The best way to succeed in this world is to have a great team around you. But, building a team can be hard, and making it run smoothly takes special skills. If you need help learning how to build a high-functioning team to support you, our newest soft skills course is here to help.
Maybe in the past, you’ve been a part of a team that didn’t mesh. Maybe you’ve even failed at leading a team before. That’s okay. Team-building may not come naturally to everyone, but, like any other skill, it can be learned. Our instructional materials allow anyone to develop team-building abilities.
Why Do Teams Fail?
Studies show that up to 60% of work teams fail. Why is that? Here are three common reasons work teams don’t live up to their potential.
- Clashing Personalities: Sometimes, people with strong personalities are put together on a team and they cannot overcome their differences. At other times, people who you never even thought would clash get on a team together and can’t get along. In an age when diverse workplaces bring more people together than ever, you have to be ready to make the most of all of your team members’ talents. No matter what the personalities involved are, you have to be able to make it work. Our High-Functioning Teams Soft Skills Course will teach you how to take any group of people and get them to collaborate in a productive and professional manner.
- Lack of Leadership: Teams need to work together as a unit, but in order to do so, there needs to be clear direction from a team leader. Team leaders keep everyone on the same page and make sure that everyone is doing their part to contribute to the whole. Assertive leadership requires a soft touch and an ability to communicate with different kinds of people. Our course teaches leadership skills with a focus on a team-oriented approach.
- No Clear Direction: For a team to succeed, it needs to have clear goals and parameters of success. Without this clarity, a team can spin in circles, making a lot of fuss but never really accomplishing anything. Part of effective team building is being able to define a clear direction for your team and then keeping them on task and on topic. Wiggle room for creativity is important, but a conscientious leader can keep a team on task while still allowing them to think outside the box.
Building Your Leadership Skills
In our soft skills course on leadership, you will learn the essential skills needed to overcome these common obstacles to a team’s success. These skills include:
- How to identify a team versus a group
What makes a group and what makes a team? We teach you how to recognize the traits of a team and we describe the various types of teams. The key is in understanding the organizational structure of teams, which we break down for you. There are advantages and disadvantages of teams, and you will learn how to navigate both the highs and lows of teamwork.
- How diversity impacts a team
Diversity on a team can mean a lot of different things. We teach you about what team diversity is and how to make it work for you. Sometimes, that means dealing with personal diversity bases on who a person is. Other times, it means a diversity of skills. Instead of being intimidated by the differences in your team members, learn how to make it into a benefit. We will teach you how to identify and avoid biases on a diverse team.
- How to identify the stages of team development
Building an effective team does not happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without a plan. We outline the phases of team building for you, giving step-by-step instructions to completing the tasks and goals involved. By understanding the stages of team development, you can gauge your progress and know what your future challenges will be.
- How to set team expectations
Beginning with creating a team charter, you will learn how to establish expectations for your team. What are your goals and expectations and how do you hope to achieve them? A big part of achieving success with your team involves establishing your credibility as a leader. You are also responsible for facilitating communication between team members, and we will teach you how to do that. Next, you will learn to set team goals. What should each member do and what are they responsible for? Dividing up work and coordinating it all together is a delicate process, but it’s a necessary part of creating a team. Communication is crucial to teamwork, and we will show you how to facilitate effective team communication.
- How to identify types of team dysfunction and overcome them
Dysfunction is, unfortunately, a common obstacle when it comes to team building. We will help you identify the types of dysfunction you may encounter along the way and teach you how to negotiate them when they come up. The keys to effective leadership are building trust, managing conflict, and avoiding team isolation. Our course will guide you through each of these skills and how to employ them in your own team leadership.
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In only a half a day, our instructor-led leadership course can change the way you and your employees think about teams and working together. Bring these insights to your team and see what a difference good teamwork can make for the functioning of your business or organization. Contact 30 Bird today for more information about this and our other amazing soft skills courses.
