What make a highly effective team?
Great teams don't just happen.
Each Team Member Has Emotional Intelligence
- Effective teams possess not only technical skills, but also emotional intelligence.
- It turns out that if individuals are socially aware, the whole group puts in better quality work.
A Good Mix of Introverts and Extroverts
- Extroverts can create great expectations, while introverts tend to undersell, however gain status as they exceed expectations for their group participation
- Mixing up introverts and extroverts, prevents setbacks caused by dips in team's morale as the contribution of each team member emerges.
They Share and Understand Their Common Goals
- Team members need to have common goals and shared ambitions in order to be as efficient as possible.
- Anticipate what is needed to complete a task (Example: Emergency Response)
- Setting out clear roles and expectations
They Make Time for Humour
- Humour inspires trust and intimacy
- Effective team interactions, including communication
- It's beneficial to everyone to not be so serious all the time.
- Culture
They Communicate Proactively
- Provide information before being asked
- Provide support and assistance before being asked
- Providing guidance and making suggestions to other team members
Leadership
- Provide effective feedback and to nurture the soft skills (mentioned above)
- Empower team members to offer constructive criticism to Management
Finally, a highly effective team will know how to celebrate achievements and how to readjust their efforts after defeats.