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Building work teams that get along and work together effectively is crucial. Getting this right can boost productivity and trust.
According to Cathy Brand, chief executive of Brooks Australia, building a cohesive team can set businesses up for success.
“Cohesion is key for fast-moving teams, whether at work or on a sporting team; all team members moving to the same gameplay in the same direction regardless of your skill level or role in the team is essential for success,” said Ms Brand.
Employers can ensure they’re building effective teams by recognising strengths and weaknesses, and playing to them.
“Hire for culture, but also hire different styles. Every successful team is made up of different strengths. AFL is a great sport to look at cohesion with different styles; we have mid-fielders, full forwards etc.,” explained Ms Brand
“Their different heights [and] body types, yet all successful and all equally important. If the team was made up of all tall forwards, they would not succeed. So, when I look to build a team, I look for key players that have the same culture and attitude but with varied skills and ways of thinking of business. Why should business teams be different to sporting teams?”
Similarly, not playing to these strengths can be a detriment to success. Those who don’t understand the strengths and weaknesses of their teams can fall short of maximum efficiency.
Ms Brand commented: “I think the biggest mistake is employers often hire cookie-cutter employees; they hire for people to get along, who they like. Hiring different mindsets and styles means you have the horses for the right courses. It’s absolutely harder to manage, and you must install a level of trust to work through the conflict, but the result, if you get [it] right, is a diverse fast-paced team that can weather any storm.”
According to Ms Brand, putting the time and energy into creating a cohesive team can build trust, not just between employer and employee but also among colleagues.
“Trust is everything … Fullstop. Without trust, you won’t build a genuine team. You may have artificial harmony, but not a team,” Ms Brand said.
“With trust, all team members are comfortable to be vulnerable [and] happy to say they need help. Happy to help. With trust, you are comfortable to speak up if you think there is another way; you are not afraid to have conflict.”
Ms Brand concluded: “Conflict in business is not a dirty word – with conflict, the team will explore all options for the teams’ goals, from the diverse group, and come to the best solution, that all will buy into because all have been heard. From here, you get buy-in and accountability. Without trust, the process does not start. Without trust, you get a room full of nodding heads, with not real buy-in.”
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The goal of team building is to instil a culture of interdependence and trust among employees so that they feel appreciated for the work they do and appreciate what others bring to the table. Although this may be implemented as a training programme, it mainly depends on morale and company culture to develop a long-lasting, maintained feeling of team.
Jack Campbell
Jack is the editor at HR Leader.
