How to Develop Your Team Building Skills

Develop Your Team Building Skills

Facilitating Teamwork is the ability to promote teamwork, cooperation, and identification with the work group.

Did You Know? Aggregate data from SIGMA’s consulting engagements has revealed that “facilitating teamwork” is one of the top five skills organizations want in their leaders.

Development Activities

On the Job

If you lead a team in any capacity:

• Practice giving feedback. Schedule regular meetings and create a structured form or set of guiding questions you can use to give consistent and timely feedback.
• Practice setting goals, priorities, and roles with your team. If these things have not yet been established, do some planning, then hold a meeting to clarify each.
• Pay attention to group dynamics and think of ways that you can actively build the team beyond simply holding them accountable to accomplish tasks.

If you do not lead a team:

• Volunteer to lead a new team.
• Shadow an effective team lead in your organization to see how they communicate, facilitate meetings, and build relationships.
• Observe how teamwork is encouraged in the work that you do with others. What works well? What would you adapt or do differently.

Consider tasks or projects that you are involved in that could be done better with a group. Alternatively, consider group work that you are involved in that could be done better by individual contributors. Practice discerning when team structures or systems are slowing down progress, such as too many people, too frequent meetings, or not meeting frequently enough.

Coaching

Meet regularly with a coach to plan on-the-job development activities and receive feedback and support.

Self-Directed

Hold informational interviews with managers in your organization to learn what works for them and what advice they would give to others who want to build strong teams.

Group Training

• An informational Lunch and Learn session.
• A team-building session focused on leadership skills.
• A team-building session focused on leader character.
• Use an existing meeting to run short team-building games or discussions.

Resources for Team Building

Leadership Series

SIGMA’s Leadership Series provides additional information about the importance of each competency, as well as practical tips and tricks for development. Download the Leadership Series for Facilitating Teamwork here: Great Leaders Build Great Teams.

Articles and Books

• Team Building Activities That Develop Leader Character.
• Team Communication Quiz.
• Effective and Engaging Team Meetings.
• Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances.

Videos

• Build a Tower, Build a Team.
• How to Turn a Group of Strangers Into a Team.
• Teamwork Reimagined.
• How Science Can Fix Remote Work.

Podcasts

• The Problem With All-Stars (on WorkLife with Adam Grant)

SIGMA Can Help

Since 1967, SIGMA consultants have helped thousands of organizations across North America develop their people potential and increase organizational effectiveness. Explore our assessments, coaching, and consulting services below, and contact us if you would like to speak about creating a custom plan for your organization. Develop your team building skills with SIGMA today.