Why Is Team Development Significant in Your Organization?
In order to improve workplace morale and boost employee motivation and engagement, businesses invest in team development techniques like coaching and mentoring.
Many companies put a lot of effort into team development strategies, such as coaching and mentoring, to build team cohesion and create a better work environment that fosters employee motivation and engagement.
The statistics show
- 94% of business leaders also say that a healthy work environment is critical to success.
- Good leadership is often associated with good communication, but only 28% of leaders understand the company culture and get better employee engagement.
As a team leader in a company, you can improve relationships within a team if you encourage collaboration, provide positive feedback and define clear roles. Focusing on team development adds value to the company culture while maintaining high employee performance.
But what exactly is team development? And why is it so important?
Let's take a look inside.
What Is Team Building?
A team is a group of individuals collaborating to achieve a common objective. In any collective action, a positive synergy between people facilitates the achievement of objectives. Team development can therefore be defined as
- Actively striving to promote synergy, enable employees to work more effectively, and add value to the company's strategy for success.
In other words, a company needs a team with the same vector, which complements and supports each other's strengths and weaknesses.
The Importance of Team Cohesion
It is sometimes assumed that a group of talented employees is inherently capable of working efficiently and harmoniously. This is rarely the case.
A cohesive and motivated team is essential to achieving common goals and success.
For example, it is easy to assume that managers and staff are worlds apart and not connected.
- Managers are accountable for pushing the organization's strategy and delegating duties.
- Employees are responsible for carrying out the responsibilities that correspond to their position.
But an effective team requires more than a well-planned strategy and well-defined objectives.
A healthy teamwork culture that encourages actual participation in the workplace is essential to employee retention and better results.
However, building a high-performing team is a process that takes time and patience as members adjust to each other.
Let's now look at the different stages of development in which teams work together on their projects.
The Five Stages of Team Development and Behavior
According to the researcher, these five phases (Forming, Storming, Norming, Executing, and Completing) are unavoidable and important for the development of any team through confronting difficulties and finding solutions in a healthy work environment.
Phase 1: Formation
The team members meet, become acquainted, and exchange their talents and experiences. Additionally, they are instructed on how to manage their roles and duties within the team.
Phase 2: Attack
In phase 2, team members begin to withhold their opinions, and personal conflicts may arise. Therefore, good communication and empathy are essential to managing problems and conflicts that could jeopardize the project.
Phase 3: Normalization
People begin to recognize and accept each other and pay attention to each other's strengths rather than weaknesses. They are more likely to compromise and work together because they have had disagreements.
Phase 4: Execution
This is the phase that any team collaborating on a commercial project should follow. All team members are motivated and aware of their duties and responsibilities, allowing them to work together effectively.
Phase 5: Transition
By conquering obstacles, problems, and accomplishments, team members acquire a sense of belonging and grow as a unit. When the project concludes, members may drift apart and experience a sense of loss. This period is referred to as "transition" since the link with the team is severed or shattered.
Now that you know what team development is and what stages it goes through let's see how to implement it as a successful business strategy.
How to Implement an Effective Business Plan for Team Development?
Executives, business owners, and sole proprietors are often viewed as team leaders who take full responsibility for the failures and successes of their companies.
However, we sometimes forget that leading and developing a team is different.
For example,
- Managers can do their jobs without good leadership.
- Conversely, a good leader may not be an expert at managing a team effectively.
Therefore, to lead a team successfully, one must be able to teach, communicate, manage, and delegate tasks.
It takes more than a large project and clearly defined objectives to successfully build a team development strategy that works for your company.
In the end, your employees are what will make your firm a success.
As a leader of an organization, you must create a vision, shared goals, and a clear strategy to achieve high levels of commitment and participation from your team.
The absence of this ability may not immediately impact your business plan, but it will certainly jeopardize your strategy and effectiveness if not taken seriously.
On the other hand, a cohesive team that supports each other will ensure your success and that of your business, no matter what challenges it faces.