A team is not just a gathering of individuals. It should be a true working group. Each team member should work not individually, but together with others to achieve a common goal. To accomplish this, they need to share common values and a vision of the work to be accomplished. To help you achieve this, we share these four tips with you.
A team is a group of professionals coming together to work on a common project. However, simply bringing a few people together does not guarantee an effective team. The members of the group need to share ideas and values that create a bond between them. It is this bond that will motivate them and lead to successful cooperation in accomplishing the assigned project. Here are some tips for better team management.
- Be a good manager There is no secret, a good manager has a better chance of having a good team. As the project leader, it is your role to motivate the troops, assign roles, set goals, define deadlines, resolve tensions, and solve any potential problems, etc.
To make progress, your team needs to know where it is going: you are not just a manager, you are their leader. Your goal? Your team’s success. To achieve this, you need to know your collaborators and what motivates them.
Listen to your team. Create an environment that promotes transparency and honesty so that your collaborators are not afraid to give their opinions or propose ideas. Recognize their efforts and be able to anticipate their needs.
To be a good manager, you should:
Know how to delegate and trust; Listen to your team; Value your collaborators’ skills; Question yourself; Lead by example; Recognize both failure and success. Finally, a smile is contagious, so be in a good mood and smile!
- Foster exchanges among collaborators Communication is another essential aspect of teamwork. In order to make progress, participants need to be able to exchange easily. To achieve this, they need to have the right tools:
Email: for sending emails throughout the project; Instant messaging: for quick dialogues in case of questions or issues. In addition, an enterprise collaboration platform will allow your teams to centralize their exchanges. Such a tool will be especially useful for working on documents collaboratively with other individuals/services/sites.
However, exchanges among team members should not be limited to digital means. It is also important to have face-to-face interactions. Therefore, team meetings should be organized at regular intervals. These meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss the project’s progress in person. Having in-person exchanges is also a good way to develop relationships among each team member, making collaboration more effective and enjoyable.
- Create team cohesion Creating a sense of teamwork is crucial. Provide opportunities for your team members to get to know each other better. When team members get along well, they will naturally communicate better and enjoy working together. It’s all positive!
As the project leader, it is your responsibility to create opportunities for your team to come together in a friendly and informal atmosphere. These social gatherings allow your collaborators to relax together, away from the formal work environment, responsibilities, restrictions, and hierarchical barriers. Organize activities to break the ice and spend time together. This creates a strong sense of belonging that benefits the entire team. For example, occasionally have lunch with your team, go for a drink after work, or participate in team sports (football, basketball, etc.) together.
Note that the team should not perceive these activities as a burden. Encourage your team’s initiatives and let them organize such events. Celebrate your victories! Celebrate the success of a project or the achievement of a challenging goal. By doing so, you show your team that you recognize their work and commitment, which strengthens their engagement.
- Have the right tools In addition to the communication tools mentioned earlier, your team will likely need other tools to successfully complete their project. The nature of these tools will depend on the specific project. However, given the numerous solutions available on the market, it is highly recommended to seek the assistance of a software integrator to find the one that best suits your needs.
There are “off-the-shelf” solutions that you can use as they are. However, to ensure that your tools align well with your activity, it is advisable to choose a customizable ERP system that you can configure according to your preferences. Depending on your projects and the evolution of your company, you can easily expand it with new modules without having to change all your other tools.
As technology evolves rapidly, it is also important to keep an eye on current developments. Your solution or even the version you are using can quickly become outdated. Therefore, it is important that your teams can always work with optimized versions of these different tools, to make the most of their functionalities.
- Learn to trust Today, imposing authority no longer works, particularly with the younger generation. To benefit from the best your collaborators have to offer and to generate their commitment, you must trust them. It is time for trust-based management to motivate your troops. Establish an atmosphere of mutual trust within your team. Rely on the skills, talents, and potential of each of your collaborators. Show them that you believe in them! When empowered, they will feel driven and be ready to work hard to achieve their objectives.
However, this does not mean that you should delegate everything and avoid any involvement. It is your responsibility to monitor and validate each collaborator’s achievement of their objectives.
Furthermore, trust should be mutual. Show your collaborators that you are there for them and that they can rely on you.
