Aligning Corporate Teams

No matter your business, the team is what will propel it. Yet, it is so easy to let critical factors like communication and collaboration languish.

In this post, we’re going to talk about how to align your corporate teams in a way that helps them work together more efficiently, as well as tips for preventing future problems.

The tide is turning away from the idea that there are "teams" and "individuals." We are, instead, in a world where every employee is a contributor and a collaborator. The coming generations, which have grown up with this new concept of collaboration, will expect their corporations to be more adaptive and flexible. This means teamwork will be their default mode once they join the workforce. They won't tolerate teams that don't function well together or aren't suited to the changing environment. They will demand company-wide strategies & plans that take an "everyone works together" approach.

Corporate teams must be seen as a pool of resources each person can draw on when needed. If you allow your team members to operate as individuals, miscommunications will occur and the team will not function as well.

There are four main areas where this issue arises and must be addressed: communication, collaboration, accountability, and energy and focus.

Communication

Communication is something that many corporate teams struggle with because they have to be careful not to do or say anything that might hurt someone's feelings. In a world where every person feels entitled to speak his/her mind and express their opinion with no regard for who may hear it or what it might do to others, there has been a tremendous loss of respect for others' opinions. You'd be surprised how many people will want to argue with your opinion, rather than simply say "I see what you mean."

It is a matter of creating an atmosphere where it is safe for people to communicate with each other. To do this well, you must ensure several things:

People should know each other well enough so that they can speak their minds without worrying about hurting each other's feelings. What is said behind closed doors stays behind closed doors. Their communication must be respectful of others' opinions. If they need to make a criticism, they should phrase it in the form of a suggestion or advice. If you have to address a group, give them warnings of what they should not say if they want to keep the gathering productive.

If you are in the unfortunate situation where your team is not comfortable communicating with each other, there are some steps you can take to improve things.

Ask each member of your team to describe how they feel about each other and what issues may be getting in the way of teamwork. Put these feelings/issues on a poster board in a visible place. Ask everyone to sign their name beside their feelings/issues and next to each person's name, write one thing they think might alleviate that problem. Acknowledge that communication isn't always easy and requires work to maintain it.

The goal of this exercise is to help your team members understand each other better so they can communicate more effectively. If there are continued problems with communication, you might want to consider talking to each employee one on one and asking them what might be getting in the way.

Collaboration

One of the biggest differences between businesses that succeed and those that don't has to do with how well their teams interact with each other. The truth is, it doesn't matter how intelligent a person is or how much knowledge he/she has. A person will never be successful in a company if they can't make any meaningful contribution to its daily operations.

Collaboration is something that corporate teams struggle with. It is a function of not trusting each other and not knowing how to compliment, recognize, and support each other.

A colleague of mine was working on a project with several people when one person failed to deliver on a specific date. This person blamed everyone except themselves for the delay and began to refer to this person as "unreliable." They did not speak up against this behavior because they had never trusted this person in the first place. The result was that they were all collectively held responsible for the delay, which caused resentment in many departments across the company – which led to even more delays. In short order, everyone's productivity had plummeted down over 60%.

To help your team members learn to collaborate better, you should:

Teach them the basics of good teamwork - this includes trust-building activities (even the smallest kind). Teach them how to give credit where it is due. Tell them how to encourage others without adding pressure or stress for them. Teach them how to apologize for mistakes without being too apologetic or making excuses. Provide small challenges for your team to do together as a group and encourage collaborative work with every project that is offered to your business.

Accountability

Team members can't be truly accountable if they aren't held accountable from the start. They need to know that their words and actions will have consequences. When they do, they will be more likely to be responsible for their actions.

How can you hold your team members accountable for their actions? By:

Setting the example that you are willing to take responsibility for your own actions - whether they are good or bad. Asking them what they feel is wrong with your business and how to fix it. Stopping, pausing, and reflecting on what is being said during a meeting or presentation - every word matters in corporate teams because every word affects someone else's morale and productivity. Being respectful of other people's opinions even when you don't agree with them.

An effective team is a group of people working together towards a common goal. Your job as their leader is to help them succeed, not by making decisions for them, but by helping them make the best decision they can make. This will require you to be able to give feedback constructively and make people feel comfortable enough with one another that they can communicate openly and honestly. If you are able to do these things, your team will not just be productive - it will thrive because everyone involved will be motivated and engaged.

Wishing you success,

Richard McMillan

To learn more about how to create a truly productive team, read Building Teams that Win.

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Conclusion

"If we stand for nothing,

We shall fall for anything."

- Thomas Paine

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