3 Top Tips for Managing Teams

As part of the “Managing the Team” management development training programme, we cover the team development process and how to consistently build high performance work groups.

Whilst there’s a lot that we cover during the 3-day programme, here are three top tips that you can apply today:

1. Develop a Clear Sense of Purpose

It may sound obvious but at the core of getting people to work well as a team is that the individuals that make up the group have a shared purpose. With a clear Vision the individuals can know where to focus their efforts and what the priorities should be. The more inspiring and compelling the Vision, the more energy commitment towards the goal. Of course not every department can have an exciting purpose like curing cancer or ending poverty, but without a clearly articulated goal, cohesion is hard to achieve. So good managers make sure that their team has a sense of common purpose and shared sense of the ‘bigger picture’ that they are working towards.

2. Be Systematic about Skills Development

Team members can only give of their best to the extent that they have the knowledge and skills needed to tackle the work competently. Average managers often make assumptions about underpinning knowledge, and are complacent about the need to refresh skills or help people learn new techniques. Outstanding managers of teams take the time to assess competencies on an ongoing basis, and actively help people to acquire the  ‘know how’ they need in order to do a great job.

3. Counter “Social Loafing”

A well-known phenomenon in social sciences is that once a team gets larger than 3 or 4 people there is a marked tendency for some individuals to ‘coast’, and not to try their hardest, but to let the more energetic workers do more than their fair share; this is called social loafing. Outstanding Team Managers counter this tendency by setting clear, individual goals, so people know exactly what they are supposed to deliver. Plus they make the contribution of the individual members visible to the team as a whole.

Want to find out more?

Here’s a link for information on our Managing the Team bespoke in-house training programme.