Want to build a team that operates like a well-oiled machine? Learn the art of transforming any group into a cohesive unit.
In the world of achievement, success often hinges on much more than the skills and abilities of individual members. It's dependent on how well individuals can work together as a cohesive team. Transitioning from a group of individuals to a unified team requires more than just assigning tasks and hoping for the best. It requires intentional actions, thoughtful leadership, and a commitment to building strong relationships and a shared purpose.
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The discussion below explores practical steps that you and other leaders can take to foster team cohesion and unity.
Establish a Shared Vision and Goals
The foundation of any cohesive team is a shared vision. This vision should be compelling, clear, and aligned with your team's values and goals. It serves as a north star, guiding your team’s efforts and decisions. The 1992 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team (known as the "Dream Team") is a perfect example of a shared vision in sports. Despite having superstars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, the team had to set aside individual egos to focus on a collective goal—winning the gold medal. Their shared vision of dominating the Olympics unified them and led to one of the most dominant performances in sports history.
As a leader, you should work with your team to define this vision and set achievable goals that align with it. These goals provide direction and a sense of purpose, helping your team members understand how their individual efforts contribute to the larger picture.
Promote Open Communication
Open, honest communication is vital for building trust and cohesion within your team. Encourage regular communication channels where team members can share ideas, feedback, and concerns freely.
Pixar Animation Studios is known for its strong emphasis on open communication. The company’s “Braintrust” meetings, where directors present their projects and receive candid feedback from peers, foster a culture of transparency. This open communication has been instrumental in Pixar’s ability to consistently produce blockbuster hits like Toy Story and Finding Nemo.
You can achieve this level of excellence by holding regular team meetings, one-on-one sessions, and creating an open-door policy. Transparency in communication will help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Foster a Sense of Belonging
For a group to transition into a team, each member needs to feel a sense of belonging. Foster this sense of belonging by recognizing and celebrating the unique contributions of each of your team members. Create opportunities for team members to socialize and bond outside of work. It will strengthen their relationships. Acknowledge birthdays, achievements, and other personal milestones so that your team members feel valued and part of a community. One of my client organizations looked forward with eager anticipation to every birthday and accomplishment of their colleagues. And the celebrations were recorded and shared within and outside the organization, fostering great admiration and desire on the part of outsiders to become affiliated.
Encourage Collaboration over Competition
While healthy competition can sometimes spur performance, fostering a culture of collaboration is more beneficial for long-term team cohesion. The All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, is one of the most successful sports teams in history. The team’s culture emphasizes collaboration and collective success over individual glory. The "No Dickheads" policy, which prioritizes team cohesion and respect over personal achievements, has been crucial to their sustained success on the global stage.
Encourage your team members to share their knowledge and resources and to work together towards common goals. This can be facilitated by assigning team-based projects and creating spaces where collaboration is the norm, not the exception. It's also instructive to create and utilize team-oriented measures of performance as the basis for recognition and rewards with your organization.
Develop Team Rituals
Rituals play a significant role in building team unity. These could be weekly team lunches, monthly celebrations of achievements, or even simple daily check-ins. One of my best performing teams enjoyed leaving work a little early on Thursday afternoons to enjoy a few adult beverages and appetizers before heading home. This ritual created a sense of rhythm and familiarity, which strengthened the bonds among the team members. It provided opportunities for them to connect on a personal level, beyond their professional roles. As a result, they built meaningful friendships and partnerships for our collective success.
Provide Opportunities for Team Development
Investing in team development activities such as workshops, training sessions, or retreats can significantly boost team cohesion. As you pursue these activities focus not only on skill development but also on enhancing interpersonal relationships and team dynamics.
Johnson & Johnson is known for its commitment to team development. The company invests heavily in leadership training programs and team-building exercises. These initiatives have helped J&J maintain a strong corporate culture and enabled teams across the organization to collaborate effectively, even in high-pressure situations like the Tylenol crisis in the 1980s and more recent challenges associated with their talc products.
Team-building exercises that challenge and encourage team members to solve problems and achieve successes together are particularly effective for increasing cohesiveness and commitment to helping other members succeed in their roles and responsibilities.
Lead by Example
As a leader, you play a crucial role in setting the tone for team cohesion. When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft in 2014, he transformed the company’s culture by leading with openness, respect, and collaboration. Nadella emphasized a growth mindset, encouraging employees to learn from their mistakes and innovate without fear. He modeled this behavior by being transparent about his own learning process and challenges, fostering a culture where employees felt safe to experiment and grow. Nadella’s approachability and genuine interest in his team’s well-being helped rebuild trust and cohesion within Microsoft, driving the company to new heights of success.
By demonstrating the values of openness, respect, and collaboration, you too can model the behavior you wish to see in your team. This includes being approachable, acknowledging your own mistakes, and showing a genuine interest in your team members’ well-being. It also means speaking in terms of "we" and "our" instead of "me"and giving credit for successes to the team rather than seizing it for yourself.
Address Conflicts Promptly and Constructively
Conflicts are inevitable in any team, but how they are handled can either strengthen or weaken team cohesion. You should address conflicts as they arise, facilitating discussions that allow all parties to express their views and work towards a resolution. The parties to the conflict must always be shown respect and empathy, with a sincere willingness by you to have their opinions and experiences heard and understood.
Phil Jackson, the legendary NBA coach, is renowned for his ability to manage conflicts within teams. During his time with the Chicago Bulls, Jackson successfully managed the intense rivalry between Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman. By addressing conflicts head-on and encouraging players to work through their differences, Jackson kept the team focused on their common goal of winning championships.
Constructive conflict resolution resolves issues and also reinforces trust and respect among team members.
Create a Feedback-Rich Environment
Regular feedback is essential for continuous improvement and cohesion. If you're going to develop and nurture a high-performance team you must provide constructive feedback that helps team members grow and improve.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company encourages a culture of continuous feedback through its “Guest Incident Action Forms.” Employees at all levels are empowered to address and report any issues that affect customer satisfaction, and these forms are reviewed regularly to improve service. This feedback-rich environment has helped Ritz-Carlton maintain its reputation for excellence in hospitality.
Encouraging and recognizing peer feedback will promote mutual respect and accountability within the team. Feedback should be specific, focused on behaviors rather than personal attributes or the person, and should be aimed at affirming and promoting growth in members of the team.
Celebrate Success Together
Celebrating successes, both big and small, reinforces the idea that the team is working towards common goals. It also boosts morale and motivation. It's absolutely critical that you take the time to acknowledge the team’s achievements and thank them for their hard work.
The cast and crew of the television show "Friends" regularly celebrated their successes together, which contributed to the close-knit relationships that were evident on-screen. Their tradition of group hugs before every episode’s taping helped build strong bonds, contributing to the show’s long-term success and its legacy as one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time.
Little handwritten notes, token gifts of appreciation, public recognition and reward, and events to acknowledge progress and attainment of goals and milestones, are all examples of ways to celebrate successes of both individuals and the team. This not only validates the team's efforts but also reinforces a positive, cohesive team culture.
Transforming a group of individuals into a cohesive team is a dynamic and ongoing process that requires intentional effort and leadership. By fostering a shared vision, promoting open communication, and encouraging collaboration, you can build strong, unified teams capable of achieving extraordinary results. Remember, a cohesive team is not just a collection of talented individuals but a united force working together towards a common goal.
Renwick Brutus' career has spanned roles as research economist, investment advisor, entrepreneur and consultant. He holds an MBA from Fordham University and has been recognized for his outstanding achievement in sales and business leadership. Today, Renwick applies his unique blend of business strategy and interpersonal skills to help individuals prosper and companies grow. He owns multiple companies and is in great demand to consult with business leaders. Contact him by email and LinkedIn.
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