Think of a World Without Any Chocolate…
Imagine a world with apples but no oranges. Socks but no tights. Bowler hats but no berets. Or, most scarily, chocolate chip cookies…and no vanilla cream truffles. This, ladies and gentlemen, would be a world lacking in diversity. Boo. And diversity is the name of the game when it comes to building a great team.
Just calling a group of people ‘a team’ does not an effective team make. We’ve been thinking about what creates the best, most cheerful and smooth-running collaborations and have come up with a few pointers.
How to Guide: Building a Good Team
- Take a good look around are your fellow team members. Is your team predominantly made up of the same people or is it a good mix? If it is fairly homogeneous, perhaps it’s worth asking whether such a group can truly represent the views of the customer? Have they got the knowledge they need? Can you find people with different backgrounds to join the team?
- With this in mind, beware of trying to mould people towards any point of view. The point of differences is that they enrich the idea pool, so be receptive to their suggestions, even if you might not immediately agree.
- Look out for any quiet ones. Why aren’t they contributing? Do they feel excluded? If you think it’s a confidence issue, it might be worth taking them quietly to one side, and letting them know that their opinion is valued.
- We know it’s tempting to have an easy life, but don’t pretend to agree when you don’t. Differences can be fuel for developing ideas.
- Look for common ground. Core beliefs are often the same when surface beliefs are different. Focusing on core beliefs can help you as a team get back on track when there is disagreement and conflict.
