So you are mobilising a new team. You put in place the fundamental elements – parts such as the business case, scope and plan, resource plan, team structure, roles and responsibilities, approach and schedule for the mobilisation weeks, governance, reporting and tracking… The team is in place, the kickoff session has been held, and the core work is about to begin. The building blocks are all there. But what about the glue? What glue you might well ask? The people glue..
“It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” – Charles Darwin
You have just brought together a group of human beings, atleast some of whom have never worked together, or atleast, on this particular undertaking. You’ve embarked on the forming, storming, norming, performing curve. Not every team gets up that curve efficiently or effectively. If fact, if not managed well, there may be ongoing ‘residual effects’ of some poor working relationships, and wasted effort. It needs the glue.. that ‘social fabric’ of strong working relationships, a common purpose and constructive ethos within the team.
This can and ought to develop organically through natural ‘friction’, as team members get to know each others’ relative roles, styles and strengths and weaknesses. Or you can choose to accelerate it, achieving the collective power of a cohesive, well functioning team that bit earlier and more smoothly. When a team is integrated and bonded, it performs at a higher level, demonstrating greater focus, resilience, collective problem solving and adaptability.
To fastpath this, work early to build trust across the team. Collectively develop a better understanding of each other and deepen communication skills. Foster a constructive approach to conflict management – conflict is a natural part of establishing teams, and done well should build bridges not wreck them. Co-create the Team identity and behavioural norms – so that ‘we, the team, say how we will show up’. Bring to the fore, the innate human-human connection that is clearly evident in high performing teams.