Maximizing Team Potential: Five Overlooked Techniques for Cultivating Supportive & Productive Teams

Teams rise together, achieving great "wins," and they lift each other during tough times. What truly sustains a team’s productivity and support for one another?

Consider these five sometimes overlooked techniques to cultivate high performance, strong alliance, and camaraderie:

#1. Celebrate the Smaller Wins.

In the HBR article, "Celebrate to Win," the author highlights the immense value of celebrating smaller victories within our teams. This practice strengthens our sense of connection with colleagues and triggers the release of Dopamine in our brains, producing an automatic feel-good response.

Consider the practices within your organization. Do your department heads actively acknowledge and credit these small wins to the dedicated team members responsible for them? Doing so creates an environment where positivity and motivation thrive, and the feel-good sentiment permeates throughout the organization.

#2. Take team meetings and brainstorm activities off-site.

At first glance, the idea of relocating your team to a different setting might appear counterintuitive. However, breaking free from the confines of the usual meeting room can be a powerful catalyst for enhanced productivity and creativity. It's essential to recognize creativity can wane when team members feel burned out or struggle to think with clarity and focus.

By venturing outside the conventional office environment and immersing yourselves in a fresh, stimulating space, you open a world of possibilities. Consider organizing team meetings or brainstorming sessions in a coffee house, a cozy restaurant, or the serenity of a nearby park. The change of scenery offers a breath of fresh air, both metaphorically and literally, invigorating minds and fostering new perspectives.

#3. Focus on happy and success follows.

In the featured photo showcasing the Star Mountain Capital team, the essence of "working and playing together" comes alive. Undoubtedly, teams confront the pressures of meeting deadlines and tackling business challenges. Yet, amidst the daily grind, it is crucial to carve out time for team building, laughter, and enjoyment, as these elements significantly contribute to a dynamic and highly productive team.

As author Shawn Achor asserts in his enlightening book, "The Happiness Advantage," happiness leads to success, not vice versa. By prioritizing team-building events and injecting a dose of happy and camaraderie into the work environment, you pave the way for enhanced team cohesion and overall job satisfaction.

#4. Embrace failures and celebrate successes.

Teams that learn from their failures and successes develop greater resilience and strength. Acknowledging and celebrating both aspects is crucial, as they pave the way for continuous learning and growth. Encourage a culture of learning from mistakes and triumphs by ensuring your team takes time to debrief and apply the lessons learned. When you do, you are less likely to repeat the same mistakes and will foster an environment of progress and improvement.

#5. Read the team signals and cues.

Go beyond the words and tune in to the signals and cues from your team members. “Read the room” by listening and watching closely to decipher how your colleagues may feel. Vocal, verbal, and non-verbal cues say a lot. When meeting and collaborating you can help your colleagues by spotting "clusters" of discomfort, from how they're sitting and the sound of their voices to their facial expressions. Use the new awareness as an opportunity to help conversations advance by changing how you sound, opening your body language, using different words, and adjusting how you come across.

These are just a few of the overlooked techniques teams can implement to achieve greater performance together. By following these tips, you can help your team to reach its full potential.

What are you doing to build supportive and productive teams?