How To Be An Engaging Leader:This List Helps To Spot If Your Team Is Healthy?

How To Be An Engaging Leader 

This List Helps To Spot If Your Team Is Healthy?

 ***********

Working in a group can be enjoyable or frustrating, perhaps both. These feelings are linked to the health of your team. Not unlike an individual, a team needs to grow and develop in order to increase its effectiveness and confidence. As a manager, how do you know if your group doing well and is healthy? What are some of the areas of development that you can work on with your team members?

Here are five areas of development in teams to work with:

1. Climate
2. Involvement
3. Interaction
4. Cohesion
5. Productivity

See below for more details....

By observing, understanding, and giving attention to these five areas, groups can improve their processes, accomplish more goals, and provide more satisfaction for the members.

Climate:  This includes both the physical and the emotional climate that are important to the well-being and growth of the team. Seating arrangements, lighting, ventilation and closeness of members can affect the group. Emotional climate determines the security and ease of the members. There is a feeling of "something is in the air" when you walk into the room that can help you determine your teams´s emotional climate. Is it formal or informal? Friendly? Competitive?

Tip:  Table and chairs can create a separation between the members; try an open circle of chairs to facilitate a more personal communication and free expression.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

********

Involvement: Is determined by the draw of other members in the team to each other and to the activities or product of the team. Some key questions in assessing involvement are: Why are the members here? What level of commitment do they have to the team?  Levels of involvement show up in lateness, absenteeism and lack of energy.

Tip :  Allow for opportunities for members to participate in setting their own work goals and procedures.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

********

Interaction : This is a key dimension in your group´s health. If more members interact with one another, the more likely the team will develop and accomplish its task. Key question in assessing your group´s level of interaction are: What is the distribution of participation?  Who has the power in the group? Are their sub-groups or cliques? What is the balance of roles in the group (see note)? Are people listening and building on the idea of others?  Emotional climate and interaction are closely linked. Members who feel secure and accepted can express their feelings freely and frequently.

Tip:  Encourage group decision-making activities, small group projects and coffee breaks to promote closeness and discussion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

********

Productivity: The accomplishment of goals provides motivation and pride for in the group as a whole. This involves areas of goal setting, goal clarification, gaining member commitment, and implementation.

Tip: A simple step to help your group reach its goals is by following up and planning ahead. If decisions from previous sessions were carried out then your group can create momentum by planning ahead for the next session. In the best circumstances, you can trust that group members will be able to do additional work that will have an impact on the overall goal.


Source adapted and credited to : Link