Top 10 Characteristics of Well-Functioning Teams

Teamwork is important on any job site. To maximize your team’s ability to work together, strive for these characteristics of well-functioning teams.

Most jobs require employees to engage in some amount of teamwork. Usually, this leads to multiple qualified minds working on the same goal. However, teamwork can occasionally go awry. In order to help your team perform at a high level, make sure everyone understands these 10 characteristics of well-functioning teams.

1. Purpose

In order to achieve anything with teamwork, each individual on the team must share the same goal. This is one of the reasons purpose-based work is so important. If everyone on the team shares the same ideals, then the team is far more likely to be successful.

2. Roles

Every person on the team must fulfill a specific role, and every team member should have a clear understand of what his or her role requires. Team leaders should know what they need to do in order to lead, and employees should know what they are expected to contribute to the project.

3. Priorities

Each team member needs to know which duties need to be fulfilled first in order for the project to be completed on time. This way, the most critical components of the project are finished when the team gets together.

4. Standards

There should be a set quality standard for the project, and each member of the team should know how hard he or she has to work in order to deliver a high-quality end result. This helps ensure that no team member slacks off or overcompensates for anyone else.

5. Decision-making

In order to have a well-functioning team, someone should be able to make decisions, and the rest of the team members should execute these decisions. This helps makes sure that the team maintains a common goal. However, decision-makers need to be sure they are being effective leaders in order to keep the team functioning at a high level.

6. Clear communication and feedback

Everyone on the team should be able to give and receive thoughtful, considerate feedback. Members should feel like they can ask one another for help without facing ridicule. Overall, team members should be able to learn from this project.

7. Effectiveness

Teams need to work effectively in order to make sure that no one wastes time in unproductive discussions.

8. Personalities

With so many different people coming together, it’s easy for an individual to feel like their thoughts and ideas don’t matter. A well-functioning team makes sure everyone gets an opportunity to share their ideas so nobody feels stifled.

9. Conflict resolution

When multiple people come together on a project, butting heads is common. Trying to eliminate conflict altogether doesn’t usually work, and ignoring the conflict often makes the problem even worse. The best teams know that the best way to deal with conflict is address the issue directly, quickly, and respectfully.

10. Success

In order to be successful as a team, everyone on the team must have the same understanding of what makes a project successful. If everyone is on the same page about what it takes to be successful, then no one will feel like the project is incomplete once the team stops working.

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