Clear and confident communication is an important team development component – whether it’s communication from a team leader to team members, or communication between members of the team.
Communicating person-to-person can be challenging, even when a team member or team leader is well-versed in the 3 V’s of Communication (Verbal, Vocal, Visual). These days, many employees communicate between departments and divisions exclusively through email or instant messaging (IM).
Consider the way that you communicate with colleagues. Do you show genuine interest in the things they’re telling you? Do you avoid make eye contact? Do you sometimes mumble when you speak, or not speak loudly enough?
I speak regularly about the importance of working together as a team, and my blog is filled with advice on improving the synergy of work teams and effective team development. What I haven’t always addressed regularly is an important factor that can make or break a new team.
Teams and leaders are two sides of a single coin. It is only when they forget this that things can go awry. Leaders and teams must develop an unwavering bond in order for each to be effective and to accomplish the team goals.
A passive-aggressive team member, like any other employee, can be managed. You have to employ a team development strategy to maximize the best traits of this personality type and minimize their less desirable traits.
A faster way to take the pulse of your work team, and a critical leadership development skill, is to get up and walk around the work area. You’ve probably heard of the acronym used to describe this activity: MBWA, or Management By Walking Around. A few wags refer to it sarcastically as “Management By Wandering Aimlessly.” Yet as J.R.R. Tolkien writes in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy of books, “Not all those who wander are lost.” MBWA is walking around with a purpose.
As a leader, you want to prime your team for success. How do you accomplish that? Here are four foolproof ways tp foster a successful organizational culture
We all operate, within three distinct zones: The Comfort zone, the Growth zone, and the Panic zone. Understanding and identifying which zone your team is in may be a critical team development skill.
Change can be very stressful for a team. It creates what I call the FUD Factor: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Leading your team through these stressful times, with as little upset as possible, is a critical teamwork skill.
