5 Critical Rules for Amazing Team Formation

Written by Guest Blogger James Daily

Some teams are highly successful; others are abject failures; some are just mediocre. And there has been a lot of research done on the differences.

The big factors seem to be communication, cooperation, and resource allocation. But the question is, how to achieve them? If you need to form a team, there are some basic “rules” and steps that will help ensure that it is effective. Here are five of them.

1. Define the Mission

There must be a purpose for the formation of a team. What work exactly has the team been formed for? And how does each team member interpret that mission? Clearly, getting the mission clearly defined for everyone is critical. TIP: Write the mission statement in a simple language

2. From the Mission Come the Goals

Goals are concrete targets based on the mission. They are S.M.A.R.T. – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Example: Sales will increase by 5% in six months. Every goal set must have these elements.

3. Assignment of Roles and Responsibilities

Every team member must have a clear picture of his/her role and task responsibilities and must have accountability for those tasks. Sylvia Giltner, an HR specialist at Resumes Centre adds: “All team members must also understand the inter-relationships among all of the tasks, for that will increase the sense of 'community' among the members.”

And ultimate accountability lies with the team’s leader.

4. Establishing the Playbook

Teambuilding requires that everyone is playing by the same “rules.” Indeed, teamwork activities demand this. For example, what will be the method of members reporting their progress to other members? Sometimes role-playing team building exercises will be necessary so that everyone has a clear idea of their individual and collective part in rules compliance.

5. Establishing Decision-Making Procedures

Good decisions are made when there is enough information/data, when each team member has that information/data, and when every member has the opportunity for input. Larry Oliver, a career advisor at Resumes Expert explains: “A good leader will investigate various decision-making models, bring them to the team, and make a collective decision about which model works best for them.”

Exactly What is Teamwork?

In the end, it is a process. And it does involve the three factors at the beginning of this article – communication, cooperation, and resource allocation.

Communication: Clear and open communication is the result of lots of things. From the time we were in college giving verbal presentations, we have understood the importance of being clear in our communication. The other prong, openness, comes from trust – trust that all ideas can be placed on the table, that conflicts will not be ignored but, rather, addressed and resolved, and that listening is just as important as speaking.

Cooperation: Cooperation is built upon two things – everyone meeting their roles and responsibilities and trusting one another. It means open sharing, assisting, and having each other’s backs.

Resource Allocation: Roles and responsibilities must be divided and assigned based upon the strengths and skills of team members. When team leaders get this right, micro-managing disappears, and team members rise to the expectations set for them.

Team Formation Requires Time

You have to understand that building a successful team is not a task you can achieve overnight. It’s a complicated process that requires your efforts as a leader. Communication, cooperation, and resource allocation are three main factors to pay attention to. The five steps explained above will help you improve your teamwork and productivity as a team.

About the author: James Daily is a seasoned content marketing writer and head of the content department at Essay writing service. He is also a frequent contributor to blogs that relate to content development, social media marketing, and spreading brand awareness.