Effective teamwork is the pillar to productivity. In the famous words of Helen Keller “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”, moreover, working effectively together we can produce much more! The big question is ‘how do we unlock the potential of a team in order for it to work effectively?’

Successful team building, which creates effective and focused teams, requires attention to the following:

1. Crystal Clear Direction. A sense of purpose unifies team members and provides a context to understand the functions of their contributions. When teams cease to work well together, it is mostly due to the members having different and opposing understandings. Or they have unclear direction of what the team’s mission is and what they are expected to deliver. Having a clear outline of the team structure, functions and shared expectations in a way that empowers the team is often the best way of ensuring clarity.
2. Team Support. Teams are more constructive when support and resources are available. To provide support to your team ensure that you are available to assist them. It is more efficient to address teamwork issues at the core, opposed to letting them linger and creating greater problems. Conflict resolution is also an important part of this.  Conflict can arise in the healthiest of teams. It’s essential that your team know their working styles and have the tools to resolve any issues to work together effectively.
3. Care for Key Relationships. Building and maintaining key relationships with team members in your team and across the organisation is vital. Ensure that your team understands each other’s strengths and weakness. The most effective way of doing this is with behavioural awareness. There are many different models and systems to understand people’s behaviours in the workplace that provide an insight into how your team operates on a day to day level e.g. DiSC, and Myer Briggs. Find one that resonates with your team.

Team building is similar to maintaining a smooth running vehicle. The operating parts need to be continually serviced and cared for in order for everything to work seamlessly.  An effective and smoothly running team requires necessary maintenance to ensure productivity and to provide an enjoyable place to work.