Bringing together individuals and merging them into a team requires a leader. Someone who can inspire and animate others, and bring the best out of them. So, what can you do, as the leader of your team, to get the most out of them?As part of our series of articles on our ‘How to Balance Personal Billings and Team Performance’ journey we have looked at the three components that you need to balance as a billing manager.
These are 3 key components are:
- Achieving your targets
- Developing the individuals in your team
- Building a cohesive team
We have already got insights on how to achieve your targets and how to develop the individuals within your team, so now let’s get into component three, how to build a cohesive team.
‘I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.’ – Mother Teresa
Being a Good Leader
Bringing together individuals and merging them into a team requires a leader. Someone who can inspire and animate others, and bring the best out of them. So, what can you do, as the leader of your team, to get the most out of them?
Build Trust
For a team to work well together and really achieve meaningful goals there needs to be trust. Trust from you that they will hit deadlines and get their work done, but also between each other. When a team trusts each other, they can be truly open and honest without fear of rejection or embarrassment, which encourages ideas, creativity and progression.
Encourage Feedback
Feedback is vital for improvement, which as a team you will need it to improve and hit your targets. The first thing you’re likely to think of when we say feedback, is feedback from you as the manager to your team members. This is important, but almost more importantly, is feedback from your team on you as their leader. If the trust is there then this will not be an issue, and they should feel that they can come and talk to you about anything, including your performance in leading them.
Listen
When they come forward with this feedback then listen. Listen to what they have to say, and take it onboard. There is nothing worse than someone that says ‘you can speak to me about anything’ and then doesn’t listen. Also listen to anything else they have to say, whether this is on issues with each other or something as simple as they prefer tea to coffee. Paying this extra bit of attention will make them feel valued as part of your team.
Be True to your Word
Following listening to your team, if you say you are going to do something, maybe to resolve an issue for example, then make sure you are true to your word and do what you say you will. Your team will lose trust in your if you repeatedly say you are going to do something and nothing comes of it. Equally this is a great way to build that trust of your team, by doing what you say you are going to do they will trust what you say next time.
Provide Direction with Clarity
As the leader of your team, it is down to you to provide direction. Setting the goal for your team to pull together and work towards is a must. Without a goal, there is nothing to work towards, and if everyone sets their own goals they are not truly working as a team. Even if this is reminding everyone of the company vision, by having this as a mutual interest between everyone it keeps everyone heading in the right direction.
Clarity is key here too. If this goal or vision keeps changing or is blurry then no one knows where they are going, including you. Being clear and consistent results in a team that know where they are going and what they are doing.
Empower your Team
In part one we looked at how to delegate effectively, which is also great for empowering your team members. By delegating tasks to your team, this gives them some responsibility and the opportunity for autonomy. Feeling like they have ownership of some tasks is likely to motivate, encourage them and build that all important trust, as you are trusting them with the task.
Resolve Conflicts
Constructive conflict can be good at times, but you need to be careful that it doesn’t turn into more than this. Healthy teams will challenge each other at times and this is a good way to develop thoughts and ideas. Be quick to step in and resolve unconstructive conflicts though, if a solution between team members cannot be reached without your help.
Celebrate Success
Celebrating success as a team is a sure-fire way to pull everyone together. Everyone enjoys being successful and being able to share that with others in your team is bound to encourage and motivate them for more.
Communication
Through all of this communication is key. This is not limited to occasionally asking for feedback and sitting and listening to what you team has to say, there should be frequent open lines of communication with you and your team. Keeping them involved and informed will make them feel valued and important to you, as part of the team, and to the business.
Building Community within your Team
Social activities can help to build community within your team. Maybe a meal out or a day out somewhere are great ways to bring the team together and to get them in a non-work environment, to get to know them all better. While you’re out get some images too, for social media to build that visible company culture that is sure to attract more of the right kind of people.
So, all in all to build a cohesive team it requires the right kind of leader. By concentrating on being a good leader with all the pointers we have here, it will get you off to a brilliant start. Leadership is ever developing and, so you should be too. Continuous work and development on yourself, forever learning new skills and techniques to build something even better.
Take Home Message: Concentrate on being a good leader and you will build a cohesive team around you.
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