Building Supportive Relationships with the Team
As a team leader, it is my responsibility to make sure that the team works as a single cohesive machine, with each member being able to interact in both professional and interpersonal capacity. For this purpose, it is necessary to build supportive relationships within the team. This process can be facilitated through the creation of a positive and friendly work environment, one that will be beneficial to the goal of bringing the team together. I think that the use of informal meetings and a less rigid structure in regards to operation would be helpful, as it would allow all employees to relax more and feel like they trust other individuals working with them. Additionally, the role of communication in building supportive relationships is quite large. By creating a sophisticated and all-inclusive communication network, the company can make sure that its employee’s voices are being heard. This also enables team members to interact and operate together in a professional capacity.
Developing Competence and Confidence
Similarly to developing a supportive team, I think that communication and interaction within the organization will be key to supporting the competencies of the staff. Through effective communication channels, leaders and managers are able to better understand their team, therefore gaining an ability to support them from the top better. In addition, team members and the staff should be gathered for team meetings on a regular basis, where each individual would be able to discuss their progress on a team task or their personal responsibilities, as well as voice any potential reservations they may have about its completion. By listening to the feedback of all participants, it is possible to find ways of supporting them in an organized manner, while also drawing from the experience of all staff. Additionally, the use of informal meetings and improved communication contribute towards a person’s trust in their organization, enhancing their confidence and work competencies.
Develop Cooperative Work Relationships among Team Members
While much desired, it is impossible to expect every team member to get along with all of their colleagues. Even in the most positive and supportive environment, some people are unable to work together or agree on certain topics. This can depend from project to project, depending on the personal ideas and values held by each person. However, it is a leader’s responsibility to create the most non-conflict environment possible, utilizing their employees in a manner that is both productive and beneficial to the company atmosphere as a whole. During the initial phases of the organization’s work, the interactions between workers should be noted, including their potential strengths and weaknesses. By organizing work teams around people who can cover each-others’ weaknesses while also getting along, it is possible to facilitate cooperative work relationships in an organization (Kouzes, 2017).
Connecting Team Members with Specialists
For the purposes of connecting team members with other specialists, it is crucial to establish a reliable and vast contact network. In the past, this would be accomplished through active communication in the related business circles and the process of searching for industry contacts. With the spread and wide utilization of the worldwide web, however, this process has become much more streamlined and simple than before. In particular, a leader can find specialists online and refer them to their employees, enhancing the range of expertise in the company and allowing the other team members to be more knowledgeable in any given area. Such sites as LinkedIn and other professional resources can be especially helpful in this regard.
References
Kouzes, J. M. (2017). The Leadership Challenge. Wiley.