09.14.06
No “I” in Team
Who hasn’t heard the catchy slogan that TEAM is an acronym for “Together Everyone Achieves More”? It may sound corny or like a cheer from an over-enthusiastic leader, but the rationale is sound. Teamwork has become an essential element for the success and survival of a business. Teams are not created overnight. They do not simply happen. They have to be developed, grow in to maturity, and on occasion, end when their usefulness has passed. How do you begin to create a team? The easy answer is by laying a solid foundation upon which to build. This foundation would include:
- Creating a positive working environment.
- Achieving a setting in which people feel confident and comfortable to express themselves.
- Establishing norms for being open, for planning, and for dealing with issues
- Encouraging people to speak what they feel and assure that no negative action will result.
- Presenting a cognitive framework for the whole team building experience.
As business owners and managers, we cannot force associates and employees to trust each other or to work as a team. But, we can provide them with the needed resources to build an effective team. Once that team is established, business owners and manager will find that they have a better opportunity to accomplish the company’s objectives and goals.
