Building Successful Teams: There was a time when companies considered their employees a part of the process. Or rather, the machine.
In other words, they were discarded and replaced like a play when they no longer lived up to their duties. Fortunately, this scenario is different these days, thanks to the realization that people are one of the main assets in any organization. Therefore, it is essential to understand the aspects involved in people management so that the best can be obtained from each individual to provide their development amid their tasks.
However, it is necessary to consider a series of factors: your skills, abilities, desires, and how you interact in your sphere of activity. In this sense, the role of leaders assumes enormous proportions, as we will see later – and is the significant difference in building successful teams.
Therefore, the first question managers should ask themselves is about the profile of the professional they want on their team. This includes, in addition to the knowledge necessary for the organization, its qualifications, values, convictions, and expectations.
Human, Too human
It is necessary to consider that this professional will work among other people and, therefore, will have to interact with other employees and fit into the corporate structure. A wrong assessment at this stage will inevitably lead to future problems, harming both the company and the employee.
For this reason, this is the first (big) challenge. Of course, there is no sure way to guarantee a successful hire. Still, it is necessary to keep in perspective the utmost importance of clearly determining what is the ideal profile for this or that team. Having answered these questions, another question arises: how do we attract the right professional?
More Than Money And Benefits Are Needed
In the past, an appropriate response would have been “money, benefits, and prestige.” Today, however, the possibility of growing together with the company, the proposed challenge, and the alignment of ideals are also balanced and often function as differentiators to attract talent.
Either way, having the right professional in place means getting good results – for everyone. In his autobiography, Lee Iacocca states that managing means delegating and motivating employees. Alright: There is no secret to the fact that team motivation is the driving force for successful teams, but this factor often forms a Gordian knot. After all, what is the best way to encourage employees to do their best?
One Keyword: Recognition
Perhaps one of the first responses is recognizing individual efforts and in groups. To understand how relevant this factor is, think about how we feel when we give everything we can, and there is no word or gesture of gratitude – that is when our commitment is not recognized. For many professionals, this comes before remuneration – and that, in itself, proves that these are different times. And I’m glad it’s like that!
The possibility of developing professionally, the feeling of contributing to the company’s success, working among people you admire, being listened to by leadership, having flexible hours (the balance between personal life and work is one of the most essential desires in these days), opportunities to coordinate projects and participate in decision-making are powerful motivators these days.
The Importance Of Organizational Culture
In other words, all these aspects contribute significantly to increasing motivation in the corporate environment. It is worth highlighting that recognition in the form of remuneration and benefits is still important – but, as we have seen, there are now other factors that can and should be taken into account.
Of course, it cannot be stressed enough that employees must also be aligned with the organizational culture, that is, with the company’s mission, vision, and values. The organization’s competitiveness depends on the consistency and dissemination of these aspects, with clarity and constant emphasis on positive actions.
An employee who enjoys or feels pride in working for a company will certainly give their best in their day-to-day work so that the organization achieves its strategic objectives and, thus, grows and remains competitive in the market in which it operates.
The Role Of The Leader
At this point, there is no doubt that leaders, as they are in direct contact with the team, play a crucial role in motivation and results. They need to be prepared to engage their subordinates. Listening, delegating, demanding, and giving feedback – in addition to helping to train and train other leaders – are also part of your duties.
Your conduct will guide your posture and good practices at work. Empathy, emotional intelligence, and social skills complement the characteristics necessary for leaders to gain the trust of their team members and, thus, challenge them to overcome their limits and thus have the opportunity to go even further in their careers.
Common Goals
These were some considerations about forming successful teams in companies and organizations. Despite the different skills and competencies, as well as the individual characteristics of each team member, it is necessary to keep in perspective that everyone is united around common objectives.
For this reason, it is essential that as well as the mission, vision, and values, there is clarity and transparency regarding the expected results, as well as the role of each person in this process. In other words, everyone must row in the same direction. And that is only possible if everyone knows exactly where to go.
