Putting Together A Strong Group

No business is the result of the efforts of a single person. The bigger the business is the more people are involved in its ongoing development and structure.

This points to the importance of being able to pull together a strong group of people for every task. If you can do this successfully on every occasion, your business will become much stronger and you will find it easier to solve problems and complete tasks as a result.

The key is to choose the right people for each occasion. Some people make the mistake of selecting the people they need for a particular purpose, and when that combination proves successful they automatically resort to the same people on future occasions.

This might sound like a good idea but in reality every situation and task is different and the right people for one situation may be the wrong ones for something else. That’s why you need to use your leadership skills to evaluate every person for every individual situation, to try and match up their skills and abilities with the tasks that need doing.

A strong group will always contain a good mix of people. If you select a number of people who are too similar then you could end up having a task that isn’t covered adequately. Alternatively you might find you have several people with similar skills in the same area that disagree on how best to get that specific job done.

Most importantly, and perhaps most difficult, for a leader is to be conscious of their own skill gap as far as the project is concerned. By being aware of the skills you can contribute to the successful completion of the project, and those that you lack, will make it easier to identify the right skills you need to recruit.

Before you take steps to put a group of people together, look at the project in hand and identify the different steps that will need completing in order for it to be successful. You can then view the people you have to choose from and pick those who will contribute in a strong way towards your end goal. By breaking down the project in this way you will be able to ensure that every area is covered and you have the right people in the right place, who will each get their particular part of the task done to the best of their ability, and right on time.

It goes without saying that the better you know the people in your workforce, the easier you will find it to select the people you need. Consider organising team building exercises to help strengthen the bond between everyone involved. Creating a strong group to complete a project is a good way of getting to know people more closely so make the most of the opportunity and note down any traits or skills that were not previously apparent in certain people, so that you can bear them in mind for different positions in the future.

Knowledge is the best asset you can have in this situation, as it enables you to choose a strong team. But you should also evaluate what happened after the project is complete, as this will contain valuable lessons for the future. Were there people who didn’t perform as well as you thought they would? Are there others who have demonstrated skills you didn’t know they had?

All of this knowledge will help you put together stronger teams in the future.

Creating A Team Environment

Everyone knows that teams can get more done than individuals, but knowing something and putting it into practice can be easier said than done.

What is clear however is that every successful team has a goal that every team member is working towards. Without a common goal there is a tendency for everyone to be working towards their own agenda, and that can create roles and working practices that will eventually come into conflict with each other. Therefore sharing the strategic vision and operational goals with all team members is an important first step in becoming an effective leader.

In order to create a team environment it may be necessary to change existing roles and working practices. If this is the case it’s important to bring the whole team together to discuss how things can move forward in the best possible way. While it is generally a manager’s job to oversee this kind of meeting, as a leader it is important to create a trusted environment where everyone can contribute their ideas and feelings without the fear of being ignored or ridiculed.

Perhaps the best way to create a good team environment is to encourage everyone to be pro-active. While it’s not a good idea for anyone to take it upon themselves to instigate certain procedures that may or may not help the whole team to achieve a goal, it is important to ensure that everyone has a say within a constructive environment. That’s not to say that people can’t use their own initiative at any point; rather, they shouldn’t strike out on their own to achieve something without the help or support of the team as a whole.

One thing that goes hand in hand with goals is recognition. There has to be an expectation of being appreciated for reaching a goal that is set by a manager, otherwise the initial sense of excitement and motivation will soon wane, and there will be nothing left to replace it.

Another aspect to be considered which can create an even stronger team is to make sure everyone is capable of multi-tasking. Not only does this mean that individual roles can be covered in the event of absence, but it also leads to a greater understanding within the team as a whole, since everyone will become far more aware of and sympathetic to the roles other people have performed in the past. As a bonus, training to prepare individuals to multi task helps in succession planning and effective time management. A win/win all round.

This particular facet of a team also creates a better understanding of the business as a whole, since it helps to foster respect and an inner drive to do better work in the future. The best team environments also learn from their mistakes to ensure they are not repeated, and set out even more determined than before to succeed. There is no room for blame or negativity in a solid team environment, since these are things which can make a team fall apart. If any signs of these appear they should be squashed immediately.

In short, a team environment will always do more and achieve more than any number of motivated individuals. That’s because the sum total of the effort put in by everyone involved is always worth more than each individual part.

Becoming A Better Listener

Part of being a good manager and leader is about becoming aware of and sorting out problems within your team and the working environment as a whole. Everyone goes through problems at certain times in their life, and while no one likes personal problems to have an impact on their professional life, it can and does happen. The most important thing is to know that there is someone who can provide a shoulder if it’s needed. The same applies to any problems which may occur in a professional capacity as well.

It’s inevitable therefore that as a manager you will be involved in some of these occurrences. The outcome for your business and for your team depends on how you handle it – and one of the best ways to do that is to become a better listener.

There is sometimes a feeling among managers that you need to take actions in order to solve every problem that comes along. In reality that is not true. You can sometimes be of great help simply by listening to what someone has to say and that is where managers become better leaders.

For example, let’s suppose that you have noticed a particular employee is having problems at work. Their performance is down on normal impeccable standards, and you are beginning to realise that something needs to be done in order to make sure the person’s performance does not start having a detrimental impact on everyone else.

Now some managers might think in terms of consequences and threats without giving the team member any opportunity to speak for themselves or explain what the underlying problem might be. In reality there is little chance that this would bring about positive results; the employee clearly has a problem already and being treated in a negative way by their manager is unlikely to make them feel any better.

Now let’s look at the listening approach. If you were to provide a positive environment and give the team member an opportunity to talk about what’s going on and why they think their performance is down on its usual standards, you would be able to listen and find out what the reasons are.

By listening and giving the other person a chance to speak you are effectively putting yourself in a better position for dealing with the matter, since you will be gathering information which can help you solve the problem in a more effective way. Remember that the key to listening effectively is contained in the word itself – re-arrange the letters of LISTEN and you can form the word SILENT. By actually allowing the other person to talk freely and openly is the first step in listening empathetically.

Learning to listen to people around you will not only help you understand your team members better, it will also help you to become a better leader and mentor. If you become known as someone who is willing to listen instead of simply talking to other people and not hearing what they have to say, you will find that many more team members will come to you for advice and information.

As a result you will learn more about them, the business and yourself than you ever thought possible – all of which have extremely positive effects.

Understanding The Need For Clear Communication

Communication is an essential part of any successful business. In order to compete fully within your own specific market sector, it is vital that you are able to communicate effectively with everyone you come into contact with in your working life.

It’s also essential to understand that the art of clear communication can and should be applied to the various ways we have of communicating with our colleagues and clients. For example, a specific set of skills will be required if we are talking with someone face to face, as body language will be added into the equation. But if we are sending an email, we have to rely on the words we use to communicate effectively with the person we are sending it to.

Talking to someone on the phone is another type of communication that requires some practice before we learn to do it effectively – indeed clear communication isn’t just a case of knowing what words to use to convey your ideas clearly, it also depends on how those words are used and in what physical context.

As part of the communication process, the ability to ask quality “open creative questions” and to listen empathetically will be a key ingredient of success. Indeed the first step in understanding others through communication lies in the “the one who asks questions leads the conversation” rule.

Clear communication also relies on your ability to think clearly, because without having a clear cut idea of what you want to achieve, you cannot convey what needs to be done to others. This will also have a knock-on effect to how other people perceive you – and this applies to everyone you work with, whatever their level in the organisation, as well as customers, suppliers and so on.

If you have ever worked with or for someone who sends mixed messages with their communication you’ll know how counter-productive it can be.

And if you are looking for the possibility of promotion (whether now or in the future) you should know that possessing and using clear communication skills will be a big factor in how well you could perform a more senior job role. To this end it can be well worth investing in a course on communication, whether it is financed by your company or done in your spare time. Either way, it will be positively perceived as an addition to your list of achievements.

Another key aspect of clear communication is directness. We can sometimes be nervous of asking for something that we want, but in reality we are much more likely to get it and avoid confusion if we state our needs clearly and simply. And our ability to say a considered “no” clearly confidently when appropriate will also create a positive impression of us as a leader.

Clear communication is a gradual process that is honed and improved upon with practice. But many of the results it brings can be seen immediately in many cases, making it easier to progress still further with our skills and our careers.

Matching Job Tasks With The Right People

Keeping a record of all the skills your employees possess can make matching job tasks to those who are capable of completing them much easier. Before assigning tasks to those in your group, ask specific questions and record the answers. Meet with individuals to get a better idea of their current workload, tasks they are interested in completing, and ask about skills they have that can be used on the project.

Once you have learned more about what each team member brings to the project, assign tasks and provide any additional information team members need. If some tasks are larger than others, assign two or more people to them. Some team members may be assigned to work on two or three tasks for the project.

When assigning tasks, assign another team member to act as a consultant in case additional help is needed. This way, team members can work together and rely on each other. This will also ensure that each phase of a project is completed.

TAKING CHANCES

Even though you may know the members of your group well and have an understanding of their skills level, assigning new tasks to those who may not have as much experience in certain areas can benefit the group in the long run. Employees should have the opportunity to learn new skills as this is what will keep them excited about their careers. By taking chances, you are also showing employees that you have faith in their work and that they are competent to learn new skills.

Assigning a group member as a mentor to help another team member learn a new skill is a way to ensure the task is completed correctly. While you can assign mentors other tasks, they should be ready to answer questions and assist when necessary.

As a leader you will need to adapt your delegation style according to the needs of the team member. Someone who skilled and confident in a task needs little guidance from their leader, whereas someone who is challenged by a task requires more monitoring, feedback and coaching

BREAKING UP TASKS

Sometimes there will be project tasks that are too large to be handled by one person. Breaking them up and giving them to two or more people is a great way to encourage team members to work together. Keep in mind that you may need to assign time limits to these tasks so others in the group can complete their part. Monitor how well each task is progressing and assist when necessary.

WHEN TO INTERVENE

If you notice that a task is not being completed on time or in a manner that meets project standards, you may need to provide the appropriate feedback to better channel performance, add others to the task, or even reassign the task. When this happens, it is important to act professionally and find ways to correct the situation quickly.

As a project leader, it is up to you to determine the best course of action when it comes to completing the project. Many times, adding additional help is all that is needed to complete the task. If problems persist, you may need to take the team member off the project completely and reassign them to another project.