Building a Strong Team Identity: A Guide

September 4 2019 - A successful team is not something which can be built overnight. The best teams are those that grow together over time, i.e. passing through the journey of Forming to Storming to Norming to Performing. It's natural for there to be discord or disagreements within a team from time to time, but the difference is how people manage those times of stress and conflict for the greater good. There are some steps you can take in order to create a cohesive team which works in harmony towards a common goal and this guide outlines some of the most effective for your consideration.

Introduce a uniform

Think of the most famous teams in the world whether it's a sports team, the armed forces or medical staff. What do they all have in common? They wear a uniform. Wearing a uniform or even using matching logos, colours, and symbols in badges or accessories can support the innate human desire to belong to a tribe. Team songs, chants or slogans also have the same effect. Contact London based t-shirt printers and create your team uniform today.

Delegate clear responsibilities

It's essential that every person within your team understands their role and key responsibilities, as well as why their contribution is so valuable to the team's success. Over time the lines can become blurred with some people taking on more than their fair share and others letting their responsibilities slide. It's best to have regular one-on-one meetings with each team member to ensure they understand the boundaries and expectations of their role.

Establish a code of conduct

Learning how to work together as a well-oiled machine is not automatic and often takes time to perfect, but there are ways to minimise friction. Consider creating and documenting a code of conduct for the team which outlines what is acceptable and not acceptable practice. For example, emails should not be sent after 6 pm or on weekends, all meetings will begin and finish on time, etc. By setting out the expectations early on, everyone in the team is reading from the same script.

Promote a deeper understanding

Part of building a professional team is getting to know people on a personal level. If we don't understand the backgrounds, likes, dislikes, and motivations of our fellow team members, we cannot build trust. Trust is fundamental in developing a team with a strong shared identity, so consider running team-building activities or social events to strengthen the bonds.

Focus on a communal goal

A team needs a shared goal to focus on in order to bring them together as a team. It's the job of a leader to not only identify the team's goal but also to motivate them and keep them focused on it as they work. Of course, it's not enough for the leader to dictate the goal, the team needs to buy into it and believe in the purpose to achieve maximum results. In addition, larger goals should be broken down into SMART objectives to keep a project on track.

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