In a recent survey, employees saw their workplaces sadly lacking in organizational teamwork. Here are some ideas from a new BLR audio training program that your supervisors can use to build effective teams.
Regular Daily Advisor readers know that we’ve recently been heavily involved in a project called the National Employee Attitude Survey (NEAS). The program offered companies nationwide a free survey of their employee attitudes and a free report of their workers’ views, both standing on their own and compared with national results.
More than 1,000 companies have already signed up (the program is still ongoing, and you still join it by clicking here), but we’d now like to launch an occasional series that addresses solutions to some of the issues it uncovered.
The first one we’ll handle was an apparent shortfall (at least in employees’ eyes) in teamwork at their organizations.
Your supervisors are the ideal candidates to be team leaders. Teach them the skills they need with BLR’s Audio Click ’n Train: Teambuilding for Supervisors. Under $150. Satisfaction assured. Read more.
We learned this by having employees score each issue we asked about. Without getting into all the math of the survey, a result score of 1.0 on an issue would mean things were just as employees wanted them to be.
When it came to teamwork, workers rated themselves as potentially excellent team players (.98) and were OK with how teams worked in their individual departments (.82). Where things fell down was in how their organizations functioned as a team. The score dropped all the way to .68. In scholastic terms, that’s a D grade, barely passing. What can be done to get teamwork to summa cum laude stature?
Here are some of the factors that make teams successful, as presented in the BLR program, Audio Click ’n Train: Teambuilding for Supervisors.
–Manageable size. Keep teams as small as possible, say the program’s authors, or participants will have problems getting to know and bond with one another. Communication will also be more difficult.
–Diverse skills. This factor allows each member to add his or her own knowledge and perspective. Diversity in knowledge serves as a check and balance to what the others think, and also allows teammates to build on one another’s efforts.
–Common goals. Regardless of their backgrounds, team members must share a common vision of what’s to be accomplished. A written mission statement is a valuable tool to that end.
–Open exchange of ideas/information. Whether it’s through formal meetings or water cooler chats, team members must openly share what they know and think, both about their own roles and those of others. Any hindrance to communication (which was also a shortcoming in the survey), should be overcome, whether it’s due to policy, location, or an overly secretive, silo’d or “turf-protecting” organizational culture.
–Cooperation. Going hand in hand with open exchange of ideas is a desire to help one another over the rough spots. That comes from…
–Mutual respect. Even if they’re not friends socially, teammates need to always act professionally with one another and listen to all ideas. They must offer support when they agree, and objective, constructive (not personal) criticism when they don’t.
–A resourceful leader. Without someone to point them in the right direction and keep them on track, teams can quickly dissolve in conflict and disagreement over what course to take.
Use both graphics and sound to train supervisors in team leadership skills. Read more.
Train Supervisors to Be Team Leaders
Training supervisors to be resourceful leaders is the objective of Audio Click ’n Train: Teambuilding for Supervisors.
In 25 slides and about 30 minutes, and listening to a self-contained, professionally recorded soundtrack, your supervisors will learn how to:
–Create a teamwork atmosphere.
–Define and communicate goals.
–Build team commitment and contribution.
–Provide support for the team.
–Promptly and positively resolve conflicts.
–Establish links to the rest of the organization.
–Monitor and report progress and recognize results.
Audio Click ’n Train programs are customizable, so you can add your company-specific information. And they come with Speaker’s Notes, topic exercises, a reproducible handout, and a quick quiz with instant answers so that your supervisors and you will know how much has been learned.
Don’t Just Supervise, Lead!
Great bosses know their people are more effective working as a team. But leading teams takes a set of special skills. Teach your supervisors those skills with BLR’s Audio Click ’n Train: Teambuilding for Supervisors. Under $150 with full assurance of satisfaction. Read more.