Anyone can wrangle people together, give them a task, and call them a team. But that approach is usually a recipe for disaster and, certainly, no one would consider you much of a leader for doing it. You can’t just throw paint at a canvas and call yourself the next Rembrandt. You need to be careful with your choices, sketch out a plan, and figure out ways for your different hues (i.e. personalities) to work together. Otherwise, you might as well be a kindergartener smearing finger paint on construction paper.
The fact that you’re reading this article—that you actually give a damn about creating a transformative team—means that your head and heart are in the right place. You’re aiming for quality far beyond the finger-painting level.
And that’s great! We believe the best leaders are the ones who truly care and are willing to put in the legwork to get where they’d like to go. In return for you investing your limited time to read this article, we’re going to give you:
Research-backed findings
Clear, concise advice
Action-oriented questions
But before we get into all that, let’s briefly talk about why cohesive teamwork matters.
Our brains tend to track in one direction. We become accustomed to thinking about a problem in a certain way and only seeing a certain set of solutions. Others can open our eyes to alternative perspectives and problem-solving methods, shed new light on a project, or challenge us to approach a task from a different angle.
A cooperative team can move much larger mountains than any one person. When your leadership team is functioning properly—with everyone communicating, working toward the same goals, capitalizing on strengths, and trusting each other—you can have a greater reach and tackle larger, more complex problems.
Cohesive teamwork fosters a supportive and energetic atmosphere that leads to better personal well-being and job satisfaction. Some may roll their eyes at “warm and fuzzy” words like well-being, but study after study demonstrates that if a person feels valued and supported at work, their job performance increases and the whole company benefits. The Human Capital Trends report found that the best-performing companies were “11 times more likely to offer holistic well-being policies than their lower-performing peers.”
In our experience as professional coaches (in addition to working a combined 40 years in leadership roles in corporate America), we have come to appreciate the true value of a well-functioning team. We also know what it means to make mistakes in a leadership position, and leave some team members feeling unsupported or unheard. We’re only human, after all! Besides, these less-than-optimal situations have given us opportunities to learn, grow, and pass on real-life information to leaders like you.
We could fill a book with lessons we’ve learned about developing and sustaining a “dream team” of communicative, cohesive individuals, but this article is going to whittle it down to three crucial factors: Shared Vision, Meaningful Communication, and Trust.
1. Shared Vision
Take a moment to visualize a team whose individuals do not share the same goals. What problems might arise? What will the end results look like? How will individuals feel as they attempt to move forward?
A group without a shared vision can hardly call themselves a team. If people are not on board with a specific direction or goal, they’ll end up either spinning in circles or heading in completely different directions. The bottom line is this:
If people feel rudderless or unconnected to a larger goal, the team is going to have trouble moving forward.
Connection is key. Your team members’ hearts need to be engaged, as well as their heads. They need to not only move toward a shared vision, but be excited about it. Evidence shows us time and again that when teams are enthusiastic about a shared vision, they perform with greater motivation, purpose, and clarity.
How can you, as a leader, help connect your team to a common goal or vision?
Start by taking a deep dive into the problem or task that lies before you. Get to know the problem intimately—who it affects, what outcomes it’s preventing, why it exists in the first place—and then come up with possible solutions (a shared vision) for your team.
Stanford professor and author, Tina Selig, has found that if you want to come up with smart, innovative results, you must first “fall in love with the problem.” She discourages skipping ahead to brainstorming solutions without first “framestorming” the problem. “Framestorming” essentially involves defining the problem and the stakes so you are better prepared to come up with appropriate solutions or action plans.
Once your team members understand and feel personally connected to the stakes, they can determine the end goal, and start working on potential strategies to get there. Create an open dialogue. Get everyone talking and on board with your team’s direction.
As a leader, it’s a good idea to consistently remind your team of what you’re working toward—your big-picture objective. Keep it top-of-mind by talking about it regularly and pausing every now and then to ask action-oriented questions like:
“For this area, where do you think we should focus our attention?”
“How do you see these ideas relating to our goal?”
“What can we do to not lose sight of the big picture?”
“Tell me more about how you’re feeling about connection or lack of connection to this goal.” (Okay, this is technically a statement, but you get the idea!)
By engaging your team and keeping them centered on your shared vision, you’ll steer your team straight and true, and avoid veering off course and getting stuck in the weeds.
2. Meaningful Communication
A communication meltdown spells doom for a team, no matter how motivated and high-performing the individuals may be. Research points to poor communication as a frequent cause of failed or incomplete projects, low morale, missed performance goals, and increased stress.
How can you foster an atmosphere of open, honest communication?
Start leading by example. Ask yourself:
How transparent is my communication?
What can I do to be more inclusive and make sure everyone shares the microphone?
How can I create a safe space for people to air their frustrations or voice their ideas?
Practice being an engaged facilitator by making a point of meeting one-on-one with each team member, and (this is the important part) listening to what they have to say. During team meetings, make sure everyone has a chance to speak. Sometimes, it helps to lob a question directly at those who tend to be more reserved.
Few things are as frustrating as feeling like your voice isn’t being heard. Make sure your team knows their thoughts and perspectives are valued, no matter what.
Another aspect of effective team communication has to do with the way people think and process information. Some are more analytical, others are action-oriented. Some are reserved, others expressive. When these very different personality types work together, conflict can ensue.
Fortunately, personality gaps can be bridged simply by understanding and acknowledging how others process information. Oftentimes, it pays to