Video Credit : CULINARYON Singapore
As a team leader, the most challenging part of the job is not the work itself. It is the putting together of a team and overseeing them.
Human relations are complex. It is made even more complicated when people are required to work in close quarters of each other, often requiring each other’s assistance. How do you make sure that your team cooperates and does not have conflicts?
Hire For Fit
When hiring, find team members who care, cooperate and are committed. A good fit with the company’s culture is imperative, as the team member needs to be aligned with the other members and the other employees of the company. Look out for warning signals of a domineering or rebellious character. Unless you are looking for another team leader, these characteristics are not suitable as team members. It is not a question of how well each person works, the question is how well they all work together. However, do not be close-minded and only hire the same type of people. This brings me to my next point.
Diversify Team Members
Introverts, extroverts, males, females, singles, married, young, old – do not limit your search to only one kind of person and do not let “labels” such as the ones above taint your vision when building a team. Strength lies in differences, not in similarities – a team with a diverse workforce makes for a stimulating environment. Mark Twain once wrote, “Synergy — the bonus that is achieved when things work together harmoniously”. When there is synergy, you can be assured that people work together happier and this makes going to work more enjoyable for your team members.
Invest In Your Team
Now that you’ve got your team together, what next? Show your appreciation for them by investing in them, be it giving them a chance to attend external or online courses. Providing rewards or acknowledgements of job well done are also great to prove to them that you value their hard work. Everyone loves to be recognised. By doing so, employee retention and satisfaction would greatly improve. Productivity and efficiency would definitely increase as well.
Non Work Communications
Being social creatures, humans crave interactions. Allow team members to talk freely, not just about work. Conversing about other matters creates bonds that are not visible to the naked eye. Once these relationships are formed, team members would be able to read the minute nonverbal body languages of each other - this takes time to develop, so let them mingle and chat during break times. The returns would not show immediately, but you would be in the process of building a more cohesive team.
Teambuilding Activities
Once in a while, it is good to leave the office and engage in some team building activities with your team. These activities will let you see another side of your team members that you don’t normally notice in the workplace. Members would also be more relaxed and friendships might even start to form! It has been proven that team building activities lead to more team cohesiveness. Do not engage in activities that pit your members against each other. Instead, look for activities that everyone can cooperate, have fun and learn something new at the same time. Babe Ruth once said, “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime."
At CulinaryOn, our expert team specialises in conducting team building activities for corporates. Our engaging environment would allow your team to feel energised and ready to rock. Look no further and contact us to organise your next team building activity now!
