A Guide to Developing Great Teams

Teams that don't get along usually have poor results and low productivity. But developing great teams is possible with the right plan in place. Maintain open communication. Put together a diverse group. Let innovation and unique ideas flow.

Every organization yearns for strong teamwork. Yet it's still rare, surprisingly. Around four in ten employees complain about insufficient collaboration at work.

We've already tackled what makes extraordinary teams tick. This is summarized in what we call the 4C's: Clarity, Connection, Commitment, and Contribution. Building a great team is within reach. And we're here to walk you through the process. 

Dan Coyle Explains Developing Great Teams

Qualities of Great Teams

What makes great teams great?

• Effective teams prioritize open and transparent communication.
• Great teams thrive on collaboration and make use of each other's strengths.
• There's a common purpose. A common goal encourages team members to align their efforts with the organization's objectives.
• Members of great teams experience psychological safety and trust. Trust is needed to feel comfortable speaking out in the group. Safety relies on respect and responses. It’s where everyone feels empowered without worry.
• Exceptional teams are adaptable and flexible. This makes things easy to change when they need to.
• Members take ownership of their roles, responsibilities, and actions. They hold themselves accountable for all sorts of tasks, and take ownership for both the highs and lows.
• Great teams have a growth mindset. Team members continuously look for opportunities to learn and improve.
• Good teams are welcoming and respect diversity. Cognitive diversity that allows for healthy conflict.

Great teams have these qualities. Developing these qualities leads to a culture of excellence, innovation, and teamwork.

How to Develop A Team At Work

It's no secret that having a great team is part of every leadership role. That's why you need to develop your team to be amazing. Here are effective ways to do so.

Lead by Example

What better way to start than to lead by example? A great team starts with a great leader. Managers are responsible for 70% of employee engagement issues. 

When organizations mess up, leadership takes the brunt of the blame. When leaders empower their teams, a culture of teamwork will develop. 

Key leadership traits like integrity, accountability, and dedication set a positive tone for the team. Practicing leadership techniques helps managers guide their teams toward success. 

In turn, team members are more likely to emulate effective team leaders. Leading by example gives employees inspiration and a model to follow. 

Invest in Team Development Activities For Work

Team building exercises are an effective way to bring employees together and improve collaboration. Colleagues bond and develop a deeper understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses by engaging in fun games.

The best team building events create an overall light atmosphere. These team meetings can take the form of team building days or even as a small portion of your team meetings. Here, individuals feel valued and supported. This leads to better teamwork and increased morale. 

Set Goals Together

Teams should establish their goals together. They create a shared vision and a sense of purpose. This helps with alignment and motivation towards common objectives.

Define each team member’s role clearly when setting goals. This ensures everyone knows what they should do and what everyone else does, balancing out strengths and weaknesses. Accountability also gets a boost. 

Trust Your Team

Do you know what happens when you don't trust your team? You end up micromanaging them—a dreaded term in the workplace. People have strong negative emotional and physiological reactions to unwanted help. This damages interpersonal relationships.

When you trust your team, you empower them to take ownership of their work. They're accountable, and you trust them to do their job. This results in a more supportive work environment. 

You also let your team test out creative things that lead to new ideas without fear. By giving your team the freedom that comes with trust, you’re able to see their successes, which can further help to build trust. 

Celebrate Successes; Learn from Failures

Your team succeeds and fails together. Even recognizing the small stuff can work wonders to improve team spirit. Failures also help develop continuous improvement. Discussing what went wrong helps everyone bounce back.

A growth mindset comes from embracing both success and failure. It sees mistakes as learning opportunities. This mindset fuels progress. The team's ability to adapt when challenges happen builds strength and resilience. 

Applying Team Development Strategies to Remote Teams

Remote teams face unique challenges, such as communication barriers, time zone differences, and a lack of in-person interactions. The core qualities of great teams—Clarity, Connection, Commitment, and Contribution—are just as important in a remote setting. These qualities can be effectively cultivated with deliberate strategies.

Effective communication remains paramount for remote teams. Utilizing tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom can help improve communication. This ensures everyone stays connected and informed. Establishing clear communication guidelines and regular check-ins can maintain open and transparent communication crucial for team success.

Promoting trust and psychological safety is equally vital in remote environments. Leaders must trust their team members to manage their work effectively. They should provide them with the autonomy to take ownership of their tasks.

This fosters a supportive and innovative work environment. Team members feel empowered to share their ideas and contribute fully.

Team bonding and collaboration can be nurtured through virtual team-building activities and social interactions. 

Even in a remote setting, creating opportunities for informal interactions and team-building exercises can build rapport and camaraderie. This also helps your remote team members understand their colleagues' strengths and weaknesses.

Unleashing the Potential of Your Organization

Developing successful teams is an ongoing process. Embracing different strategies helps leaders create teams that aren't just successful, your teams become adaptable to change.

Team strength comes from a collective team effort. There's also a commitment between its members, not just abilities.

Interested in learning more about building a high-performing team? Connect with us or consider attending one of our upcoming leadership events.