I was asked the other day what is the key secret to building a great team, so I would like to share some thoughts.

Environment is one of the key factors in influencing your team’s success. People base their behavior on their beliefs about themselves and their environment. Can they have a positive impact on their job and the company’s success? Does the environment support positive behavior? Team members should feel that they have the capability to contribute to their environment.

This means giving them the right culture and structure to be effective is essential. It also helps if they feel safe to contribute their opinion and feedback in a supportive way so they do not feel vulnerable to ridicule or criticism. Ask your team if they think there are any factors in their environment, which could be improved to help them be more efficient, productive or happy.

Many organizations have realized the importance of employee satisfaction on the bottom line. Beliefs are the key motivators in peoples’ behavior. However, changing your team member’s beliefs is not an easy or quick task. Recruiting the right people through personality instruments and team interviews can be one strategy but understanding their beliefs can be important in identifying other strategies.

Common beliefs limiting team performance include:

• Feedback “I have some constructive feedback but expressing it may cause a confrontation – best to keep my mouth shut!
• Delegation “The only way to get the job done properly is to do it myself”

Changing beliefs such as these can be a challenge. You need to look at training options and ask what beliefs in this organization may hamper or aid in achieving the desired outcome. Team building is not an exact science but a cast for finding the best strategies available to bring out the potential in your team.

LEVERAGE Your Way To Success