Collaboration for success!

As a business leader, you are responsible for connecting and coordinating the talents and skills of your employees into highly functioning teams.  This requires an ongoing commitment to training, coaching, evaluating, mentoring, and inspiring individuals to achieve their full potential.

But what happens when you have two different teams in the same company and they need to collaborate on a project?

Being able to work in a team and collaborate is so important and yet we really aren’t taught this in college, it’s pretty much just expected.   These skills are so important right now especially because in business we are trending to work less independently and it seems like this trend will continue to grow.

Companies need to provide the training for their employees to acquire these skills…

1. It is very important to get everyone on the same page with the same goals. As a team leader, you discuss the short and long term goals, then you should also dictate who will be accountable for the work.
2. Setting expectations is also very important. Everyone needs to know exactly what needs to be done, by whom and by when.  The teams need to connect their overall goals with the strategic plan of the company.  Working out a schedule so the teams can share progress is important.
3. Using technology (Teams. Google Doc, etc.) is important to share files and lets everyone access them.  It can also help with calendar availability and setting up a staff meeting.
4. If any team members aren’t getting along, they need to be straightforward about it right away.  The longer someone holds back the more it will hinder the collaboration between the teams.  When all is transparent and everybody is honest, all problems can be solved.
5. Don’t waste time during the team meetings Let everybody know in advance exactly what they need to bring and make sure you have an agenda.  The meeting doesn’t need to be long, just take care of the tasks at hand.

When people work together in a culture of trust and accountability toward a common goal, they put aside territory issues and politics and focus on the duties to be done.  This attention removes barriers, helps to identify new opportunities, and builds a momentum that leads to three key advantages:

• Better problem solving
• Greater productivity
• More effective use of resources

If your teams can get these fundamentals right, success and a rewarding sense of teamwork will develop.

With the proper support and encouragement, your teams can succeed beyond your greatest expectations!

Dave Baney is the founder and CEO of 55 Questions, LLC, and author of “The 3×5 Coach: A Practical Guide to Coaching Your Team for Greater Results and Happier People”, which is available in Paperback or a Kindle version at https://tinyurl.com/y8ecykfy

At 55 Questions, we work with successful top executives with a driving ambition to crush their competition.  We help CEOs and Entrepreneurs improve alignment, communication, and accountability throughout their organization. www.55Questions.com

Follow Dave on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebaney55questions/