Creating an Effective Team-Building Atmosphere

            To create an effective team-building atmosphere, we can follow two tips for developing team effectiveness.  First, we need a clear vision of what we need to get done and how we are going to get it done.  Second, we need to develop an atmosphere of communication where all members of the team feel comfortable discussing ideas (Pattersen, 2010).

            The first tip for building an effective team is to develop a clear vision of what the team needs to accomplish and how the team will accomplish it.  A clear vision allows confidence to build within the team.  As well as building confidence, knowing what needs to get done allows the team to become more committed to the project.  Establishing this confidence and commitment helps boost morale and create more effective team members (Pattersen, 2010).

            The second tip is to develop an atmosphere where all members of the team feel comfortable communicating.  Team members need to learn to respect each other’s views.  Team members should be encouraged to listen to what each person has to say, because not one member of the team is correct all of the time.  While developing an atmosphere of communication, be careful not to over-communicate.  When we over-communicate, we sometimes create aggravation in the team when we thought we were creating a spirit of collaboration (Mader, 2010).  Good communication encourages team members by showing them what is expected of them in a friendly and honest way, so that each individual can meet and exceed those expectations (Pattersen, 2010).

             Having a clear vision of what needs to be completed and being able to communicate the vision openly with the team creates an effective team atmosphere.  These tips will benefit every team that uses them.

References

Mader, Mark.  (2010, March 8).  Top 10 Tips for Effective Team Task Management.           Smartsheet.com. Retrieved from http://www.smartsheet.com/blog/mark-mader/top-10-         tips-effective-team-task-management

Pattersen, Morton.  (2010, September 2).  7 Tips for Developing an Effective Team.  Biznik.com.  Retrieved from http://biznik.com/articles/7-tips-for-developing-an-effective-team