I have been fortunate to work with a lot of teams recently which is great as I enjoy helping teams to increase collaboration, develop and grow their results.

I am frequently asked what helps to make a great team. I believe that a major component is great team spirit. All the high performing teams that I have been part of or have helped to develop all had it and it was a major reason for their success.

Team spirit is a concept that isn’t always easy to describe but you know it exists and you see it in action. The dictionary defines team spirit as “feelings of camaraderie among the members of a group enabling them to co-operate and work well together.”

I have set out below a few thoughts and ideas on some of the ingredients that I believe help to create a great team spirit:-

Trust

A vital attribute of any successful team is trust. It’s imperative that the team take the time to build trust and get to know each other. Trust is further enhanced by people looking out for one another. It’s also helpful if there is mutual respect and appreciation for everyone’s contributions. It’s important that people honour their commitments and promises. The leader sets the tone for this to happen by being honest, open and consistent in their dealings and communicating clearly.

Inspiring leadership

Leaders play a vital role in creating team spirit by leading by example and being a positive role model. A great team spirit naturally flows from an environment where everyone contributes and is able to flourish. Leaders can inspire their team to give their best by displaying passion, energy and enthusiasm. Encouraging a positive attitude is an important part of developing the right culture as is having effective listening skills and handling disagreements quickly and fairly.

Clear goals and targets

High standards being set and expected along with clear goals and targets that help to stretch people are a great way to develop a great spirit and a high performing environment. This philosophy helps people to develop, increase their confidence and discover more of their potential. It’s vital that there are mechanisms to measure performance, clearly track progress towards targets and provide some data for feedback and accountability. This helps teams respond quickly to challenges and a dip in results.

Fun

Research by the University of Warwick suggests that happy teams are 12% more productive. We spend so much time at work that it’s important that we have fun and enjoy what we are doing. Fun increases energy and helps to grow enthusiasm for the tasks that have to be performed. It also helps develop an engaged workforce and healthy and productive relationships.

Clear roles and responsibilities

Everyone having a clear understanding of their role and the contribution they make helps to foster team spirit. Clarity on each other’s strengths plays a big role. It helps to ensure that people are positioned in roles where they can make the most significant contribution to achieve the team’s goals and vision. Playing to people’s strengths means that team performance levels are maximized and it makes best use of everyone’s natural gifts and talents.

Celebrating success

It’s important that all the team take time out to celebrate the attainment of goals, hitting targets and key milestones. This is an area that can be easily overlooked. Apparently, during this successful season when Leicester City won the Premier League title, their manager Claudio Ranieri promised the team little rewards for achieving the targets he set. This included treating all the team to a pizza when they managed to not concede any goals during a match.

Why not take a few moments to reflect this week and consider the teams that you are involved in personally and professionally. How strong is team spirit? What action would help improve team spirit?

This week’s quotation:

“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” Mattie Stepanek

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk