Table of Contents
Introduction
It is obvious to most business owners that the success of an organization hinges on the effectiveness of its teams. If the teams are not efficiently managed, the business or project will most likely fail.
In this article, we’re going to provide team leaders with a short, team management guide.
Define team objectives
Know exactly where you want your team to go. If you don’t know the objective, you’ll confuse yourself and inevitably confuse your team members as well.
This should be obvious, but decide beforehand what you want from each project, team, and member. Create a timeline. Clearly define what you consider as a success. And also define what activity or work is acceptable and what isn’t.
If you don’t define these things, someone else will. Then your team will likely go off track.
Use a time-tracking software for employees
If your teams are not using any real time monitoring tool, immediately get them on one. As the name suggests, a time tracking app helps users effectively track their time.
Effective time management apps can help employees make deadlines, avoid getting stressed, improve productivity and efficiency, and above all else, make extra time for themselves. They will also be able to maintain a work-life balance by keeping track of their time.
Make a list of features that you would like in a time management apps for employees and then buy one that ticks all or most of your boxes. This will help you quickly identify hard-working team members and improve overall productivity.
Regularly hold short one-on-one meetings
Team Management Guide recommends you to schedule time to time one-on-one meetings.Schedule frequent and short meetings with individual team members. This will let you make accurate observations about their strengths, weaknesses, temperaments, and mindsets.
Ben Horowitz, investor A167 and former CEO of Opsware, says:
“…one-on-ones provide an excellent mechanism for information and ideas to flow up the organization and should be part of your design.”
Close gaps with communication
You should try to establish open communication with your team members. This will improve creativity, help bring up long-buried issues or grievances, and create a positive environment. Employees should feel like their voice is being heard and not ignored.
But, keep in mind that communication should be conducted in a respectful manner. If respect is lost then the relationship can’t last for long.
Peter Levine, a financial advisor at Ameriprise, says:
“The organization reflects the behavior and characteristics of the CEO, and that establishes the culture. Foster an environment of open communication, and the organization inherits a culture of open communication.”
Let go of the details
Always keep your eye on the big picture. Don’t worry about each and every small detail. See if your employees are completing their goals. Let them tackle these small issues. This way, they’ll naturally grow. Besides, you have more important things to focus on.
If you miss the forest for the trees then your team will not reach its objectives.
Martin Rees, a British cosmologist, says:
“Most practicing scientists focus on ‘bite-sized’ problems that are timely and tractable. The occupational risk is then to lose sight of the big picture.”
Be transparent
Transparent working environments can make teams more accountable, happy and creative.
Marc de Grandpre, senior vice president of marketing at KIND Healthy Snacks, says:
“It is absolutely critical to have both an authentic and transparent work environment. How can your company learn, grow and succeed if people are afraid to be themselves, voice their opinions and genuinely show that they care about the brand and team? Having the company become a sort of safe space allows for brilliant ideas to flow and for problems in your company to be flagged and addressed head-on.”
