Whether it’s a family, a social group, or a business team, team building is an essential element in working together to achieve common goals and harmony in any group.
Develop a Clear Vision
Work with the group to write a vision or mission statement so that you know what the group stands for and wants to accomplish. Knowing the values of the group can help individual members make a group-oriented decision.
Define Common Goals
Everyone in the group should know the group’s vision and work together to set goals and objectives. Each team needs to create and organize their in-house goals and objectives into steps to ensure it all gets done.
Ensure Clarity of Responsibility
Team leaders help to ensure that things run smoothly, it is essential that roles are defined so that any given person knows what’s expected of them.
Make It Fun and Challenging
Team building and group work should be fun and challenging. You don’t want people to dread doing things together, so it helps to consider every type of person involved and do something to challenge them.
Change the Environment
One way to get your group to wake up and take note is to change their environment. Get out in nature to do fun things. The more things you can do as a group that is outside of your normal work area, the more creative inspiration the team is exposed to.
Create an Action List
So that you know what to do, from your goals and plans, create an action-oriented plan that details what you will do to reach your goals together.
Respect Individuality
Within each group, everyone is an individual and has their own hopes, dreams, and values. Everyone has their own way to go about something, and that should not be judged as wrong.
Review Progress Periodically
The only way to know that you’re successful is to review the progress the group is making. Allow each team member to express what they like and what they’d change. Then look at the metrics to see how you’re doing reaching the goals you set.
Solve Problems Immediately
When problems arise, it’s imperative not to put them on the back burner. Groups and teams can get out of control very quickly if issues are brushed under the rug. Be open, direct, and deal with problems right away.
Celebrate Achievements
When you experience a win as a team or as an individual within the team, always recognize it and celebrate it.
Building healthy, inspired, productive teams requires that you take time to plan and set goals, while sharing the vision and updating the goals with the group. Your teams can be made up of your family members, friends, or even co-workers, depending on the type of group you’re working for or with.
