Teambuilding: Doing It Right
If your cocktail party is dragging just a bit, and you'd like to liven things up, try bringing up the subject of teambuilding. It may not get people dancing, but it will certainly raise the energy level.

People generally have strong feelings about teambuilding, and these feelings seldom occupy the middle ground. Either they view teambuilding as a progressive and constructive activity that will almost always bring great benefit to the organization, or they view it as a well-meaning but ultimately fruitless exercise that may even do more harm then good.

The fact is that organizations need their employees to work well together. Does this mean that all teambuilding efforts are worthwhile? Not necessarily. The reality is that any teambuilding effort can be a great success or a disappointing failure, depending on why and how the teambuilding is conducted. Organizations can increase the likelihood of success by following a few simple principles, which we discuss below.

What is Teambuilding?
For the purpose of this discussion, teambuilding is a specific organizational activity where a group of people comes together for special training or guidance on how to work together effectively. A teambuilding effort might involve a small group such as a department that needs help in resolving internal conflicts. Or a teambuilding effort might involve a larger group, such as a team with members from a number of departments who are working together on a specific project. Teambuilding efforts often use assessment tools such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to help team members gain an understanding of, and appreciation for, different work styles. The anticipated benefits of teambuilding efforts are increased collaboration, productivity, and quality.

Doing It Right
Teambuilding certainly seems like a noble endeavor. Unfortunately it sometimes fails to achieve the desired results. Even the most enthusiastic proponents have to admit that teambuilding initiatives can fail as easily as any other organizational effort. But teambuilding done in the right way can succeed and can create real benefit for the organization. We know this because we have seen it. The reasons for this success vary from organization to organization-there is no magic formula. Yet if you look closely, you will find certain features that successful teams have in common. Teambuilding initiatives must be designed to foster these team characteristics. Here is our list of the top 5 (in no particular order).

1. A successful team fully understands its purpose, and has specific objectives that are measurable. The team needs to understand why it has come together; it has to have a purpose that is meaningful to the team. Shouldn't the team's purpose be obvious? Perhaps, but in many cases it is not. In addition, the team must know exactly what it is trying to accomplish. How will we know when the work of the team is done? How will we know whether it has been successful or not?

2. A successful team will have a plan for achieving its objectives. This plan may include the traditional items such as a schedule and budget, but it often will include additional actions such as clarifying the roles of each team member, developing specific ways to capitalize on the skills of each member, and making the assumptions and expectations of the team explicit. Such actions can be as important to team success as the most detailed budget and schedule.

3. A successful team will have a clear decision-making method in place. Teams have to make decisions. How will the decisions be made? Will the team defer to the team leader? Will the team take a vote? If so, does the vote have to be unanimous or can the majority rule? Teams need to agree on how this is going to be done. Successful teams have taken the time to clarify the "rules" about decision-making.

4. A successful team will have mutual accountability. Accountability will not simply rest with the team leader. Each team member will accept the responsibility for equally ensuring that things are done right, and each team member will contribute equivalent amounts of real work.

5. A successful team will have a commitment to the team and to the team's success. If good solutions and ideas are offered, they belong to the team. Similarly, if problems arise, these belong to the team as well. Individual stardom and ownership get left behind. Strong teams communicate openly and find ways to constructively solve problems.

One Final Point
Employers who are thinking about starting a teambuilding initiative have to fully support the process, provide sufficient resources, and have realistic expectations. The resource issue is particularly important. An employee population who already feels overworked and stretched from a time standpoint will not react positively to having a "teambuilding initiative" dumped on it. It will be viewed as just "one more thing" to do. It is critical that management make a realistic assessment of resources and time constraints, and does everything it can to ensure that people truly have the time to make the teambuilding work. Part of this might include using a skilled facilitator to guide the team to effectively direct its collective attention to its objectives and performance challenges.

Ensuring a successful teambuilding effort is not an easy task. But it can be done. If it is done right, it has the potential to create significant benefits for the organization. Here's hoping that your teambuilding efforts have a positive-and lasting-impact!

Til next time.