Like them or not, teams are the workhorses of today’s businesses.  We may have moved away from the acronyms (TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More) and the often inane team building activities inflicted on employees in the 90s but teams, particularly cross functional ones, remain critical for innovation and vital for solutions to many business challenges.  However, teams are workhorses prone to many ailments, from open bickering and sabotage at one end of the spectrum to resolute conflict avoidance on the other. 

In his article Leading Teams (2003) social and organisational psychology professor at Harvard University, Richard Hackman points out that research consistently show that teams under perform.  In fact he debunks several popular corporate myths – harmonious teams are better than argumentative ones; team leaders “cause” team dynamics, large teams are better than small ones; and team performance declines over time. 

So how do you overcome barriers to teamwork and turn colleagues into collaborators?  And when are teams necessary - and what is great team work anyway?

According to Hackman, teams are necessary under two critical conditions.  When there is too much work for one person to do and/or when the business challenge requires knowledge and skills that are beyond the capability of one person.

The best way to define "teamwork" is the ability of individuals or team members to adhere to standards that support the behaviours of a highly successful team.  Research (Druskat & Wolff) has shown that high-performing teams possess high levels of group emotional intelligence (EI).  Like individual EI, group EI has to do with an awareness of emotions and the ability to manage them in a healthy productive manner.

Building an emotionally intelligent team requires developing emotional competence for the group as a whole.  A team, like any social group, is governed by shared attitudinal and behavioural norms, which, though sometimes unspoken, are understood within the group.  Teams that enjoy high levels of group EI have established norms that strengthen trust, group identity and group efficacy.  As a result, their members co-operate more fully with one another and collaborate more creatively in furthering the team’s work.

How to grow a team’s EI?

Make time for team members to appreciate each other’s skills

Interpersonal understanding is critical for trust which, in turn, promotes the flow of ideas and information.  A succesful group is aware of each member’s skills and personality.  When a group is first formed, hold a launch meeting that has time built in for introductions and socialising.  Through this members can get to know one another as they start hammering out team goals and creating a shared vision of success.

Once a team is established, taking five minutes at the beginning of regular meetings for members to share work progress and personal reflections help fortify the group’s understanding of each individual and how together that all contribute to a common goal.

Team coaching will manage emotional issues and expose group dynamics as well as assist team processes

It is important to establish comfortable, group-sanctioned ways to express the inevitable anger, tension, and frustration that arise in a team endeavour and to positively re-direct that energy.  The focus on team coaching is on interactions within the team rather than individual development.

Often people don’t understand why their colleagues react the way they do.  To close that knowledge gap and grow the group’s emotional competence, assessments such as the Team Development Survey or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can provide the necessary insights.  These assessments highlight how each person’s natural approach to conflict or change can both help and hinder the group process.  The day-to-day impact of different personality styles can either facilitate or annihilate the group’s productivity.

Celebrate success

Building the EI of a team also requires the expression of positive emotions.  Recognising individual and group achievements not only strengthens a team’s identity, but it also spotlights its effectiveness and fuels its collective passion for excellence.

And if you have been asked to lead a team?  How do you build team effectiveness?

Share information

When people really understand the challenges, they are more likely to rally to help solve them.  Teams need a compelling direction.  Sharing information establishes a shared vision.  Teamwork requires that every member of the team understands exactly what they are supposed to be doing together.

Ask for input

Invite team members to share ideas for surmounting challenges.  Ask them “What are your ideas?  What innovation can you bring to this effort?”  Make sure that everyone knows who is on the team and what their role is.  Every member of the team needs to know exactly what he or she must do to make sure the team achieves its goals.  Effective leaders give their teams the freedom to solve problems while providing just enough guidance to keep them on track.

Stretch your people

By stretching beyond their skill set, people gain experience by thinking in fresh ways, a key ingredient in effective team collaboration and a great source of innovation ideas.  Team members must be willing to share resources to achieve the team goal.  These could be physical (office space, computers etc) or mental and emotional (ideas, suggestions, encouragement and enthusiasm.

Have some fun

This doesn’t come naturally to some executives but it can be well worth the effort.  Teams require a sense of camaraderie to function at their best.  A few laughs can go a long way toward building it.