What do you do if your team members struggle with relationship building and need development and empowerment?

As a leader it is important to remember everyone connects in different ways and a one size fits all will not work. Ask questions and observe the dynamics then provide the support they need by working with the team so you can model expectations and a positive working relationship. Being available to guide and listen as they grow and develop their relationship skills will allow you to provide the support they need.

As a leader spending more time with your team individually, and inclusively is paramount. Structuring regular meetings, formal and informal events to build relationships is paramount. Consistency is key to let them know directly or indirectly that the interactions are not going away! With this you can have them work on group projects all together, in teams, present, etc! The interactions will be insightful, and it may come to the point where you have to move some team members around to find synergy in better suited roles? Especially if they cannot work together, collaborate, or simply get along! That move may require letting them go altogether.

In my experience, the ability of building relationship with a new team is a two way street. I have come across many who exit a toxic work environment & feel restricted to open up with new people. And that’s absolutely okay! If you feel that this new person has a lot to say + contribute but feels like he / she is holding themselves back, respectfully have a conversation. Share your personal work experiences which weren’t good & how you learnt to trust again with boundaries + don’t force them to speak up but rather let them know that you are there if they need to talk. I feel team bonding is heavy on interpersonal relationships with a common goal. Instead of a quick judgement, rather understand where they come from!

Lead By Example is always my go-to relationship building skill as it allows for the team member to observe and learn from my interactions to others. Because a relationship is being fostered through teamwork, it opens the door to ask difficult questions and seek support in their challenges. Once the team member is put at ease, offer training and development resources available at their disposal in tandem with regular check-ins. But most importantly, tailor your relationship building strategy after LISTENING to their issues and concerns. Their insights might be feedback to improve current resources to better the company’s training and development tools.

Understanding team members' relationship-building challenges is crucial. Some may struggle with communication, empathy, or conflict resolution. Initiating one-on-one meetings allows leaders to gather insights and signal support. This approach empowers team members to address their difficulties and cultivate stronger relationships within the team.

Consider offering training sessions focused on relationship-building skills once improvement areas are identified. Workshops on active listening, emotional intelligence, and effective communication can be highly beneficial. These sessions should be interactive and practical, enabling team members to practice new skills in a safe environment. By investing in their development, you demonstrate commitment to their growth and the team's success.

"Once the areas needing improvement are identified, offering training sessions focused on relationship-building skills is crucial. Consider workshops on active listening, emotional intelligence, and effective communication. These sessions should be interactive and practical, allowing team members to practice new skills in a safe environment. By investing in their development, you demonstrate your commitment to their growth and the success of the team."

From my experience, when it comes to team building, prioritizing internal relationships is key. A training focused on this approach would involve techniques for fostering open communication and trust within the team. By investing in our internal dynamics first, we create a solid foundation for presenting a unified front externally. This ensures smoother collaborations and stronger partnerships down the line.

Offering targeted training on interpersonal skills like active listening, emotional intelligence, and effective communication is a proactive step. Interactive workshops that allow team members to practice these skills in a safe environment can be highly beneficial. It demonstrates your commitment to their development and equips them with tools to improve collaboration.

Initiate an open and honest conversation with the individuals concerned. Approach them with empathy and express your willingness to support their growth. Encourage them to share their perspectives on their challenges and aspirations.

Mentorship is a potent tool for personal development and empowerment. Pairing struggling team members with experienced colleagues can offer guidance, support, and role modeling for effective relationship-building. Encourage mentors to share experiences and strategies for overcoming challenges. This one-on-one support can accelerate learning and boost confidence in connecting with others.

Pairing struggling team members with more experienced colleagues through a mentorship program is a valuable suggestion. Mentors can share their experiences, provide guidance, and model effective relationship-building strategies. The one-on-one support can accelerate learning and boost confidence in connecting with others.

Pair team members with mentors or coaches who excel in relationship building. Encourage regular meetings where they can discuss challenges, receive feedback, and learn from the experiences of others. Personalized guidance and support can be highly effective in helping team members grow in this area.

The 360-degree feedback model is an excellent way to promote self-reflection among team members. Receiving constructive feedback from multiple perspectives, including supervisors, colleagues, and external stakeholders, can help individuals identify patterns in their strengths and areas for improvement across various work contexts. This approach fosters a culture of open and transparent feedback, promoting continuous personal and professional growth.

A highly effective methodology for promoting self-reflection among team members is the "360-degree Feedback" model. In this method, each team member receives feedback not only from their direct supervisor but also from colleagues, subordinates, and even external clients or partners. This approach encourages individuals to reflect on their performance and behavior comprehensively, identifying patterns in their strengths and areas for development across various work contexts. Overall, the 360-degree Feedback methodology fosters a culture of open and transparent feedback within the team, promoting continuous personal and professional growth for all members.

Lead by example and demonstrate strong relationship building skills in your interactions with team members and other colleagues. Encourage open communication, collaboration, and mutual respect within the team. When team members see positive relationship behaviors in action, they are more likely to emulate them.

Be empathic to the team members, talk with them and understand the areas they are lagging or find it difficult to overcome. Team them up with senior members to learn with the backing of trust. Give responsibilities and stand by them, even if they fail at times, this would help them to navigate the situation in future. Don't be critical, tell them what can be improved in the way they collaborate or work and guide them as necessary. Allow them to network in informal settings (lunch, sports, trek etc.,) so they can open up to others in the team. Celebrate even small wins.

This suggestion highlights the importance of empathy, understanding individual team members' challenges, and providing them with the necessary support and guidance. Pairing them with senior members, assigning responsibilities, and celebrating even small wins can help build their confidence and enhance their ability to collaborate effectively. Informal settings for networking and bonding can also foster stronger relationships within the team.

Ensure that goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of setting a vague goal like "improve communication skills," a SMART goal could be "Increase active listening skills by participating in at least three role-playing exercises per month for the next three months."

Crafting precise, attainable goals is pivotal for fostering smoother teamwork and enhanced collaboration. Ensure clarity, relevance, and specificity in each member's objectives. Regular check-ins provide opportunities for progress reflection and obstacle addressing. Celebrating milestones, no matter how small, boosts morale and sustains effort. Establishing clear goals is essential for nurturing team unity and achieving collective success.

Team work is also beneficial if you have a team who have different skills/ strength to each other. Nothing better than being able to learn from another team member as well as teaching them something that may be more of a strength of yours too. Together collaborating builds strong relationships and respect which sets up the team for success together.

I like to run workshop to help understand my team members their own personality, recognise their behaviours and identify the environment they could flourish. In second part, they share it with others (you need to work to make a safe and trustworthy space to begin). End it with ways of working which will respect everyone’s perspective and way of providing & giving feedback to each other.

Teamwork is an understated skill that gets ignored most of the time in a work space. We as managers and leads need to ensure that there is a team spirit rather than individual contribution being prioritised. When the best resources work in silos it gets difficult to groom newcomers. Helping someone gain confidence doesn't mean you have less importance in the team and this is something that needs to be promoted and only then a healthy environment can be created and that can help overcome many issues without even realising it, including helping the team gain confidence in building professional relationships.

1. Build Trust: Foster a culture of trust and mutual respect among team members. Trust is essential for effective collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making. Be reliable, honest, and supportive in your interactions. 2. Collaborative Environment: Create a collaborative environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and collaborating on tasks. Encourage brainstorming sessions, group discussions, and knowledge sharing. 3. Utilize Strengths: Recognize and leverage the strengths of each team member. Assign tasks and responsibilities based on individual skills, expertise, and interests to optimize team performance and motivation.

The one phrase everyone hear in any group work is, (There is not "I" in team). Promotion of team work is paramount. In construction there is a symbiotic relationship of all projects, one cannot begin or finish without the other in some cases. Having a project team attitude towards the accomplishment of the task at hand is paramount to achieve any desired objectives.

Sometimes teams need a period of unstructured time to chat. I have a sheet of discussion prompts that range from home and family to work that my teams can use if they need help to start a conversation. The ultimate goal is to provide time for them to connect, on a personal level, and find some commonalities. I get the added benefit of learning more about my team. This is a nice ice-breaker activity that doesn't feel forced or contrived.

Assign an Executive Coach to support them as an individual a d a Team Coach to navigate the challenging process of Self Analysis. This is likely to trigger Cognitive Dissonance for some so the person will need nudging to help them be honest with themselves. Not an easy or comfortable task. This is an issue that needs to be resolved ‘internally’ - no amount of Team Building exercises or analysis’ by a manager will create the transformation that will be sustainable and lead to a boost to Team Performance.

Set some time for team building & team bonding activities beyond work . - create opportunities for team members to connect with each other as individuals. - set up some ice breakers to get them talking to each other. - set up an overarching vision that the team can align too . - encourage collaboration by recognising anytime team members work with each other and assist each other. - build a culture of inclusiveness and ensure every voice is heard .

I would consider implementing these 8 steps: 1. Assess specific areas of struggle in relationship building. 2. Offer training on skills like active listening and empathy. 3. Provide one-on-one coaching for personalized guidance. 4. Foster peer support for shared learning experiences. 5. Lead by example to demonstrate effective relationship building. 6. Offer regular feedback and recognition for progress. 7. Equip team members with resources like books and courses. 8. Create a supportive environment for continuous improvement.

Celebrate successes: Acknowledge and celebrate their successes and milestones in their relationship-building efforts. Relationship building is an integral part of working in PR, however developing relationships with journalists, influencers etc takes time and can be extremely daunting. By simply acknowledging and celebrating their progress and efforts, (arranging a media meet, securing, coverage, offering guidance and feedback before sending a pitch) you will create an environment that promotes trust and helps the staff member feel more comfortable in both in their role and relationship-building journey.