The reality is that from the day we were born to the day we die we will have a team of people who help us, work with us, and support us. A medical team brought you into this world, a family unit raised you, a team of teachers and academic staff educated you, you were in a sports team…Teams are part of our lives.
This does not mean that you like all the team members, that you are the same as all the team members, that you always agree with all the team members or that you have the same strengths and limitations as all the team members BUT it took all those different personalities to shape what you were doing at the time and who you are today.
With the knowledge that we cannot change who people essentially are, the article to follow offers 10 ways of how YOU can make the best of the team/s you are a part of. How you can ensure that they are as effective and productive as possible, how you can feel a positive sense of belonging and at the end of the day contentment with who you are in the team?
10 ways to take responsibility for effective and productive team work:
1. 10%/90% Principle
10% of what happens to you in your day is totally out of your control. Examples could include, the way a person speaks to you, ignores you, belittles you, frustrates you, cuts you off in the middle of a sentence etc. However, the power lies in the 90% that you can control – your reaction to that 10%. You can always choose how you want to react to any of the above scenarios. Yes, it is about being the ‘better’ person, about sometimes understanding where it is coming from and about letting things go. This is all about your attitude towards things – you choose this from the minute you wake up.
“Your day will only be as good as your thoughts” Robert Holden
2. What energy do you bring to the team?
How aware are you of the energy you bring into a team, a room, a conversation? What do you evoke in others? Do you leave people feeling energised, positive, inspired and motivated OR do you leave them feeling drained, de-motivated and negative? Do people want to be around you or do they avoid you when they see you coming or know that you are trying to get hold of them? Tough questions! The answers to which can only be life affirming and/or life changing.
3. Recognise who does what well
Be aware of people’s natural strengths and create ways for people in a team to do what they do, be who they are and excel. The person who loves to talk and socialise should be your networker, your brand builder; The person who is detailed accurate and a perfectionist, should be the one who gets proposals together, checks documents, offers advice on contracts; The person who takes instruction well, should be the one who deals with customers, supports the team from an admin perspective; The person who is self-motivated, creative and driven should be leading the team with a clear vision.
4. What development phase is the team in?
The 5 developmental phases of a team include:
- Forming – new team members join the team
- Storming – individuals go through a phase of getting to know each other and set boundaries
- Norming – the team settles into a natural way of working together
- Performing – the team starts to work together effectively
- Mourning – the team loses a member
Recognise where the team is at and communicate that what is happening is absolutely normal. Ask what the team needs to do to get to the Performing phase.
5. Do you have a common purpose?
This is the obvious one, however, surprisingly the one which often cannot be answered. Does the team know why they exist? Do they know their purpose? Do all team members interpret the way to achieve their purpose in the same way? We are talking about the team having a vision with shared values. 1 day of planning goes along way…
6. How do you have fun?
What does the team do when they are not working at achieving their purpose? Are there fun activities during the day, the week, the month? Who is responsible for this? Although it would be great if it could always be spontaneous, planning plays a role here too.
7. Accept your differences
Can you truly accept that someone is different to you and respect that difference? We do not have to all see the world through the same lenses. People have different opinions due to who they are, how they have been raised, what has happened to them and how they have healed. We are each on our own journey. Be curious about the differences, think, talk and sometimes agree to disagree.
8. Be nice
Do nice things for team members with no expectations. If you see someone is feeling down, go and buy them a chocolate and leave it on their desk. Be the ‘Fairy Godmother’ in the office. Give what you want and see what happens!
9. Failure is feedback
Be the one to remind people that failure is only feedback and it is a way to do something again with more information and insight. Communicate how things could have been done differently and how the individual or the team can do it better next time.
10. Celebrate success
We are often so busy doing, that we forget to celebrate the successes in a team. Learn to notice the good things, however small. We all need validation and recognition. Reward and celebration are excellent ways to ensure that the good things keep on coming.
“Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments towards organisational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Unknown
“Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.” Gandhi
“Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
The wisdom to know the difference.” Saint Francis of Assisi
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