conflict, take a conflict resolution course to help you navigate sticky issues in the workplace. Your team will be stronger for it.
Do: Identify how people prefer to be managed.
Maybe you prefer to be a hands-on manager, but your employees just want you to operate in the background in a support role. If you insist on being hands-on with a hands-off employee, they’re going to feel smothered. This is why every manager should identify how their employees prefer to be managed and adjust their approach accordingly.
For example, does your employee prefer daily check-ins, or do they want meetings only on an as-needed basis? This can help you build a stronger team by supporting employees in the way that they prefer.
Remember: Management is an art, not a science.
Ultimately, your employees will do their best work with the right amount of support, which can help grant them the autonomy and motivation they need to do their best work. I hope these tips help leaders seeking some strategies on how to best set their teams up for success.
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