Being a manager of one or more teams in a company implies numerous and considerable responsibilities. Among these, there is the obligation to ensure the cohesion of the members of one’s team(s) in order to achieve the global, collective and specific objectives of the company. But the eternal question remains how to manage one’s teams and promote cohesion.
How can you promote cohesion in your teams?
Every company has short, medium and long term objectives, the achievement of which depends on the individual actions of each team member. For this to happen, it is essential that each of the team members move in the same direction, share the same vision and complement each other in their mission. Team spirit is essential because it determines the likelihood that the objectives will be achieved and even exceeded. It guarantees the quality of the result to be obtained, the ease of obtaining the result and above all the efficiency of the action to be carried out.
According to Harvard Business Review, management has a crucial role in influencing 5 pillars:
- Why the team exists: the common goal
- Communication: the quality of exchanges and tools used
- The benevolence of the manager: his genuine desire to help others progress
- Empowerment of each person: the confidence with which they are entrusted with their mission
- The diversity of the team: everyone recognizes themselves in common values
Cohesion therefore implies that the manager has competent and efficient employees who are highly committed, motivated and supportive, and above all who promote a good flow of information in real time.
Recognize the merit of its employees and show them consideration
The main element that needs to be addressed to generate employee commitment is the extra-professional component. The professional contract that links the employee to the company only takes into account the exchange of skills in exchange for a salary. But what should not be neglected is that for an employee to be a respondent within the company, he must live in an environment that promotes the expression of his potential. They need to feel happy in their role.
So try the laughter technique. As a manager, you should not only be a superior, you should be like a family member. Make sure you create a relaxed atmosphere through sharing and laughing with your employees. Also focus on office design, making them less bland and more user-friendly spaces. Your employees need to understand the value of collaboration so that they are open to teamwork. And in the formation of any think tanks or committees, be sure to promote equality in all respects. Never discriminate on the basis of appearance, origin, accent, etc. This is the only way that each of your employees will feel like a full member of the team: not superior to the other and therefore no risk of disrespect, not inferior to the other and therefore no risk of exaggerated submission or complex; but equal to the other and therefore mutual respect.
You should also think beyond the office to create a rather friendly atmosphere with your employees. One idea is to organize end-of-year meals, for example, outside the company or to initiate weekend dinners.
Know the difference between a group and a team
Did you know that there is a fundamental difference between the words group and team? While a group is a collection of people put together, a team is a collection of people who share and work towards a collective goal. The manager must therefore know how to make a real team out of the group of people under his or her responsibility, a united team.
The manager therefore has a major role to play in creating and maintaining the cohesion that will actually reflect his image. He will have to create common experiences, an overall vision
Here are all of our resources on team building:
- Boost employee engagement
- Reducing Turnover: A HR Manager's Perspective
- Measuring and improving motivation at work
Give your employees a voice: get them involved!
Fostering cohesion within a team also implies that you invite your collaborators to express themselves on the company's issues. It is often boring to collaborate with a manager who only applies the ideas coming from him. An employee will feel more considered and taken into account when the manager involves him in the decision making process, when he feels listened to. It is not a question of accepting all your employees' proposals directly, nor of applying them blindly. But it is useful enough to allow others to express their opinions, and then to discuss them in a respectful way.
