The success of a company is a reflection of the team of people who work in it. Employees are a vital part of any business but just hiring well, isn’t enough. Hiring the right people is merely a step in the grand scheme of things.
The success of every business lies in creating a united team out of the people you hired. A team that will work towards the same goal, commit to their roles, be open to learning, and simply be responsible and accountable.
And building and managing such a team is not an easy job. So, in this article, we’ll find out how you can build and manage a successful team.
- Establish rules and goals
Right after you’ve hired the right people, it’s time to establish rules, expectations, and goals. By doing this right from the start, you’re shaping your team, getting them used to how the company operates, what are its values, and what sort of environment you want to foster.
So, don’t be afraid to set clear rules and expectations right from the get-go. This will pay off in the long run, as you will create a team that knows exactly what they are working for and what their responsibilities are.
- Have well-defined roles
Each member of the team should have their role in the company well-defined to them. When roles are clear from the very beginning, there will be no confusion and everyone will be able to focus on the tasks at hand.
When your team members have a clear picture of what they need to accomplish, they will be able to respect time frames and have their responsibilities clear.
With a team where roles are well-defined, you will be able to delegate and let them take charge of problem-solving tasks. When you delegate to your team, you’re letting them know that you trust them. Your trust can motivate the team and help them contribute and achieve more than they hoped.
To delegate effectively, you’ll need to find the right person for the job, and then provide the right instructions, resources, and training.
- Effective communication is the key
You can’t expect to build a successful team without effective communication. Communication is crucial for good teamwork.
As a team leader, you should encourage and facilitate employee communication. And by employee communication, we don’t mean only meetings. Employees should be encouraged to share information and ideas among themselves, to share their suggestions and concerns both with you and fellow employees.
It’s on you to lead by example. Be transparent and clear when communicating. This will show your team members that they can trust you and it will also minimize miscommunication.
- Create a healthy work culture
The environment we work in has a major effect on how productive and motivated we are. This is obviously why you should strive to create a healthy and respectful work culture.
There are many ways to achieve this, starting from respecting your team members as individuals. Get to know each member of your team a little better. Find out what they like, what are their hobbies, and who they are outside of work.
Then, don’t be afraid to embrace diversity. Encourage people to share their opinions and ideas, no matter how different they are. Embrace members with different skill sets, experience levels, and so on.
Motivate your team with positive reinforcement. Don’t criticize them for their mistakes, instead reward them for their successes. Encourage them by saying that everyone can make mistakes as long as they learn from them.
- Maximize the skills of each team member
By getting to know each team member better, you’ll be able to find out not only their skill sets but their personalities as well. This, in turn, will help you discover where their strengths and weaknesses lie.
This will provide you with the opportunity to minimize their weakness and maximize their strengths – and, in that way, set them up for success.
But, to be able to do this, you’ll need to master emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence in leadership means being empathic, understanding and simply treating members of your team like humans they are.
- Establish strong leadership
Behind every high-performing team, there’s a strong leader. This means that to build a successful team, you need to become a strong leader. And a strong leader leads by example.
You need to learn how to communicate, motivate your team, and be transparent and honest. You also need to learn when to delegate.
By mastering all these things, you won’t have any trouble building and managing a successful team. And if you struggle with being a leader, remember that great leaders aren’t born, they are made.
Building and managing a successful team is a complex job that requires time and patience. Rome wasn’t built in one day, so you can’t expect to build a high-performing, successful team right from the start. It’s a process that requires a lot of learning, both from you and your team members.
