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10.1 Building Your Team
"By choosing the right people and getting them to believe in a shared goal,
you lay the groundwork for a winning team."

Building successful teams revolves around trust. People work together more effectively when they share a desire to achieve group goals without egos or rivalries getting in the way.

Your challenge as supervisor is to earn credibility as the team's leader. How? Admit what you don't know and ask the team for help. Allot plenty of time in meetings for teammates to give input so that you speak less and listen more. Support the team's findings and increase its influence throughout your organization.

Accept the strengths and weaknesses of each member. If you play favorites and tend to only listen to certain people, you'll exclude others and drive a wedge into the team. Pay special attention to quiet individuals. Let them speak up, even if that means muzzling more vocal members of the group.

Create a work environment that fosters collaboration. Provide an open, inviting space that encourages workers to communicate freely. Consider the following examples:

    1. Seating arrangement. Arrange chairs in a circle or U-shape so participants can look at each other. That's better than classroom-style seating, which promotes passivity as people adopt the role of students and wait for you to do all the talking. Set up seating so that everyone feels equal.
    1. Office location. Just because you're the supervisor doesn't mean you should operate from an office that's closed off from your team. Sit nearby so that teammates view you as a part of the group. A cubicle without doors increases your accessibility and helps you monitor everyone's progress.
    1. Office furniture. Set up light, moveable tables in the lounges, cafeteria and hallways. Portable furniture enables team members to communicate more easily and share ideas more informally in a spontaneous manner.
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