HR may be handed the task of ‘building teams’ but how best to go about it? John Pope outlines his no-nonsense guide.
 

 
Within any sector of business, good teams are essential to business function and success. We have teams so that people get better results by working together rather than separately. Members stay together for quite a time, even when it is a temporary team to work on a project – though that can sometimes last for years. However, the first questions on teambuilding are simple:
 
Q     Whose team is it?
A     The manager’s
Q     Whose job is it to build and develop the team?
A     The manager’s
Q     Why do so many managers fail to build a strong team?
A     Because they don’t think it’s necessary or don’t know how to go about it.
 
Healthy teams
Healthy teams are strong: members share problems and get support from their colleagues; they share ideas, know how and when to use each-other’s knowledge. They don’t usually start off that way, given time and enough success they either become strong or they break up. They can be helped to develop better or faster.
 
Permanent teams
Those who work together regularly under the guidance of a manager long enough eventually discover how best to divide up the work and responsibilities. However they don’t always work as effectively as they should. Spectators see more of the game than players: Good managers can and should see and understand even more, especially how well the members work together. If the manager of an office or any business team can tear himself away from ‘his own work’ there are opportunities to develop both team and individuals.
 
Get the team to analyse how well they work and what they could do to improve it. You should be aware of the likely issues; you should make your own gentle enquiries. You may have to set some limits, you should ask them to prepare beforehand. The discussion will need to be moderated – not necessarily by you. You will have to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to make a contribution and everyone has something to do. After you have done this a couple of times you can give the job of facilitator to someone else, sit back and watch.
 
Your role is facilitator and observer of hidden talents. It is not to be a skeet-shooter and bring two ideas down with one barrel. It can reveal things about the way you manage and be unpleasant.
 
So, what can you get from it? It gives you some ideas; it can tell you something about the abilities of your people; it helps you understand what goes on; it can improve your team’s commitment; it may help the team understand the difficulties you face.
 

Special teams
You have special teams for projects, launch of new products or so on. Team members may need training in new techniques but some will be put in the position of being leaders of their own groups – perhaps for the first time. Some will need specific training in managing change, or in implementing new systems and procedures. Some will need training as team leaders when it comes to the implementation of new systems. In a major systems change there may be teams at different levels. All may need some development whether at local, regional or specialist level. Key people and regional team leaders may need development at national level.
 
I was heavily involved guiding such teams in one of the biggest innovative changes in retailing some years ago. That national retailer took immense trouble to ensure continuing general team training and special individual training. I consider that the undoubted success of that innovative project which ran over several years was largely due to the very substantial effort put into the selection of the teams and its training and development. Those who performed outstandingly progressed very rapidly in the business when the job was done. And that is of course one of the costs of developing your team – you may lose key members if you can’t justify keeping them.
 
Involvement

Teams are strengthened from the contributions of individual members. It can be easy administratively to bring in some ‘outsider’ to train them in new skills or techniques, and it can be quicker. However, the essence of teamwork is that everyone has something important to contribute to the success of the team. What could be better than getting the team members to take a substantial part in their team’s training and development? It develops the individual as well as the team.
 
Where does L&D fit in? The spectator sees more than the players. Does getting managers to take the lead in developing their own team keep spectators off the field? L and D can help in several ways:
 

 
John Pope has been a management consultant for over 40 years and has worked to improve the development and performance of managers and management teams at all levels for most of his career. To know more about John’s work and service please visit the website. His book ‘Winning Consultancy Business’ was published in July and is now available through his website. He can be contacted at r.j.pope@btinternet.com.

One Response

  1. Teambuilding or relationship building?

    Teambuilding or relationship building?

    As well as team analysis and an understanding of individual characters within a group we have found an approach which doesn’t tackle teambuilding head-on but rather looks to strengthen relationships generally to be most successful for companies. Staff are often cynical about approaches which are too contrived, we have found teambuilding works best when it goes unnoticed…when teams get to know each other better without it being too forced or prescribed. Venturi’s Table specialises in hands-on cookery experiences which help bring professionals together in a totally non-corporate environment and over delicious food. It may seem like groups are just playing together as they made homemade pasta and sip lovely wines at our centre but they really do bond through getting to know each other better and as a result become more united in the workplace. Our events make great Christmas parties as well!

    For a teambuilding exercise that is both genuine and effective try Venturi’s Table Corporate Cookery Centre. Visit: http://www.venturis-table.com.