Action plan to build a winning team

Building a team in an organization is complex. One way is to have a plan to build and strengthen your team and takes into account many factors.

Steps

1. Define the mission
2. Quantify the existing shared characteristics of the team
3. Define unique team experiences
4. Identify team improvements
5. Identify team weaknesses
6. Define the leaders monthly activities

Example

What follows is the actual team building results from a division of a business to illustrate what these steps mean.

Mission

Mission: To commit to a process which will develop a focused, committed team of quality people who will work together with intensity and creativity.

Shared Characteristics

Winning Teams – Shared Characteristics:

• Skilled in many areas – Variety in Groups
• High level of energy
• High expectations of team members
• Able to think outside the box
• Ability to find new solutions, i.e. “flexible thinking”
• Shared common mission/goal to solve difficult problems
• Great communication above and beyond the call
• Pride in group product
• Group feels vested
• Trust among members

Team Experiences

Unique Team Experiences:

• Cross lines of Responsibility
• Experienced members configured in a new team
• Learning experience
• No roadmap of experience
• Vast knowledge of senior mentors – shared with younger inexperienced members

Team improvements

Team Improvements Identified:

• Retention of employees to keep experienced team
• Educating the “Team” concept
• Communication between team members
• Leadership skills improvement of team leader
• Challenging the team
• Cross training across strengths
• Focus on details & follow up on the plan
• Confirmation of understanding of the plan
• Getting Team involved more in the planning
• Continuity in team meetings before crisis stage

Team Weaknesses

Team Weaknesses to Repair

• Operate in isolation / together alternative
• Lose focus
• Varied work ethic & focus level in team
• Familiarity – take things for granted
• Finger pointing
• Lack of professional training
• Too competitive among selves
• Not understanding team goals
• Lack of trust
• Team too small – need diversity
• Lack of communication

Monthly leader activities

• Most Important Monthly Activities for the Leader:
• Pride in workmanship “Team Building”
• Communicating to the team the “Plan”
• Making sure it all gets done – All divisions
• Define Mission, Goal, Success criteria to the Team
• Take care of the employees
• Look ahead 3 months to succeed
• Budgeting – Tracking major projects & Key Costs