Teaming Assessment

Team Truths

Every team at some stage will struggle with the dilemma that it is difficult to balance loyalty to the team goals and loyalty to our individual styles.  Getting diversity of style/personality to work for the team rather than tearing it apart is essential for team success.

Team Dilemmas

In addition it is important to remember that multiple realities exist. To argue rights and wrongs drains energy from team goals.  

We must respect the right to differ from one another. Disrespect leads to divisiveness. Read more.

Here is the check list that you can use to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your teams. 

1. Clear Charter. The foundation of the team is that of clear and common goals, so that the team understands how success is going to be measured. These have to be well articulated and understood by all. 

2. Commitment to Team Members and Team Goals.  Understanding the team goals is not the same as buying into them. Everyone needs to commit to the goals. In addition, a common source of difficulties can arise when people are committed to the goals but dislike other team members.  However diversity of style and personality are at the heart of successful teams as these differences foster creativity.  Team building exercises can help individuals to appreciate diversity and to teach them how to work together cooperatively. Dislike can be replaced by respecting differences.

3. Meets Team Deliverables.  Successful teams, meet their deliverables consistently.  To accomplish this, communications must flow freely and in all directions. In meetings, decisions are made effectively and communication is productive. 

4. Clear Roles and Responsibilities  It is vital to have clear roles and role definition as well as clarity around the responsibilities that each role entails. Blurred responsibilities can lead to power struggles and conflict.

5. Competent Team Members   Competent team members need to be placed in the right position. At times a highly talented person can be ill placed which can throw off the team functioning. Consider both the competency and placement of each individual. 

6. Ongoing Feedback and Evaluation.  In order to ensure success, well functioning teams provide and encourage ongoing feedback in all directions. This allows for mid course evaluation and corrections as needed as well as encouragement for a job well done.   Read more 

7. Creative Problem Solving. Problems are a fact of life. The ability to problem solve effectively and creatively is what makes lemonade out of lemons.

8. Effective Conflict Resolution. Conflict can be among team members, with other departments, or other companies. Successful conflict resolution takes divisive energy and redirects it to positive ends. Read about our conflict resolution services.

9. Good Morale. Low turnover and longevity is a benchmark of good morale. A team that successfully values the individual as well as the team has the best likelihood of success.

10. Good Relationships. Your relationships with other internal groups are an independent barometer of your teams functioning. High performance teams are respected by the rest of the organization as they meet deliverables and work cohesively.

After completing this assessment you will be able to identify and focus on those areas that could use improvement.  Understanding any problem is the first step to resolution.  Please contact us if you would like to discuss how  our team building and development services can help your teams become more productive.

If you found this article valuable, click here to subscribe to our free monthly newsletter.