A unified team sounds like a dream.
It sounds so right. But it might not be what you think.
If you're thinking unity means people are compliant, not so much.
If you're thinking unity means everyone just gets along all the time, not so much.
Unity is a choice people make. One person at a time, one day at a time, based on what they see and feel from you and others on the team every day.
Which means you can't require it.
But you can absolutely influence it.
So let's talk about how to influence and create unity, starting with being clear about what it actually is.
Unity Doesn't Equal Agreement
We can disagree and still be unified.
And just because people are quiet doesn't mean they're in agreement anyway.
So if we've got some creative tension, that's okay. What we want is to point people toward something: a purpose, a mission that's valuable, something they can get excited about and be unified around.
Because when they're pointing at something, they're not pointing at each other.
Relationships Help Unify Us
Just because everyone gets along doesn't necessarily mean they'll be unified. But everything else being equal, better relationships will help build greater team unity.
Relationships are part of the process. They're not the whole goal.
Have Clear Agreements and Expectations
Agreements and expectations are the foundation.
When expectations are clear, when people know what everyone else is doing, and when they have agreement about how we're going to interact with each other, there's less chance for disagreement and miscommunication to overshadow the important thing we're trying to be unified around.
Check Team Health Regularly
Maybe once a quarter, ask the team: How are we doing? What's working? What do we need to change?
Ask individuals that question in your one-on-ones too, as often as you can. Maybe in every one-on-one.
The more often you're checking in on team health, rather than just assuming it looks pretty good, the better off you'll be.
Think Bigger
Teams are the building blocks of organizations. If we can help our leaders become team builders, we can build a stronger organization.
0 comments