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"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." – Michael Jordan
Have you ever been in a team with a dominant member or where few seem to make all decisions, and other members just agree? Often without any question? - even when they have doubts?
If yes, you probably have experienced poor team dynamics. Such teams are a time bomb that will explode and affect an organization's success.
On the other hand, positive team dynamics manifest when other team members feel included, trust each other, practice compassion and empathy, have energy, have open communication, and everyone is on the same page as they experience what is commonly known as psychological safety.
Getting a team to work effectively is often a function of leadership skills. Team leaders must understand the building block of successful team dynamics and how to encourage team members to feel included in playing their roles effectively.
Read on to learn:
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Team dynamics in the workplace refers to the unconscious psychological forces that affect how individual team members feel within a group. These forces can either be positive or negative.
Team dynamics are often correlated with group dynamics. However, there are distinct differences. Groups often come together to achieve a particular objective, whereas teams work through a coordinated effort with mutual understanding.
An example of a team is a Football team working regularly throughout the season toward the goal of winning the super bowl.
An example of a group is a sales department in an organization. They work independently of other departments towards realizing a goal set by management, e.g., bettering the previous year's revenues.
Creating an environment that fosters team dynamics separates successful companies from the rest, as members can solve problems by providing constructive intervention and managing change.
It should be, thus, the responsibility of leadership to promote positive group dynamics where members build teams that solve problems.
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In 1965, Psychologist and researcher Bruce Tuckman first expounded the framework of team formation in five phases:
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The goal of every team leader should be building effective team dynamics, whether in a hybrid workplace, working with remote workers, or in the traditional office setting. When properly implemented, it creates an environment where team members work for the common good. Here are examples of effective team dynamics:
Effective communication makes team members understand their roles effectively and makes sense for any leader who wants to create positive team dynamics.
Effective communication will create an environment where team members can share their opinions, knowledge, and criticism.
A team consists of personnel with different backgrounds. To create harmony, it is important to foster Mutual respect that ensures each member is respected. This way, each member can make contributions in an environment they feel safe.
To avoid poor communication practices, practice closed-loop communication. This type of communication ensures that passed information is clear and concise and, thus, eliminates misunderstanding.
For each team member to effectively deliver, they need to understand their role. Team leaders can set goals using the SMART metric. This means that set goals need to be Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
A team member acknowledges and learns from mistakes when psychological safety is assured. This is cross-cutting, as even team members can point to the leader when they believe there is a misalignment without fear or reprisal.
Team members need to experience psychological safety. This way, they can freely express themselves without fear, reprisal, or ridicule. When this is attained, a team can experience the benefits of good team dynamics vital for team building.
This form of leadership encourages all team members to participate in decision-making. This form of leadership is also known as democratic leadership. This approach is great for team development and building as it creates a sense of responsibility. Moreover, it eliminates micromanagement, which often leads to poor team dynamics.
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Creating successful team dynamics is often a proactive action that boosts a team's performance in the following ways:
When differences arise within a team with positive dynamics, it is easier to handle tough conversations as good relationships have already been formed. Moreover, team members learn that professional misunderstanding need not be misconstrued as personal differences and vice versa.
Team members understand that at the end of the day, the best decisions carry the day; this lowers the time taken for decision-making, boosting team performance.
Improving team dynamics boosts motivation, improving team dynamics as optimistic thinking takes root and creates a growth mindset.
When leaders communicate effectively, it is easy to deliver on delegated tasks.
Effective team dynamics lead to greater productivity as a team member feels obliged to contribute positively towards achieving set objectives.
Self-aware teams rely on individual team members' skill sets to boost performance. Building a self-aware team often results once the leader is self-aware. To improve self-awareness in a team, define self-awareness, promote open communication, or work with a professional coach.
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Poor dynamics are caused by a combination of factors such as:
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Getting a team to gel is not always easy. It is composed of different personalities, and Some members may feel superior based on academic achievements, previous jobs, or personal character. In such a case, weak leadership will breed a negative workplace. Moreover, you might feel out of place and gasping for air as a team member.
At Highrise, we have strategies such as executive coaching to create great team dynamics that will yield positive culture.
Reach out today for a solution.
