How to Create Team Spirit

In corporations, the day of the solo performer is over. High performance organizations find success by building strong teams.

If you are a leader -- or want to be -- at work, you need to learn to foster teamwork among your co-workers and subordinates. Teamwork makes it possible to accomplish things that no individual working along could hope to achieve. In addition, organizations that generate positive team spirit are simply more fun.

Here are some steps you can take to create a cohesive, high-performing team.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Loyalty to your team.
• An understanding of group dynamics.

1. 

   Create teams that have from 5 to 11 team members. Smaller teams may have difficulty mastering all the skills required of them. Larger teams become unwieldy.

2. Make membership to the team something that has to be earned though real effort or accomplishment. This makes team membership more desirable and raise the status of each team member in the eyes of other team members.

3. Reward and punish the team as a unit. If the team succeeds or fail as a group, then the team members will see themselves as a group and develop loyalty to the groups itself and to team members.

4. Arrange to have team members spend a lot of time together. The more time team members spend together, the more cohesive the group becomes. This suggests that time spend socializing with team members outside of work helps create strong bonds.

5. 

   Teach team members how to cooperate with other team members. They need to learn to come to each others' assistance when problems arise and take pride in the accomplishments of each group member.

6. Foster competition between groups. This helps increase cohesion with each of the competing groups. This works best when the groups function independently of each other and do no require each other's cooperation for their success. Sales teams working in different geographic areas would be a good example of teams that could benefits from inter-group competition.

7. Encourage the team to stick together when times are challenging. Teams that manage to overcome hardships become extremely strong and cohesive.

8. Cross train team members. Cross training allows team members to provide practical support to other team members in crisis situations.

9. 
   Celebrate success

   Praise the team publicly when ever possible. The team will shine if they believe that their leader thinks the best of them. Similarly, do not criticize your team or team members in front of outsiders.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't praise your team extravagantly for mediocre performance. They will not value your praise under these circumstance.

[3bigdogs]

on 11/23/2009 Great advice on how to create team spirit. I have found that fun competition works great to get a team motivated. good tips! thanks for sharing. 5*

[hkimbrell]

on 10/27/2009 Great article! You certainly sound like someone who knows how to create team spirit. 5 * & recommended.

[paulo55]

on 10/26/2009 How to Create Team Spirit. Great article! Excellent information and tips, too. 5*

[poe9368]

on 10/26/2009 Wonderful article on How to Create Team Spirit. Great insights and observations. Well done. 5*

[alltrails]

on 10/25/2009 Excellent advice on how to create team spirit. This is so important in business these days. Our country is centered around teams now, from sports to work, and the leader has to know how to manage them. 5 stars - thanks!