How to Foster Great Teams, Even if You’re Not the Leader

How to Foster Great Teams, Even if you're not the Leader:-

Even if you’re not the designated leader, you can help shape the culture, support other members, and clarify processes that will help your team to be productive.

These six strategies can help you to strengthen your team:

1) Define it. Be clear about the basics. Members should know who

is on the team and who is not, as well as what they’re supposed

to be doing together.

2) Model respect and positivity. Be relentlessly upbeat and treat

everyone with respect. In healthy teams, every member’s contribution is recognized. Observe each person’s strengths and look

for ways to help each one to shine.

3) Share leadership. Even where there is a designated leader, every

member should take responsibility and share accountability for

success. It can be helpful if all members have an opportunity to

take the lead when their particular kind of expertise is needed.

4) Address the desire to belong. Humans have a fundamental

need to be part of communities, particularly those that allow us

to make contributions that are appreciated by others. So focus on

the power of belonging and find ways to reinforce it. Even silly

ways to embrace membership, such as T-shirts or mottoes, can

enhance team spirit.

5) Celebrate little victories. Team members are most likely to feel

satisfied and motivated when they believe they’re making progress

on meaningful work. To keep up the team energy level, find

appropriate ways to celebrate even small wins, such as meeting

deadlines or being congratulated by the boss.

6) Create norms. Even if leadership is loose, high-performing teams

need some structure. For example, when the team conducts group

meetings, members should agree on elements such as:

◆◆ Scheduling.

◆◆ Attendance requirements.

◆◆ Promptness.

◆◆ Participation in discussions.

◆◆ Cell phone usage and other interruptions.

◆◆ Ways to track and follow up on action items.

There’s no single formula for creating a great team. But a good starting

point is to think about a configuration that suits your tasks, allows regular

discussion among members provides a way to acknowledge contributions,

and lets everyone enjoy the camaraderie that team members can bring.