Unity-
Unity in a team must be displayed at two level, one is at the level of thought and the other is at the level of action. At the initial stage, a meeting is called for and a discussion is made to decide the objectives and the possible ways to achieve it. The set goal should be unambiguous and a clear and feasible plan should be set to achieve it satisfactorily. Collaboration enables better functioning and is the key trait of a high performing team. Some members of the team have a high personality and find it difficult to accept others viewpoints or abide by certain norms of the team. Here lie the skills of the leader to unite everyone and make them work for a common cause.
A strong leader-
A leader guides and provides the needed direction for his team to progress in the execution of the task. They closely monitor the performance of each and every individual member and constantly motivates the team. The responsibility of managing the team and overcoming certain obstacles in the interpersonal relationship also lies in the shoulders of a leader. They support and unite the team and have a complete overview of what people are doing. A strong leader is the one, who has mastered the skills of communication and the knack to solve any dispute. Through proper delegation they encourage teamwork and build notable set principles for the team. A process driven leader works in a strategic manner and keeps the team on the right track of progress.
Common goal and Vision-
Generally, the members in a team, come together to achieve a commonly set goal. Hence, setting a specific and a feasible goal is of utmost importance for a team. Keeping a target and working towards its achievement within a stipulated time period inspires people to accomplish the challenges. Vision is the main objective of a business, and should be made clear to the working team, so that they could make the vision come true. It is important to make the team envision its goal and become accountable to achieve it. The vision statement must be clear enough to build a mission statement.
Clear direction-
The responsibility of leading the team in the right direction lies on the shoulders of the leader. This guidance gives the team a sense of responsibility and makes it accountable for its accomplishments. When the task at hand is explained clearly and completely, it shows trust and expectation on the part of the doer. While giving direction to do a particular work, it is also important to give them the needed guidance and training to do the same. Once the individual has learnt the skills, he will be able to handle it without any supervision. Setting a clear direction, avoids work hassles and clarifies the priorities. A work done with proper direction is a time bound task with clear objectives.
Open Communication-
Communication plays a key role in any relationship and serves as the life blood of any organization. It is very important to bring about unity among the team members. Effective communication coupled with the right kind of leadership results in great productivity of a team. Listening is a part of communication, which, when done in the right way promotes a relationship and mutual trust within the members of a team. Communication should always be a two-way process encouraging the team members to come up with suggestions, share their issues, challenges, and ideas in a more comfortable way. Simply practicing active listening and making eye contact with the speaker itself encourages the person to speak in a confident way. Effective communication enables smooth functioning of the team and improves productivity.
Clearly defined roles-
Delegation of work to the right person and assigning clearly defined roles and responsibility to the team members play a crucial role in the success of a team. When a person understands his duty and responsibility, he becomes accountable and understands that success could be achieved through shared responsibility and pushes himself beyond his own limits to achieve success. Assigning roles increases team efficiency, increased momentum, and success in the long run. When the responsibilities are not well assigned it leads to confusion, resentment, and lethargic attitude. Duties should be allotted according to the calibre of a person after a thorough analysis of strength and weaknesses of any individual. It increases the collaboration within the team thereby enhancing its unity.
Time- management-
Professional time management is where priorities are set with limited distractions and focus is on the outcomes. Instead of keeping the people engaged round the clock in an unproductive environment, it is better to set goals with a deadline and give the team members the liberty to achieve it using their own strategy. This can truly make a difference. Allocation of resources in the right way with the right technique combined with a clear direction and deadline will make the work done efficiently and achieve the set goals. In a team, the leader has the crucial role in managing the team’s time. To achieve the desired performance the unified effort of the team and its synergy increases the chance of finishing the task at hand within the stipulated time productively.
Accountability-
Accountability could be expected when the distribution of the task is equal and fair. A culture of accountability should be instilled in the team members, so that, they develop habits and approaches that would increase the team’s productivity. This comes only when the members are given the needed resources and authority to execute the work at hand. Accountability does not mean taking the blame when things go wrong, it is all about taking responsibility for a task in a thoughtful way and adopting a proper strategic plan to accomplish it. A clear expected outcome that is measurable and attainable along with the direction to achieve it should be addressed clearly.