How to Build Dynamic Team Cohesiveness
| How to Build Dynamic Team Cohesiveness | By: Tony E Ornduff |
Introduction
Just because an organization has employees does not mean they will function together as a team. To be a team requires that the team members enjoy working together and does so cohesively, productively, and efficiently. The successful team is cohesive because team members work together and share common goals and resources. Production doesn’t mean the team members never disagree, but they know how to work through conflicts and resolve conflicts together. The team is efficient because tasks are assigned in a way that takes into account each member’s strengths and weaknesses.
The benefits of having a high-functioning team cannot be stated enough. Some of these benefits include increased trust, enhanced performance, enhanced productivity, job satisfaction, staff retention, shared purpose, and a sense of community. In contrast, the absence of teamwork will present itself as unwillingness to engage in honest communication, avoidance of accountability, frustration, resentment, suspicion, and lack of commitment.
When a manager is tasked with forming a team, the manager strives to build a cohesive group. But a cohesive team does not occur by accident. A lot of time and effort goes into building a great team. Managers play an essential role in developing and leading teams that work in these ways. Managers who are skilled at effective team building all employ a series of common guidelines to ensure the final product is a cohesive team.
Team Member Selection
The first step in developing a cohesive team is careful selection of team members. When selecting his team the manager should consider the mission of the team. Chosen members should be best suited for the task at hand. Some consideration should be made to pair workers together who get along with each other.
The team should have some diversity on it. The members of the team should represent a mix of viewpoints and perceptions.
Introduction
Just because an organization has employees does not mean they will function together as a team. To be a team requires that the team members enjoy working together and does so cohesively, productively, and efficiently. The successful team is cohesive because team members work together and share common goals and resources. Production doesn’t mean the team members never disagree, but they know how to work through conflicts and resolve conflicts together. The team is efficient because tasks are assigned in a way that takes into account each member’s strengths and weaknesses.
The benefits of having a high-functioning team cannot be stated enough. Some of these benefits include increased trust, enhanced performance, enhanced productivity, job satisfaction, staff retention, shared purpose, and a sense of community. In contrast, the absence of teamwork will present itself as unwillingness to engage in honest communication, avoidance of accountability, frustration, resentment, suspicion, and lack of commitment.
When a manager is tasked with forming a team, the manager strives to build a cohesive group. But a cohesive team does not occur by accident. A lot of time and effort goes into building a great team. Managers play an essential role in developing and leading teams that work in these ways. Managers who are skilled at effective team building all employ a series of common guidelines to ensure the final product is a cohesive team.
Team Member Selection
The first step in developing a cohesive team is careful selection of team members. When selecting his team the manager should consider the mission of the team. Chosen members should be best suited for the task at hand. Some consideration should be made to pair workers together who get along with each other.
The team should have some diversity on it. The members of the team should represent a mix of viewpoints and perceptions.
References: Bakken, E. (2001, July 21). Twelve ways to build an affective team. Retrieved from http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Twelve Ways to Build an Effective Team.pdf Friedley, S. A., & Manchester, B. (2005). Building team cohesion: Becoming "we" instead of "me". National Forensics Journal, 23(1), 16. Retrieved from http://www.nationalforensics.org/journal/vol23no1-16.pdf Koning, L. (2010, September 30). How to build a cohesive team. Retrieved from http://www.managementtrainee.co.uk/how-build-cohesive-team.html Reilley, E. T. (2004, October 21). How to build a cohesive team. Retrieved from http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice_2/lessons_learned/102104.shtml Schreiner, E. (2012, August). Seven strategies for developing cohesive teams. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/seven-strategies-developing-cohesive-teams-17354.html Simon, S. (2009, March). Nine strategies for building a cohesive team. Dynamic Chiropractic Canada, 02(02), Retrieved from: http://www.dynamicchiropractic.ca/mpacms/dc_ca/article.php?id=53627