Employees have to operate as a team very frequently in the workplace. But there are many areas they need to work through in order to perform at the highest level of team effectiveness. If anyone on the team has issues, the entire team suffers. Focusing on five core areas of competency will allow a team to function properly to meet goals and achieve success.
There are five areas of team effectiveness to focus on:
- Mission, vision, and goals. The team should have a strong and unified vision of the future, while the organization should have a clearly defined and well-communicated mission statement and purpose. The group makes plans and all work is managed against the goals or objectives.
- Team roles. The team’s work should be organized to support the overarching goals, and each team member should have a clearly defined role and job description. If everyone knows what their own responsibilities are, the group can function well and move smoothly through complex projects. Each team member also needs to take accountability for the work they are responsible for.
- Operating processes. Team members need to be aware of the organization’s operating processes. Policies and procedures can be used to manage the work or operations of the group, like problem solving, conflict management and decision making.
- Interpersonal relationships. Team members must work well with each other. If they don’t, the team will likely fail. Trust is key in a team where each person is responsible for both their own tasks and the achievement of the group as a whole.
- Inter-team relationships. Teams need to work with other teams in an organization. They must work cooperatively and collaboratively in order for an organization to succeed.
If these important categories are assessed and prioritized, then the team will likely succeed due to its strength and unity. But sometimes further help to get there is needed. Team Effectiveness Profile is a diagnostic instrument designed to assist groups in improving their output and work satisfaction. It was developed to help groups systematically identify issues and maximize the team’s productive efforts.
To learn more about team effectiveness, watch HRDQ’s webinar “Team Effectiveness: What is it Anyway?” The webinar is based on “Team Effectiveness Profile.” Participants will learn how to identify issues that block effectiveness, reduce or eliminate problems that can drain a group’s energy, maximize the group’s productive efforts.
