What are you doing as a team?

The word team is used a lot in so many businesses we come across. Most people, if you ask them, will tell you, that they enjoy working as part of a team. But when we think of being in a team, are we really a team or just a group of people that work together and happen to have the same manager? At Pro-Development we think there is a big difference.

We have worked in teams that feel more like a collective of people that have the same manager and the mood and output of that team was not effective. So, what are the magic ingredients that make a team a team?

Here are a few thoughts from the Pro-Development team:

TRUST – First of all (you may have heard us say this before), real teams have trust. Not just a basic trust in each other, but trust at a deep level. It’s the kind of trust that means the team members have each other’s back even when times get tough.

HONEST CONVERSATIONS – Teams that are really working together are not afraid of feedback even if that feedback is challenging, because they know that feedback will support them in the trust building process. At Pro-Development we call this the courage to have honest conversations, because it is these honest conversations that support us to work effectively with conflict.

PLAY TO STRENGTHS – In great teams we have worked in, every team member goes out of their way to know their team members. That includes strengths, opportunities for development, blinds spots and personality traits. When we know our team members in this way we can always make sure we play to the teams strengths to get the best possible outcomes.
We know this isn’t an exhaustive list, there are so many things that could go in this blog and we are sure you have some thoughts of your own.

So, the question is … are you a team or a collective of people? If you are a team, what are you doing as a team that helps you to be successful?

Great news too, if you are an SME in the Leeds City Region, you may be eligible for 40% european funding through the WYCC for training and team building. If you need any help with building your teams and are interested in the funding, then please contact us.