Do you twist arms to get employees to be on the team? If so, you might wonder if it’s worth even having a team.
Yet lack of teamwork in organizations is the number one cause of lost opportunities, lackluster performance, duplication of efforts and inefficiency. Teamwork isn’t a luxury. It’s an investment. To build a nimble, high performing team, you and employees must invest in each other.
5 Reasons to build a team
Teamwork pays big dividends because it helps team members to:
- Gain perspective. Left alone, individuals see the world through the narrow lenses of their own projects and goals. Yet the biggest opportunities for improvement are in the white spaces between projects and functions. Team members need the vantage of different perspectives to see these opportunities and how their actions can contribute to the larger goals.
- Access other's talents. None of us is as smart as all of us. Getting things done requires the collective wisdom and talents of everyone involved. High performing teams know how to capitalize on individual talents and leverage differences to get things done. Rather than being the source of conflicts, diverse talents are valued and appreciated for what they bring to the table.
- Improve communication. Let's face it, most individuals are too busy to reach out and connect in a meaningful way. Solid teamwork promotes vital communication that goes beyond status reporting. Ideally, individuals share challenges and opportunities and offer up ideas to help each other succeed.
- Feel connected. Too often, smart, talented individuals feel isolated as they work towards their goals. Employees want to feel they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Building a team develops this sense of connection, mutual support and peer coaching. Better communication enhances both retention and morale.
- Build trust. Separation breeds suspicion and mistrust. So don't wait for mistrust to rear its ugly head. Bring team members together on a regular basis to promote trust and mutual respect. Be proactive and encourage employees to get to know each other as people. With increased trust, your team has greater agility and influence.
Your role as leader
As a leader it's your job to build your team. Don't assume employees can do it without you. Start by sharing why you believe it's important to be a team. Then follow through and take consistent actions over time to develop your team. Time spend on teamwork is money in the bank.
A nimble team gets the job done and responds at lightening speed. Building your team returns big dividends in retention, employee motivation, improved performance and results!