Teams, like workplaces, are becoming increasingly diverse, dynamic and digital. But the principle behind managing teams effectively remains the same. Are you providing the right conditions for your team to thrive? Here are some aspects to consider:

Shared Direction
A shared understanding of the team’s mission and tasks is essential to a team’s level of commitment and motivation. This is especially crucial when teams are made up of members from dissimilar backgrounds as the means for reaching the same goal can mean for different strategies for different people. Misunderstandings can be reduced by having an explicit discussion about the team’s objectives and how they are to be achieved. Establishing team norms early on can also reduce frustrations later down the track.

External Support
Supporting your team involves providing and maintaining an effective reward system, ensuring your team has access to the required materials and data to complete their tasks, and providing opportunities to expand their skillset if required. This is to ensure better decision making, an increase in the diversity of skills, increased participation and higher morale.

Team structure
Constructing a high performing team requires a careful balance of meeting both organisational and individual needs. A recent study has found that more-cohesive teams had members with higher levels of emotional stability, inquisitiveness, and interpersonal sensitivity. Managers often utilise an employee’s strengths to fill a team role, but taking the time to observe your employee’s working style and personality can mean for a fresher approach to the way the team can think about, manage, and organise tasks.