Teamwork is not only essential to the success of an organisation, it also makes it a great place to work. People are drawn to environments where they feel part of a community, their perspective is valuable and expectations are clear. Now more than ever, teamwork is crucial as roles are evolving in breadth and scope to be even more multifaceted. In this blog we will explore ways to foster effective teamwork amongst your team.
Effective teamwork includes:
1. Compelling and clear communication
Clear communication sounds so simple and yet misinterpretation is a common gripe in teams. In coaching sessions, I frequently hear that people feel “in the dark”, that messages are not clear enough and that assumptions are therefore made. Keeping it simple is a technique I have always encouraged, “saying what you see” in feedback terms can be useful. It is also about creating regular time to communicate and part of communicating is also about having the capacity to listen. It is also about having the appropriate vehicle for communication for example whether this is via Slack, face to face or another approach.
2. Aligning the team to a common vision
The leader’s vision needs to be compelling and clear to those around them. It needs to make sense at an individual level for people to work towards and needs to have a sense of purpose to each person – it needs to explain the why.
3. Roles and responsibilities
Creating consistent clarity about who does what is crucial. Roles are often work in progress, in that they evolve and change over time, so regularly reviewing roles and responsibilities can avoid duplication and confusion. In addition having clarity on the overall strengths and development areas of the team as a whole is crucial too.
4. Trust and safety leading to inclusivity
Teams with a high sense of psychological safety are more likely to function well. It is about encouraging all voices to be heard and not inadvertently making others wrong for the perspective that they hold. It is also about encouraging a respectful workplace where people feel they can be their true selves.
Ways to manage conflict
Conflict is a natural part of relationships and therefore having strategies to navigate can be so useful. The Drama Triangle (Karpman) shows us that we all adopt different roles in times of conflict, the victim, persecutor and rescuer, we may move between these roles depending upon the circumstances. An important first step is to notice the role you are adopting and the roles around you too. The idea is to move to the adult role which is about openly sharing your perspective whilst also being prepared to understand the perspectives of others, to reach a common approach to move forward.
The leaders role
If the leader is going to lead effectively, their self-awareness needs to be constantly increasing. By regularly asking for feedback upwards, downwards and sideways, we can start to create a clearer picture of the leader’s footprint in the organisation. Here are some additional key attributes to consider:
- Vision setter
- Honest and transparent
- Self-aware
- Positive intent
- Ability to shift style appropriate to the situation
- Curious
- A listener
- A coaching approach
- A developer of people / A succession planner
- Emotionally intelligent
I encourage you to notice your own strengths as you look at the list above and ask yourself, what you would add?
Frameworks
I appreciate Patrick Lencioni’s book and model “The Five Dysfuncations of a Team” framework which outlines the five dysfunctions that can get in the way of team performance. These include absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of committment, avoidance of accountabilty and inattention to results.
To work on these areas, most teams will therefore need to build trust among team members, encourage healthy conflict to ensure diverse perspectives, enable commitment to decisions, hold each other accountable and focus on collective results.
In summary
As you start to reflect on your leadership style, I encourage you to notice the areas of strength and stretch, as well as asking others for feedback. By taking regular time in coaching sessions we can increase our self-awareness and create a plan for even more effective team working.
If you would like support with teamwork in your organisation get in touch to see how 1:1 leadership coaching sessions can support you.