A strong team acts as the foundation of a successful company. If team members fail to work well together, problems can emerge show themselves as missed deadlines, poor organization, and conflicts. So, what can teams do to ensure that they work productively and constantly help move the company forward? Here is a list of the top 6 traits of a successful team:
Trait #1 – Strong Communication
Communication is vital for tracking progress and working effectively on tasks. Lack of proper communication can lead to incorrect or incomplete work, which can result in conflicts.
The team members of a successful team openly communicate and share their opinions, ideas, and thoughts. They take other people’s ideas into considerations and approach all conversations with honesty, trust, and respect.
Trait #2 – They’re Goal-Oriented
A successful team sets and agrees on team goals based on results and outcomes rather than on the amount of work being done. A clear strategy can then be devised on how they will accomplish these goals and what will be each individual’s contribution.
Trait #3 – Strong Organizational Skills
An unorganized team that has no idea about how to initiate projects is destined to fail. On the other hand, a team with strong organization skills can define work projects and set them in motion. Moreover, organizing the team’s structure, composition, functioning, and hierarchy is a key trait of a successful team.
Trait #4 – Mutual Accountability
Another important trait of a successful team is accepting responsibility as individuals and as well as a team. They don’t pin the blame on one another for failures and mistakes. In fact, members of a successful team don’t waste any time in providing personal justifications. Instead, they celebrate their accomplishments together and acknowledge the special contributions each member makes towards the team’s success.
Trait #5 – Are Open to Differing Opinions
Team members need to agree on a common objective. However, it doesn’t mean that alternative opinions and ideas have to be suppressed. Having different opinions within a team actually increases team performance.
Varying opinions fuel imagination and bring new ideas. Remember, unless the status quo isn’t challenged, you won’t get those amazing “out of the box” ideas.
Trait #6 – Trust
Team members who don’t trust one another or don’t have faith in the team’s goals and process are hardly ever successful. A key trait of a successful team is that they focus on resolving problems.
Trust and effective communication go hand in hand – team members can only trust one another if they have the liberty to express their views and opinions openly.
Last Few Words
Now that you know a successful team’s traits make sure you start working to instill them in your team. Remember, working in a team isn’t just all work and no play! So make sure your team shares a positive relationship that makes for a much more relaxed environment and minimizes conflict.
