Before we start, it’s important to remember that teams exist for one reason: to achieve results! However, it’s also important to remember that teams must be sustainable in order to continue producing those results, so that’s why we look at the inter-relationships among the team members — to ensure that those relationships are working at the level needed for the team to continue producing results without getting burned out. Let’s look at this process of building a successful team so that your team can get to the next level and be not only effective but sustainable, in achieving its desired results.

• Measure the current effectiveness of your team in order to help your team be more successful, it’s important to first look at how successful the team is currently. Measuring your team can serve as a benchmark for team development, as it gives you a current evaluation of your team as it exists today. The best way to do this is to measure your team’s effectiveness, which can be done in several different ways:
• Personal interviews: Asking each team member a specific set of questions designed to measure their effectiveness is a great way to learn about what’s really going on within your team. The disadvantage of this method is that some team members will not be forthcoming with information during face-to-face interviews because they are not anonymous. Results are best yielded when the interviews are done by an external facilitator who will maintain individual confidentiality.
• Simple measurement: A very simple method to use is to ask your team members “on a scale of 1 to 10, how effective is this team”? And see what their responses are so that you can ask some follow-up questions to learn more about their perceptions.
• Assessment tool: In our opinion, this is the best method to measure the current state of your team because it is anonymous, unbiased and team members are generally very candid and open in their responses. The assessment results are then shared with your team in a specially-designed team development process that includes exercises to help the team improve in areas needed.
• Create your vision of a highly successful team this is where you can use the “begin with the end in mind” concept that Stephen Covey and others have used for years. This step is about using your imagination to create the most successful, productive, cohesive team that you desire! The vision of your team can include the following components:
• – Team’s values, priorities, and desired results
• – Organization’s values, priorities and desired results for this team
• – Your own values, priorities and desired results for this team
• – Productivity factors: these are factors defined by Team Diagnostic
• International as the factors that support the team in achieving results, accomplishing tasks, staying on course to reach goals and objectives. They include strengths such as accountability, decision making, goal setting, etc.
• – Positivity factors: these are factors defined by Team Diagnostic International as the factors that focus on the inter-relationships between team members and the spirit or tone of the team as a system. They include strengths such as trust, respect, clear communication, handling conflict, camaraderie, etc.
• I encourage you to create your “desired team” vision with your team. Schedule a time to meet with them to allow for everyone to participate in this creative process! And, remember to think out of the box — what would it look like to have a team that was achieving results beyond what you think is possible today?
• Everyone receives information differently. Some people have to see it, others have to hear it, etc. How do you like to receive information? Remember that just because one way works for you, that same way doesn’t work for all of your team members.
• Find out how each person needs to receive information in order to process it. Ask your team members “how do you like to receive information?” so that they can tell you whether they are visual learners, auditory learners, etc.
• Check-in with your team regarding your communications and ask them how you can improve.

Let me know your thoughts and give me your team success feedback.

-christian