Successful team management can be the catalyst that propels your business to the next level and create a culture that is energetic, fun and productive. As leaders, we must be able to build a culture that unites our teams around the overall business objectives and the goals established for the team. Achievement of each team’s goals is what will push the business to reach its ultimate goals and profit levels. To build a dynamic team, you need to do one thing – tell your employees to get a GRIP.
G – Goals: The team needs a clear understanding of its mission and goals and those goals need to be accepted by all members. First, you need to identify what the main purpose of your team is and then you need to translate that purpose into goals for your team.
BLAST Tip: Have your teams print up their mission statement and have each team member sign it. Next hang it up in their work space as a reminder of what they do on a daily basis.
R- Roles & Responsibilities: Members of the team need to feel as though they are part of something big and that they serve an integral part of accomplishing the teams overall purpose and goals. To build an effective team, managers must match individual’s talent with tasks and over time develop skills in other areas so team members can contribute in various roles. Being clear on roles and responsibilities and linking those back to the tasks at hand will build a strong team.
BLAST Tip: Create role descriptions and responsibilities and clearly communicate who owns role and the responsibility that comes with it.
I – Interpersonal Relationships: Building relationships within a team dynamic is critical for its long term success. As managers you need to ask yourself if the working relationship between team members is healthy and supportive of good teamwork and if there is a solid level of trust, openness and acceptance of others in the group. An effective team needs to share the same values, work ethic and commitment to teams’ goals. Building a strong team begins with an understanding of each members roles, responsibilities, values and skills.
BLAST Tip: Involve the team members in brainstorming the behaviors that are important to them for working effectively and hold them accountable to the decisions they make as a team.
P – Process and Procedures: A team needs to understand the process and procedures for getting tasks completed. There should be a process in place for:
• Decision making – Who makes which type of decisions?
• Conflict resolution – When does a problem need to be escalated to the team leader? How do team members resolve conflict among themselves?
• Communication – How are the team members expected to communicate with each other and in what frequency?
• Problem – solving – What resources are in place to help members in resolving their own challenges and issues?
• Mistakes – Does the team use mistakes as an opportunity to learn and to continuously improve?
• Successes – Does the entire team reap the rewards of success or do individual members?
BLAST Tip: Create process flow charts and make sure that each team member is trained on the proper process and procedure required to reach the team’s goals.
