Successful organizations rely on their people to work together to accomplish a common goal. At times, people are required to form groups within the main assembly to accomplish specific tasks.

To ensure these subsets succeed in their goals and go from group to team, proper planning is required. The first part of building a cohesive team is selecting the right people. "The emphasis must be on selecting people who are self-starters and developing the skills in individuals to become effective team members very quickly," says Team Technology.

In the forming stage, the individuals must see and believe that the collective's objectives are as important as their own individual agenda, another Team Technology article adds. It may be helpful to have the different individual objectives contribute to the one collective goal where they are all accountable together and not judged solely on individual achievement.

Learning Center provides the following guideline on how to create a unified team. It advises the team builder to:

1. Establish a vision that contains a challenge, appeal to personal pride and provide a chance to make a difference;
2. Define clear expectations so people know what they are committing to;
3. Establish trust by listing the unknowns and risks so that every member understands the potential gains and losses and knows the leader is also onboard;
4. Create inclusion; and
5. Have everyone agree to a particular approach. Ensure that team members feel their ideas are heard and considered, whether or not the team ultimately chooses those ideas.

Once the team is properly established, the leader must take care to motivate the team members to continue working together effectively. To do that, it is imperative the leader remains motivated as well. "Enthusiasm is contagious," Management Help notes. "If you're enthusiastic about your job, it's much easier for others to be, too. Also, if you're doing a good job of taking care of yourself and your own job, you'll have much clearer perspective on how others are doing in theirs."

It is also important to understand what motivates each employee. The simplest way to find out is to ask, but the leader must also listen and observe each individual to get a clear picture of what drives him or her. Because humans are dynamic, motivators can change, and leaders must be aware of this, Management Help says.

Consider supporting employee motivation through reward systems and by having one-on-one meetings that show sincere care and concern for each individual's well-being. Management Help also reminds leaders to celebrate achievements and convey how individual results contribute to the larger goal.

Despite all the precautions and care taken to create a positive team environment, conflicts may still arise. To prevent disputes within the team from escalating into major problems, the team leader or conflict mediator must listen to all parties involved to determine the seriousness of the situation and choose the proper course of action, Office Solutions advises.

If the team chooses to engage a facilitator, Minds at Work blog cautions, it is important to specify the facilitator's role and what kind of feedback the team wants from that person. Having an outside facilitator can also help the team assess itself, which Minds at Work suggests a team do periodically to ensure that the group is still functioning as intended.

Teams have a tendency to develop habitual routines after its members have been working together for some time, Minds at Work says. Often the routines are beneficial and allow the group to remain cohesive and responsive, but some norms like "shoot the messenger" can be harmful.

A team should regularly examine itself critically and should always consider when and how a habitual response might lead to problems or even tragedy, Minds at Work advises.

Just like an individual, a team must be managed carefully to ensure it succeeds.

Earlier/Related

Team Building Basics

When You Can't Fly Solo: Preparing for Teamwork Excellence

Mediating Employee Conflict

Resources

Team Building — A complete Guide
Team Technology

How to Improve Teamwork
Team Technology

How to Build a Team Using Vision, Commitment and Trust
Learning Center Inc., 2001

Basics About Employee Motivation
by Carter McNamara
Management Help

Mediating Employee Disputes
by Ellen Gragg
Office Solutions, Nov. 1, 2004

How Teams Develop, and Can Overcome, Dysfunctional Habits
by Ben Dattner
Minds at Work blog, Jan. 6, 2009