Successful Teamwork - 23 October 2007

Team-building activities are often used to improve teamwork - but they rarely ever do. Team-building gets employees to like each other more, but it doesn't necessarily get them to work better together. Successful teamwork isn't achieved by running an off-site team-building event where you play games, sing songs, and hold hands. Rather, it's achieved by figuring out what it is specifically about the way your team is operating that is hindering its performance. When a basketball team is under-performing, it'd be unthinkable for the coach to solve the problem by playing blindfold games, beating drums, or building towers out of straws. Instead, the coach would analyse the direction the team is going, then review the strategy, and determine each player's role on the court.

The same method applies in the workplace. Consider whether your employees are clear on each others' roles and responsibilities; make sure they all understand the team's goals and purpose; have team processes in place, especially in relation to conflict resolution and decision-making; and monitor communication channels so that they're free-flowing.

Without a doubt, there's definitely a need for team-building in the workplace; after all, it leads to team cohesion. But here's the deal. Team cohesion doesn't lead to team performance. Rather, it's team performance that leads to team cohesion. The slam dunk comes first.

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