How To Build A Good Team At Work

How to Build a Good Team At Work

Are you wondering how you can build a good team at work?

A good team at work is integral to the success of every business establishment, organization, and company. Hence there is a need to learn how to build one.

For many years, people have appreciated the importance of collaboration to achieve set goals.

While we have people who are unique in their chosen fields and have talents as individuals, the best results always come from collaboration.

That is why every organization is working towards gathering individuals who can fit into a team and work together towards success.

However, you need to do more than bring people together and call them a team for successful collaboration.

 It is possible to have a bad team, which is worse than not having a team.

If you have a bad team, you might be causing more problems for your company instead of providing solutions.

Insufficient or inadequate teams have all the bad qualities that make job performance and productivity difficult.

Also, they can be a source of headache to the management of a company.

A good team, on the other hand, is a blessing to any organization.

There is less friction and conflict among the team members.

Also, even when it comes up, it is easily resolved.

When you build a good team in your organization, you give your business an excellent opportunity to grow and achieve success.

In this blog post, we will analyze the best strategies for building a good team at work.

Before then, we will give you some of the best qualities of a good team so that you can get that on your team.

But first, let us define what a good team is and see why a good team is essential in any organization or establishment. 

How to Build a Good Team At Work – What Characterizes a Good Team

You most likely already know what a team is.

A team consists of different individuals brought together and are willing to work towards a common goal and objective. 

We have teams in every level of human endeavor, be it the social setting, personal life, and even the secular or professional world. 

You can think about a business team, a football team, a team of students in school e.t.c.

A good team, however, is simply a good team.

But the word ‘good’ is a little bit broad and vague.

There are a lot of things that characterize a good team.

A good team possesses all the right recipes for success.

This involves having the right people on the team and also the functions of the team. 

On a good team, there is unity among the team members, and there is also open communication between them.

More so, a good team will not be a source of worry or concern to the management of an organization.

This is because they know what to do and are committed to it.

Additionally, a good team is also usually a successful and winning team.

This is because it has the right ingredients to achieve success, such as the people, structure, and infrastructure. 

To be more specific, let us look at some of the qualities of a good team.

How to Build a Good Team At Work – Qualities of a Good Team

Before a team can qualify as a good team, the players on the team need to have certain qualities and attributes.

These qualities should be both inherent in individuals and also be glaring in the team as a whole.

When you see these qualities on your team, you can be sure you are on the right track in building a good team.

Some of the essential qualities are:

There is Open Communication

Communication is the soul of collaboration, and this should categorize a good team.

Your team should always have regular open discussions, sharing opinions and ideas.

It would be bad for a team to have team members who do not interact with others or even keep malice.

That doesn’t depict a good team.

When your team fails to maintain an open line of honest communication, it can also affect the team’s productivity and performance over time.

This is because it puts strain on relationships which in turn affects efficiency. 

There is a Willingness to Help

On good teams, people do not know that they are only responsible for their duties and assigned tasks.

Instead, there is always a willingness to render help to others. 

A good team understands the main idea behind teamwork, which is to work together to achieve a common goal.

That is why members of a good team do not hold back from helping others. 

When people on a team look out for one another and offer help when needed, they can stay more united, which is a sign of a good team at work. 

They Possess Strong Leadership

Do you know of an excellent team, whether in sports, business, or other spheres of life?

Look at that team closely, and you will find something peculiar to all good teams, which is strong leadership. 

A team usually consists of many people, each with their differences.

Hence, it is essential to have a solid personality to bring them together. 

Also, a strong leader will be respected and trusted by the entire team, which would also help push the team towards their targets.

Overall, when you have strong leadership characterizing your team at work, there’s every possibility of building a good team.

They Have Effective Conflict Management and Resolution

Few things break a team apart as conflicts do.

Unfortunately, conflicts cannot be avoided when you bring together people from different backgrounds, habits, and personalities.

However, it is not about the conflicts but how to resolve them. 

Good teams have been able to master the art of conflict resolution.

While poor teams allow conflicts to break them apart and affect their relationship with one another, good teams do better.

They can avoid situations that might bring frictions and conflicts altogether because they have a good understanding.

However, even it comes up, as it can be unavoidable sometimes, they are quick to resolve it and restore the unity on the team.

Thereby fostering unity and good teamwork in the workplace.

They Work Together on a Common Clear Goal

Anybody can bring together a group of people, or they can even bring themselves together.

However, they qualify as a good team when they have a common goal to achieve together. 

To achieve this, a good team is not confused about what is expected of them or what the organization’s primary goal is.

From the word ‘Go,’ they understand what is expected of them both as individuals and as a team.

Also, they know what value they contribute to the team. 

They Have Time for Fun and Leisure Activities

A good team is not solely characterized by the amount of time they spend working or how hard they work.

One of the hallmarks of good teams is that they have enough time to enjoy the company of one another outside work. 

They do not go about work without giving time to rest, relax or unwind.

This is because it can cause burnout for them, which would affect productivity.

More so, when this happens, morale drops which would eventually affect the team.

Hence, another indicator of a good team is one where there is a good work-life balance. 

They Celebrate Individual Achievements

Another attribute of a good team at work is that a win for one is a win for all.

That means a team member is not unduly jealous of another and feels they do not deserve the achievements and recognition that comes with it.

When they win as a team, they celebrate their success as a team.

The feeling is not less too when an individual on the team is the one who wins or accomplishes something worthwhile. 

A team with this unity, where everyone wants the best for others and wants to see them excel, is good.

Now to the crux of the matter, how do you build a good team at work?

How to Build a Good Team At Work

Now that you’ve seen some of the characteristics of a good team, you most likely love the idea of being on such a team or having such in your organization.

Actually, who wouldn’t love that?

However, it is worth noting that teams with such credentials and attributes do not develop overnight.

Neither is it a product of luck. 

Building a good team takes time and effort, and it starts with the management of the company. 

Therefore, here are some of the measures you can take right away to build a good team: 

Hire People with the Right Personality

When it comes to building a good team, the personality of the individuals on the team is just as important, if not more important, than their skills and expertise. 

Often, the ones on the team who disrupt the team’s unity are those who lack the right moral ethics and personality. 

Therefore, while hiring, as you check for the years of experience and skillset, also remember to focus on the candidates’ attitude.

Generally, people with the right attitude, behavior, and personality make up good teams.

How to Build a Good Team At Work – Get Diversity on the Team

This is also still applicable during the hiring stage and even while putting existing employees on different teams in the workplace. 

There is a tendency to want to put like-minded individuals on the same team.

Usually, this comes from the belief that it would help foster unity and collaboration.

While it might be true to some extent, there is power in diversity, especially its impact on productivity.

There’s no room for different perspectives when you have a team of too similar individuals, especially in skillset and expertise.

Therefore, it would be difficult to make headway when issues or challenges come up outside their scope of experience.

And that can bring about frustration on the team, which can, in turn, break a team apart. 

However, when you put people of diverse interests and skills on the same team, it helps them be more creative and better equipped to solve problems.

Also, the more they see how each member of the team contributes to the group’s success, the more confident and united they become.

And that’s how you build a good team at work.

Make Team Goals Specific and Clear

If you are going to build a good team, your goals should be clear and specific.

When the goals are unclear, it can affect the approach of the team and even their results. 

In addition to having clear goals, it is also essential to give the team specific goals.

When the goal is broad, it can also make your team start working on many things simultaneously, which will not yield good results.

On the other hand, when your team goals are clear and specific, it helps the team focus and achieves set expectations and duties.

Which, of course, is what’s expected of a good team.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

When a team starts having breakdowns in communication, the success of the team is already being jeopardized.

This is because people on the team will start making decisions of their own volition, not understanding their expectations.

That is why you, as the employer, need to give regular feedback to the team.

If they are doing well and meeting expectations, let them know it.

On the other hand, if they lack some areas, it’s good they also know.

Aside from communication from the top management to the team, you should also encourage communication amongst team members.

They should all be willing to share opinions, ideas, and even feedback among themselves. 

That is how you build a good team at work.

Invest in Team Bonding Activities

While still focusing on their job roles, it is also essential that you engage your team in activities that build the team spirit.

Most of these activities could be work-related, as they allow people to work together as a team.

Others, however, could be outside of work.

You can arrange games or other activities to make the team work together to come out with victories. 

Additionally, vacations can be arranged whereby the entire team travels to a different location and spend quality time together.

This can also help them to know each other better to forge a good and united team.

All these activities go a long way in strengthening the bond on a team, and they also help you build a good team at work.

Provide your Team with All the Resources They Need 

What kind of technology do you presently use in your workplace?

Are you still using the old methods of doing things, or have you adjusted to the changing times and technologies?

Another thing that affects a team’s performance is the kind of tools and resources they are provided with.

This involves the technology, equipment, and even the system with which the organization operates. 

In a sports team, for example, to help the athletes achieve success, the team’s management needs to invest in good infrastructure and training facilities.

Without the right resources, it would be hard to achieve success and get good results. 

The same is true of teams you forge in a workplace.

Putting them together is just the first step.

However, you also need to give them the best tools and resources to work with. 

Take Personal Interest in Individual Team Members

Sometimes, you might be preoccupied with attending to the team’s needs as a whole and neglect some who need particular attention.

It is good to note that the level of performance and input on every team differs per individual.

Hence, it might be easy to emphasize some more than others.

However, if you want to build a good team, you should treat your team members as individuals.

Get to know them personally and take an interest in them as individuals.

This would keep everyone motivated and of high morale. 

When you take a personal interest in your team as individuals, it makes them feel valued and helps to keep the team happy and united. 

Recognize and Reward Good Work 

Reward and recognition have long been very effective ways to increase morale.

And when you boost morale, it encourages employees to keep getting better and work harder. 

When you have a team of individuals trying their best to meet set expectations and get results, endeavor to recognize and reward them.

Note that rewards do not necessarily have to be very big or too expensive to be effective.

What’s most important is the motive behind it, and it can help you in your efforts to build a good team.

Give Autonomy and Support Risk Taking

Spoon feeding your team, so to speak, or micromanaging them will not help them develop into a good and effective team, but rather a poor and dependent one. 

As a leader, you should allow and encourage risk-taking among your team members and let them be autonomous, whereby they can make decisions and take specific actions without consultation. 

Even if they make mistakes, see these as an opportunity for them to learn and grow.

Without risks and autonomy, new inventions and innovations are difficult or even impossible to achieve. 

Don’t Hesitate to Cut Off Toxic Behaviour and Bad Influence

While working together with individuals who have a good attitude, work ethics, and personality can rub off on the team, being with a bad one also has the same effect.

When you notice toxic personalities and behaviors from one of your team members, you are responsible for calling their attention to it and helping them improve. 

However, if you realize there are no improvements after a while, you might need to take such an individual off that team so as not to be a bad influence on the entire group. 

Regardless of how talented a team player is when he lacks the right work ethic and attitude, his presence in the team can have adverse effects on the entire team’s productivity and efficiency. 

Conclusion on How to Build a Good Team At Work

A good team is very integral to the success of any organization as it helps in hastening their growth and development. 

Whatever investment you make towards building a good team is well worth it, and it will yield fine results eventually. 

So, do you have a good team at work?

Or are there still some adjustments you need to make on your team to make it effective and qualify as a good team?

We hope this blog post will help you build a better and winning team.