Team Building
Thanks to numerous new studies, we now know that it’s not the IQ of each individual on a team that makes a team smart but various team conditions.
Team Building begins with a holistic view of a team’s performance to understand what is working well today and what could be done better to improve the team’s effectiveness and make the teaming process more enjoyable.
Optimal Team Conditions
Communication
- Ensure that everyone on the team contributes, both by sharing ideas and listening to others
- Encourage team members to interact with each other, not just the team leader
- In advance of team discussions, collect topics others want to cover and goals they want to work toward
- Expect team members to seek, and share, learnings from outside of the group
Continuous Learning
- Agree on “scary” stretch goals but allow for failure
- When frustration abounds, acknowledge it as a necessary stage that will help make output stronger
- Encourage divergent thinking with regular appeals to bring up what hasn’t been discussed, surfaced, or shared
- Ensure a sizable portion of interactions are intended to: spark controversy, showcase learnings — including mistakes — and be exploratory in nature
Trust
- Create team activities that include a variety of passions and interests to build bonds across members
- Provide support and encouragement when ideas are blocked
- Help members appreciate how they learn and/or their unique strengths
- Share feedback and solicit it from others
- Celebrate milestone moments
- Regularly check in with each other about issues and opportunities
“It has been a blessing to work with Aimee. I’ve witnessed her subtle, but powerful, style of genuine questioning that inspires potentially different thinking and approaches to a situation. It is a true strength and her insights & wisdom really foster teamwork and better team connections. — Account Executive, Global Advisory Firm