Elements To Help Build a Healthy Team Spirit

What fosters an attitude of team spirit in an organization?

Here are some elements that help build a healthy team spirit:

• An understanding of the overall goals and objectives of the team-When the big picture objective is understood each team member is more willing to pull together to accomplish the mission because they know their purpose.
• Healthy team relationships- For a team to have team spirit it needs to be filled with team members who actually like each other.
• Fun times – A team needs time just to have fun together.
• Team members who value the mission and the team – Some people are not team players.  They may be great people, but they would work better outside a team environment.
• A “we are in this together” attitude as a team – Healthy teams are those where its members are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission.  There are no turf wars on a healthy team.  (For more on this concept, read my previous postHERE.)
• Team leadership that embraces the team environment – Some leaders lead best from the penthouse suite environment.  They give orders well, but do not really enjoy playing the game with the team.  Team leadership requires involvement.

How does your organization foster a team spirit?  Do you feel you are a part of a healthy team?  What could help your team’s spirit be healthier?

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7 Signs of a Dysfunctional Team

Chances are, if you’ve served on very many teams, that you’ve served on one that is dysfunctional. It appears to me that we have many to choose from in the organizational world.  A dysfunctional team in simple terms is one that cannot operate at peak efficiency and performance because of a combination of negative characteristics.

If you have been on a dysfunctional team, then you’ve probably seen one or more of of the common traits found among a dysfunctional team. They do have commonalities.

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Building A Team Around The Strengths Of The Team Members

Is your strategy built around your organization’s people strengths?

Earlier I posted on the need of an organization to capitalize on its human capital.  Read that post HERE.  This post is a continuation of this thought. I consistently see churches and businesses that are built completely upon the strengths and desires of the leader. I even see places where everyone begins to look like the leader! (Same hair style, same glasses, etc.) That model works fine if the leader is Jesus (no joke intended here), but I am not sure it works as well if you and/or I am the leader.

The vision of an organization is constant.  It doesn’t change.  The strategy to accomplish the vision, however, should be fluid enough to meet changing environments, such as culture and economy. Part of determining that strategy should be built around the key people within the organization.

An important variable in determining strategy that is often overlooked is the strengths of the team members within the organization at the time.  I posted before about the way organizations typically replace senior leaders.  (Read that post HERE.)  Organizations usually replace the top position with someone opposite from the one that leaves.  They do this to build on a strength they feel the former leader didn’t have. While that may or may not be a valid method of replacing leadership, the real principle I believe the organization is trying to accomplish in that practice is finding new strengths for the organization. In like manner, the leader should try to capitalize on the strengths of the people within the organization or the team.

With that thought in mind, if you are the senior leader, ask yourself these questions:

Who is on my team?

What are the individual strengths represented on the team?

Is your organization structured in a way to allow these strengths to “strengthen” your organization?

If you do not like your answers, work to change the culture towards one that embraces the combined strength of the organization’s team members. A quick word of warning, however: If you truly want to create an organization built upon the strength of the team and that isn’t currently your situation, the biggest change may have to be in the leader…even if that leader is you.

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Fostering an Attitude of Team Spirit (Whatever it Takes)

One of the most damaging expressions in a team environment is the phrase “that’s not my job” or “that’s not my area of responsibility”.  Thankfully I have never heard that said at Grace Community Church.  Sadly it is far too common in organizations that claim to be a team environment.  I talk with people on staffs frequently who feel they are on an island by themselves within the organization and no one ever helps them think through a problem, recruit volunteers for their area, or lend a hand during crunch times.

While I agree with the equally modern concept these days of job specialization, working from one’s strengths and having clear expectations of a job’s responsibility, the very concept of a team is one of shared resources and shared responsibilities.  For a team to thrive it’s members must be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission of the team.

Team leaders must foster a spirit of cooperation within the team.  Leading by example, team leaders demonstrate this concept best by willingly participating in whatever is necessary to help the team, even if that task is way out of their comfort level or interest.

Does your team need a dose of a “whatever it takes” attitude?  How does your team foster team spirit?

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