Working on a team can be really hard and let's be honest sometimes it sucks. You can become stressed, frustrated, and angry. There are other times when working on a team that are fulfilling, you are getting things done and having fun doing it. So what makes some teams thrive while others fail?

One of the biggest problems teams can face is confusion.

Teams can struggle if they are confused about who is in charge, confused about who is doing what, confused about deadlines or confused about how much work everyone is putting in. Confusion has never helped anyone. To help with this workplace struggle, we created a list of concepts that, when applied properly, can combat the confusion your team members might be facing.

1

UNITY:

the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as parts of a whole

Often times teams struggle because they are confused. A great place for a team to start is by centering everyone and working towards around the same goal. When teams are focused around the same end goal, they can operate stronger and at higher capacities because everyone has a clear understanding of what they are working towards. Less confusion and more clarity is a win-win scenario.

 

2

GUIDANCE:

advice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty, especially as given by someone in authority

How many times have you had questions or problems come up and not had anyone to talk to about them? Establishing a clear leader can make things run more smoothly on your team. If the team has a leader, the team members have someone to go to for guidance. The leader can provide guidance when anyone on the team has questions, concerns, needs help, or has a problem arise. This guidance can make being on a team easier.

 

3

ACCOUNTABILITY:

the obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner

Keeping everyone accountable for their tasks is crucial for a team to work well. The leader of the team should know what everyone is working on and when things need to get done. If everyone has a clear understanding of their work, the team will run more efficiently. Everyone being accountable for their work means that they are responsible for what they create and each team member gains a sense of ownership over their work. 

 

4

PLAYING TO EVERYONE'S STRENGTHS:

to put one in a position that allows them to best use their natural abilities and specific skills

Everyone has different talents and abilities. Everyone brings something different to the table. Make sure that you are playing to everyone's strengths; your team will be stronger than ever if everyone is doing what their talents enable them to do best. We encourage all organizations to implement a personality or strengths assessment to gain a clearer picture of where strengths live within your team and where you might be able to fill gaps when hiring for future positions. Some examples include DISC, StrengthsFinder, Myers–Briggs Type Indicator, Enneagram, and more.

5

ENCOURAGEMENT:

the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope.

Everyone wants to feel valued and appreciated. To make the bond of your team members stronger, make it a point to lift up your teammates and point out what they are doing right. Even when the time for constructive criticism comes, don't forget to include something positive about that person and their work.  Encouragement like this can boost the confidence of the people on your team and give them the strength to get the job done.

We hope you feel better equipped to build better team culture after reading our list. Let us know in the comments what you will take back to your organization to create a stronger team, or tell us about your best experience being on a team.