3 Things Every Team Needs for Success in the Workplace

Success. Every team is encouraged to strive for it. But how exactly is this accomplished? Success should be more than just meeting deadlines, goals, or objectives. My experience in leadership has taught me a great deal – including three common characteristics that I have seen create successful team collaboration. Through trust, communication and role identification, I have seen teams succeed and flourish in the midst of business and chaos. When these three areas are strong, success flows naturally and effectively.

1. Trust within the team – successful communication happens when teammates can be open and honest with each other. Trusting your team can open the flow of communication so you are comfortable sharing information and feelings with one another. Conversely, a lack of trust within a team can lead to feelings of fear. Team members who are afraid of receiving criticism or of having their ideas dismissed will be less likely to share ideas and negatively impact the team as a whole.
2. Leaders with strong communication – proactive, transparent and genuine leaders can help direct their teams to success. While openness and sharing between a team member and a leader may not come naturally, a good leader will recognize that and work to facilitate a team environment where sharing ideas and working collaboratively is encouraged. Part of that strong communication comes from the timeliness of their follow-through. Whether a team member brings an offered idea, expression of a concern or a request for help, a prompt response can demonstrate a leader’s respect for that team member. Respect leads to trust and, as we discussed above, trust is an important key to opening the flow to effective communication.
3. Team members who embrace their roles – A successful team has a shared understanding of what their individual focus and initiatives should be. A good team appreciates and respects each other’s roles as they all work together to reach a common goal. Wasting time and energy performing non-essential tasks are two common reasons why one team may be less successful than another and often stem from misunderstanding the value of each individual’s contribution to the whole.

Of course there are always other factors that can influence a team’s ability to work well with one another, but if your team possesses these three traits, you have a solid foundation to build from. Contact us to learn more!

By: Amy Vokoun-Lutter