Team building for New Managers: 6 Amazing Facts

Table of Contents

Team Building – Introduction

Have you ever wonder what is team building? or what is the importance of team building? or what are the advantages of team building?

This blog will clear you every query or doubt regarding team building as an individual or a new manager.

Learning new skills can occur in a variety of ways; it is not always through on-the-job training. It is critical to incorporate as many learning and development opportunities as possible into the timetable. 87% of millennials agree that workplace learning is vital. Even when all age groups are considered in the workplace, studies suggest that a company would be more appealing to 76% of employees if it provided additional skill training to those who worked there.

Team building can refer to the daily interactions that employees have when working together to complete the tasks assigned to them. This type of team formation occurs naturally and can be aided if the group takes the time to develop a set of team rules. These norms assist group members in understanding how to engage appropriately within the team and with the rest of the organization.

Structured activities and exercises guided by team members can also be used in team building.

Managers can also contract out facilitation to an external resource with the correct budget and goals. External facilitation by an experienced individual can help your team building efforts.

A team is more than just a group of people who happen to work together. It is a group of people working towards common goals and objectives and sharing responsibility for the outcomes. Increasingly, a team may be composed of people drawn from different functions, departments and disciplines who have been brought together for a specific project.

Team Building Definition

Steven and Mary Ann Von define a team as a collection of two or more individuals that interact and influence one another, are mutually accountable for achieving common goals, and see themselves as a social unit inside an organization.

Based on this concept, the team traits can be elaborated as follows:

a group of two or more individuals
frequent encounters between members
impact team members’ behavior
mutual accountability
interconnected
a sociable being
attainment of a common goal

Types of Teams

Formal teams or groups are formed on purpose by management to carry out specific activities that will aid the organization in reaching its objectives. The command team is the most common sort of formal group, and it consists of a manager and all employees that report to that manager. Titles may be altered in some organizations that wish to deemphasize hierarchy.

The committee is another type of formal team that typically lasts a long period of time and deals with recurring problems and choices. For example, your university or college most likely has a student affairs committee to deal with recurring concerns involving students’ lives. While committee members may come and go, the committee itself remains in place over time.

Team Building Stages

Team formation is the first stage of team building. At this level, members attempt to investigate and comprehend the team members’ behavior. They make an attempt to grasp the team members’ expectations. At this point, they are polite and trying to figure out how to fit in with the team.

Storming: In the second stage, members begin striving for group status, leadership, and control.

Individuals comprehend the behavior of others and claim their place in the group. Interpersonal conflict ensues as a result. Members attempt to resolve concerns with the task and working relationships. They also settle difficulties with the individual’s place in the group.

Norming: The members begin to move in unison. They strike a balance between numerous opposing forces. They create collective norms and consensus in order to attain the group aim. At this point, the team members establish cooperative feelings.

Performing: During this stage, the team makes an effort to complete tasks and achieve goals. The established structure of relationships promotes coordination and aids in conflict resolution.

Members have complete faith in one another and are committed to working together to attain the group goal.

Adjourning: As you are probably aware, the squad was founded for a specific reason. When this goal is met, the squad may be dismissed. Adjournment refers to the breaking apart of the squad.

Also Read: People Skills for First-Time Manager

Team Building Process

Building a team is not a one-time event. It is a step-by-step procedure aimed at bringing about desired change in the company. Teams are typically formed for a specific job or project and are usually temporary.

Here is an ideal team building process:

Determine the Need for Team Building

The manager must first assess the needs of a team in order to complete a specific assignment. Before organizing a team, it should determine the objective of the work to be done, the talents required for the job, and its complexity.

Define the objectives and required skill set for Team Building

The next step is to define the organizational goals and the abilities required to achieve them.

Think about Team Roles for Team Building

The manager analyzes a variety of factors, including interpersonal interactions, duties and responsibilities, strengths and weaknesses, team composition, and suitability.

Create a Team Building Strategy for Team Building

To facilitate effective team formation, the manager must now thoroughly comprehend the operational framework. He must be confident in the objectives, roles, duties, duration, availability of resources, training, information flow, feedback, and team development.

Create an Individual Team for Team Building

At this point, the individuals are gathered to create a team. Each team member is introduced to his or her tasks and responsibilities.

Create and communicate the Rules for Team Building

The rules governing team member reporting, meeting dates, and team decision making are described. Individuals are encouraged to ask questions and express their opinions in order to foster open and healthy communication within the team.

Determine an individual’s strengths for Team Building

Various team-building exercises are carried out in order to bring out the best in each individual. It also helps team members become acquainted with each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Participate in the Team for Team Building

At this point, the manager must become a member of the team rather than a boss. Individuals must be made aware of their value to the team, and each member must be treated equally. Team members should regard their manager as a member of their team.

Track Performance for Team Building

The next step is to assess the team’s overall productivity and performance. It entails identifying gaps and the causes for them. This phase is required to increase the team’s overall performance and production.

Meetings should be scheduled for Team Building

One of the most important stages is to organize purposeful meetings on a regular basis to discuss team performance, task-related challenges, and future course of action.

Disband the Team for Team Building

Finally, the management must analyze the results and recognize and reward individuals for their contributions and achievements. Finally, the team is dispersed based on the achievement of the goal for which it was constituted.

Team Building Techniques and Strategies for New Managers

The first guideline of team building is self-evident: in order to effectively lead a team, you must first establish your leadership with each team member. Remember that the most effective team leaders cultivate relationships based on trust and loyalty rather than fear or authority.

Consider each employee’s suggestions to be valuable: Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a bad idea.
Be conscious of your employees’ unspoken emotions: Set a good example for team members by being honest and sensitive to their moods and feelings.
Act as a balancing force: Look for opportunities to arbitrate and resolve minor disagreements; keep the team’s larger goals in mind at all times.
When communicating, be concise: Take care to clarify instructions.
Encourage trust and collaboration among your team members: Remember that the relationships that team members form among themselves are just as crucial as the ones you form with them. Pay special attention to how team members collaborate as the team takes shape, and take actions to strengthen communication, cooperation, trust, and respect in those relationships.
Encourage information sharing among team members: Emphasize the significance of each team member’s contribution and show how all of their jobs work together to bring the entire team closer to its goal.
Delegate problem-solving responsibilities to the team: Allow the team to collaborate on unique solutions.
Make communication easier: Keep in mind that communication is the single most crucial aspect in effective teamwork. Facilitating communication is not enough.
Make communication easier: Keep in mind that communication is the single most crucial aspect in effective teamwork. Facilitating communication does not always imply holding meetings. Instead, it involves leading by example by remaining open to suggestions and concerns, asking questions and giving assistance, and doing all possible to prevent ambiguity in your own communication.
Set team values and goals; assess team performance: Talk with members about their progress toward defined goals so that employees understand both their accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead. Teamwork should be addressed in performance standards.
- Discuss with your team:
- What is the most important aspect of our job?
- What does the term “success” mean for this group?

Make sure you understand what you need to do, what your success criteria will be, that you have created clear time frames, and that team members understand their duties.
Make use of consensus: Set goals, address problems, and make action plans. While this strategy takes significantly longer to reach consensus, it ultimately results in better decisions and more production because it ensures every employee’s dedication to all phases of the task.
Establish ground rules for the team: These are the guidelines that you and your team will follow to ensure efficiency and success. They might be simple directives (team members must arrive on time for meetings) or broad rules (every team member has the right to contribute ideas)(While every team member has the right to provide thoughts and comments, you should ensure that the team develops these ground principles by consensus and commits to them as a group and as individuals.)
Create a method for reaching an agreement: You may wish to hold an open debate on the merits and disadvantages of various suggestions, or you may want to form study groups to investigate topics and submit reports.
Encourage listening and idea generation: As a supervisor, your first priority in achieving agreement is to spark debate. Remember that employees are often frightened to disagree with one another, and that this fear can lead to mediocre decisions on your team. When you encourage disagreement, you inspire creativity, which will motivate your team to achieve higher achievements.

Team Building Activities

Here are some team building activities you might try in your workplace:

Icebreaker games, such as truth or dare, are an excellent way for new employees to communicate and have fun. These activities can assist employees who are unfamiliar with one another in learning more about one another, building rapport, and becoming more connected.

Initiatives for social responsibility: Participating in a philanthropic activity as a team is an excellent way to build relationships while also giving back to the community. It’s also excellent for giving back to the community, which boosts the company’s public image.

Trivia games are wonderful exercises for team building, especially when an organization needs to efficiently manage a hybrid team. Healthy competition can bring members of a team together.

Employees have distinct abilities that events like talent showcases might help reveal. Talent shows take more time, but they can let employees showcase their unique or unknown skills, make team building events more enjoyable, and find some transferrable skills.

Conclusion

Team building is a continuous process that assists a group in becoming a cohesive one. Not only do team members share expectations for completing group work, but they also trust and support one another and respect one another’s distinctive differences. As a team builder, your job is to guide your team toward cohesion and productivity. A team develops its own personality, which must be nurtured and maintained on a regular basis, just as individual employees are. Your employee relations consultant can provide advice and assistance.