Team dynamics: the secret to productive and profitable collaboration

Anyone who’s ever managed a team will know that teamwork isn’t something that automatically happens when a bunch of people start working together. Rather, its success rests on a dynamic system that allows everyone to contribute their knowledge and skills independently, while coherently harnessing their efforts in pursuit of a shared goal.??

The rewards are myriad. Because individuals’ contributions are intensified rather than diluted, the most effective teams are much greater than the sum of their parts. A collaborative feedback loop means that outcomes – both good and bad – can be used to inform the team’s development and drive future performance, while the emphasis on openness and honesty reduces friction.??

Ultimately, as team members learn how to collaborate productively and creatively, they are collectively empowered to build a place of psychological safety that inspires and supports everyone to bring their best and most authentic selves to the workplace.???

It's not something that happens overnight – or without deliberate and intentional action. But, if a high-performing workplace is your target, forging a strong and resilient team culture will be one of your biggest priorities.?

Set the tone from the top?

Naturally, every team experiences different challenges – and not all are the result of conflicting personalities or priorities. Often, leaders need to begin by evaluating their own approaches before more closely examining team dynamics.??

Leaders set the tone for their teams, so it’s crucial to make sure that their values align with the company’s broader cultural ethos. For example, are they leading with strength, vision and compassion – or are they making people feel uneasy about expressing their opinions, and anxious about the possibility of failing??

Leaders should model the behaviour they want to see – which means showing up, honestly, authentically and consistently, day in and day out.??

Analyse your team’s dynamics?

Start with what you know. If you take the time to observe and understand the way your team interacts, tackles projects and solves problems right now, you’ll be able to spot what needs addressing.??

It’s also worth scheduling formal and informal chats with team members to encourage open and honest discussions about what works well and what would benefit from improvement. Asking for additional input from people who regularly, or occasionally, engage with your team can also provide useful context.?

Look for an imbalance of energy. Are some team members much less involved in a project than others? Do some carry a heavier load? Are rewards fairly shared??

Assign roles and responsibilities?

That people need to know what their responsibilities are – and have the associated time and resources at hand – in order to accomplish their objectives, should be self-evident. And yet, employees often lack clarity on employers’ expectations.?

This doesn’t mean that team members need their hands holding – in fact, your team dynamics will improve by trusting people to achieve their goals without being micro-managed.?

However, it does mean that the standards you expect must be explicit – your team members will only know what excellence looks like (for you) if you define it. So, consider precisely how excellence can be expressed for each task or role on your team and communicate your vision with clarity.??

Resolve conflicts quickly?

It’s not possible to avoid conflict altogether – creating an environment that encourages the free exchange of ideas will inevitably result in some disagreements along the way. What you can do, however, is make sure that conflicts are quickly and amicably resolved.?

Establishing a forum for talking through potential problems at an early stage will promote openness and professionalism, hopefully preventing small issues from escalating into bitter disputes. It’s worth taking this aspect of team dynamics seriously, as maintaining a positive approach – even when navigating problems – will underpin productive collaboration at every level.?

Prioritise communication?

This transparency and positivity should be at the heart of your approach to communication, too. Not everyone is a naturally gifted communicator but there are lots of strategies available – for individuals and groups – to advance interpersonal skills and enhance communication among team members, even when some work remotely.?

Encouraging active listening is crucial to ensure all voices are heard – not just the loudest. A 2019 US report by Gallup found that only a minority of employees (three out of 10) strongly believed their opinions counted. Unsurprisingly, it’s even harder for underrepresented groups to feel valued: a 2021 study by gender equality advocate Catalyst revealed that 20 percent of women reported feeling overlooked or ignored in video calls.?

Giving ‘airtime’ equitably to all your team members will show you value all contributions more powerfully than any company policy.?

We can help?

If you’re struggling to make a start, qpeople offers a proven diagnostic and development programme that helps identify your team’s high-impact behaviours and provides a customised development journey designed to supercharge their performance.??

Meta Team has been trialled, tested and refined over the last 15 years, in collaboration with leading psychologists from Harvard and McKinsey and with input from more than 1000 teams in real-life situations. Findings show that the best-performing teams share specific successful habits and are 23 percent more productive than teams that do not.?

Our 90-minute focused workouts are tailored to individual teams, targeted to remove barriers to change, and designed to help teams adapt and thrive.?

For more information, contact Sally Rowland , qpeople 's Head of Psychology Services.?

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