Developing & Managing Effective Teams and Advantages of Team Culture

Developing and managing teams, as well as fostering a strong team culture, are essential components of organisational success.

A Team

A team is a group of people interactively cooperating in real time to meet set objectives and produce “best value‟ good and services in a timely manner.

Teamwork

Teamwork is essential to effectively cope with the complexity of a business and the demands made by its clients. A team is a support structure that allows us to pool skills, knowledge, and resources. We therefore need to develop a true team culture.

A Team Culture

Working as a team means there is no 'them and us'. We are not management and workforce, we are as one, a team. We are all in the same boat.

In a team culture, problems are identified and analysed and seen as a challenge to be collectively solved by the team.

We can operate a no-blame culture, with hindsight used to ensure that mistakes are not repeated. We should not use hindsight to apportion blame, although we must analyse events and make recommendations for change so that we can learn from our mistakes. In this culture if we succeed, we succeed on behalf of the team. On the odd occasion that we fail, we fail on behalf of the team – we do not fail on our own.

This no-blame culture is not a licence to make mistakes, take liberties, cause problems or ignore problems. It is simply a recognition that, with the best will in the world, mistakes are made but we can learn from them, so they are not repeated. A team culture is simply a more supportive and constructive way of continually improving a business. It can give us more involvement and freedom in our work, and it can lead to empowerment. This freedom and empowerment, however, comes at a price, because we must be more thoughtful and responsible in our actions and decisions.

Staff will still be held accountable for their actions and rule breaches and other misdemeanours will be dealt with through the normal disciplinary procedures.

All employees have a duty of care to behave and act in an appropriate manner, and they should exercise that duty of care with due diligence at all times.

Forget the hang-ups, differences and grudges of the old culture and work together with shared values, goals and priorities to embrace the new culture.

Important Features of Team Culture:

1. Ability to develop good personal relationships with colleagues and clients.
2. A timely, appropriate, and professional response to client queries and managing clients’ expectations to ensure that they do not have unrealistic expectations of what you can achieve; otherwise, you “let them down” and fall at the first hurdle.
3. Committed and motivated staff who understand their role and how they add value to the business.
4. Positive and pro-active staff focused on clients, and on continuous improvements to operational systems.
5. Resources are not allocated to “he who shouts loudest”.
6. The importance of teamwork is ingrained in the staff. Training is offered to help them to be more effective team members to ensure that one staff member does not cause unnecessary delays to another staff member, especially if that staff member is in one of your supply chains.
7. Importance of inter-group teamwork is explained to staff involved to ensure that one group does not cause unnecessary problems to another group.
8. All staff understand that modern time management is not so much about time managing themselves but more about time managing:

• The client - using not abusing the telephone, a timely and appropriate response to enquiries, etc.
• Our business – up-to-date, fast, accurate and reliable equipment, user friendly software etc.
• The teams within our business – keeping them appropriately resourced, informed, focused and motivated.·
• Ourselves – but not looking after ourselves whilst causing havoc to others.

 Consider bringing staff together whenever possible by:

• Staff social functions involving all staff.
• Interdepartmental meetings every two months say.
• Open communications for all staff.

ADVANTAGES OF TEAM CULTURE:

Enhanced Collaboration

•  Synergy: A strong team culture facilitates better collaboration and communication, leading to more efficient problem-solving and innovation.

 Increased Employee Engagement

• Commitment: A positive team environment increases job satisfaction and loyalty, reducing turnover rates and fostering a sense of belonging.

Improved Performance

• Productivity: Teams with a cohesive culture tend to have higher productivity levels due to improved morale and a clear sense of purpose.
• Quality: The collective effort of a well-coordinated team often results in higher quality work and innovative solutions.

Better Conflict Resolution

• Understanding: A culture that values open communication and respect makes it easier to navigate conflicts constructively, without damaging relationships.

Enhanced Flexibility and Adaptability

Resilience: Teams with a strong culture are better equipped to adapt to change and overcome challenges, as members support one another and share a common goal.

Cultivating a strong team culture and managing teams effectively are ongoing processes that require commitment, empathy, and strategic thinking. By focusing on these areas, leaders can unlock the full potential of their teams, achieving outstanding results and fostering an environment where employees thrive.