The team has the real potential. They can get more innovative solutions to the complex and challenging issues through the process of creativity, support and develop the ideas of each team member. On the conceptual level, a lot of people understand the importance of teams and teamworking in providing great results. Translating this from theory into practice is often far more challenging. Why is this and what can you do to improve the performance of the team so that they deliver to their true potential?
1: Make sure they have clear objectives
The team needs to know what is expected from them where they are heading and what they try to reach. No matter how great you are as a leader, if you have a vague outcome specified you get a vague result. If you want to improve the performance of the team, give your team a clear and specific goals. A clear objective should leave the team in no doubts of what is needed. The simpler the better. For example, to reduce complaints of 5% is a very clear result. The team target now is what they are aiming for.
2: Treat the team members with appropriate
Several people in the team has different strengths, weaknesses, areas of specific knowledge and experience. Marketing people may love doing spreadsheets, but is that what they do best on? If you are looking to improve the team performance, use people with the appropriate. Every time you play them to their strengths. Think about it if you get a group of people playing their strengths the collective benefits of this is very huge.
3: Be prepared to take action and decision
If you have ever been part of a team that is essentially a talking shop, where there are lots of disccussion and very little forward movement, you know how frustrating it can be. We need to brainstorm, discuss options and then fully evaluate the options. At the same time this could easily be a stalling tactic. Waiting for perfect information or the right time is wasted because it never come around. The decision and action are what the utmost importance. Remember, there will be a perfect information or a perfect time to act.
4: Promote proactiveness
Sometimes it is good to follow the tried and tested route and at other times you need different levels of thinking and proactivity. Do not be a leader that stifles this. Remember that any kind of breakthrough require a level of risk taking. You have to feel comfortable with the people tryng and failing to get the ideal outcomes if you want them to be proactive. You can also proactive yourself and show people how by example.
5: Work on developing and maintaining the trust
Trust may takes time to develop and can be destroyed in minutes. Trust is not a destination but an ongoing journey. Get everyone on the team focus on developing and maintaining a high level of trust. Some simple things that you can do to build trust. Ensure you follow through when you have asked the people to deliver something and they have agreed to do so. Treating anyone equally. Getting people focused on cooperation and shows it is valued more than a competition.
6: Team members listen to each other
People love to share their ideas, results and insight on issues. The problem is that they are sometimes a lot less effective when listening to each other. Makae listening be a key communication on your team if you want to develop your performance. This not only helps build a better solution, but also the key to more effectively handle with conflict in teams.
Sometimes it is a simple thing that bring a big improvements in a team performance.