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Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:
Lean
Tip #1231 - Celebrate Team Successes.
Recognition
programs should be set up for both individuals and teams. While individual
performance is important, the efforts of a team can deliver exponential
results. When it is a group success, recognition needs to be public to let
other staffers know their achievements do matter. Did the team exceed quarterly goals? Don’t
wait until the end of the year to celebrate everything, treat each success as
its own special accomplishment. When groups are rewarded for their collective
success, it creates a sense of unity and fosters an environment of stronger
teamwork.
Lean Tip #1232 - Foster a Creative Atmosphere.
Allow
team members to question and brainstorm in a non-judgmental framework. Encourage the team to look at obstacles as
being conquerable. Nurture a “can do” company attitude. Ask why, or why not, on
a regular basis. One way we cultivate a creative atmosphere at my company is by
providing leadership training that encourages character development. We
purposefully hire employees who aspire to be and produce their very best.
Lean Tip #1233 - Leverage Team Member Strengths.
Different
personality dynamics, skill sets and experiences are present in every team. Position
each team member for success by assigning tasks that play to their respective
strengths. Reward both individual and team accomplishments regularly.
Lean
Tip #1234 – Build Cohesion in Your Team.
Include
every person on the team in as many large decisions as possible. Create a means
of communicating current work flows to avoid duplication of effort. Initiate
daily team huddles where each member shares what they will be accomplishing
that day. This keeps everyone on the same playbook and enables team members to
re-direct their efforts as needed.
Lean
Tip #1235 - Communicate Company Expectations on Collaboration.
Make
it clear that collaboration is the minimum standard. Define roles and
responsibilities within the team. Every team member should understand their
position and what is required of them. In a collaborative environment every
team member takes responsibility for good outcomes.
Lean
Tip #1236 - Teamwork Increases Accountability.
Teamwork
increases the accountability of every member of the organization. No one wants
to let each other down. Everyone does his or her best to contribute to the
success of the team. The team is rewarded and not the individual. This is not
always easy to complete or communicate due to the emphasis our culture places
on individual performance and competition.
Lean
Tip #1237 – Teamwork Needs Empowerment
When
it comes to teamwork, one of the most detrimental forces is a management team
that micromanages. A team functions best when they are empowered to make
important decisions and complete the critical tasks that move an organization
forward.
In
some cases, you may need to be overt about empowering your team. Tell them that
you expect and encourage them to be self-starters, to take tasks on themselves
and to complete things without typical “approvals” (if possible). By doing so,
you’re sending a message of trust and respect to everyone on your team.
Lean
Tip #1238 - Share Information Within Your Team
No
one likes to be kept in the dark, and withholding information from team members
is a surefire way to create confusion and resentment among team members. It can
also create competitive undercurrents in your organization, which is the
antithesis of teamwork.
Be
clear with everyone on your team about new information as it relates to your
business and your goals. Your staff will appreciate being kept in the loop, and
more importantly, it sends the message that you value and respect their place
in the organization.
Lean
Tip #1239 - Don’t Attribute Blame
You
may all be getting on well when things are rosy but as soon as something goes
wrong, the fingers start pointing. Attributing blame within a team is never
helpful and just lead to resentment and arguments. Deconstruct what happened
and where you went wrong but take responsibility for the mistakes as a team
rather than laying it on an individual. You would all take credit for any
success so you all need to do the same for your failures.
Effective
teamwork is no something that is quick and easy to establish. Each member needs
to communicate and listen properly while not trying to pull focus. Know what
each person’s strengths are and how you can use these for the good of the
group. Plan what you intend to do and be prepared to take the blame as a group
as well as the credit.
Lean
Tip #1240 - The Importance of Communication
Communication
is the key to any effective teamwork. If you can’t share ideas and get your
point across in a supportive environment then it will be difficult to get
anything done. If people don’t agree, or have a problem then need to be able to
tell the other members in a constructive manner. Also, each member needs to
stay informed about any decisions or progress so that everybody is working
together rather than in their own direction.
Lean
Tip #1241 - Manage the Work Force But Avoid Micromanagement
It
is well known that a large pool of employees does need to be managed, provided
direction and given assistance. But with this they must also be trusted, given
freedom to operate in their style and adopt measures which they think are the
best to deliver results.
- This freedom to act as they deem
fit helps to keep them encouraged, motivated and happy in the belief that
they are trusted.
- Micro management is a human
tendency but one that is detrimental to achievement, since it makes mere
puppets out of employees, who are expected to toe the boss’ line and not
think for themselves.
- Employees need to think for
themselves, analyze the consequences of every decision or action to be
able to give their best to their jobs. And the employers must make it
possible for their workers to do so.
Lean
Tip #1242 - Encourage, Motivate, Reward and Recognize
The
employer must ensure that on his part he always has words of encouragement for
his staff. Encouraging them helps them move forward and do even better, and
makes the worker feel happy. Innovative ways of motivating them spurs them even
more. For example, holidays or conferences paid for by the company have been
found to motivate employees immensely.
- Rewarding the hard work put in by
employees makes them continue to work in the same fashion, and if the
employee feels that his work is not appreciated in words or in material
terms, he may gradually stop doing so, since he may feel that others
working less are given the same too, so he need not work more.
- Rewards, and other ways of
keeping employees happy makes them feel that their effort is being
recognized and that they are needed by the company.
- Without these, they may soon
start looking for greener pastures and new jobs.
Lean
Tip #1243 - Ensure that People Enjoy Their Work
The
best performing employee is the happy employee, and the employer has to find
ways of making his people happy. Besides working conditions and the work
culture implemented, he has to devise ways of making the work seem challenging
and interesting rather than mundane and boring.
Lean
Tip #1244 - Spend Less Time on Meetings and More on Action
The
current trend to have more meetings and discussion rather than spending more
time working to achieve results, leads to precious productive time loss.
Meetings
for reviews and sharing of ideas can be limited and kept short.
Employees
should have more time to show results.
Lean
Tip #1245 – Provide Learning and Improvement Opportunities
Employees
are delighted when they can enhance their skills and get additional learning
opportunities sponsored by the employer. This helps them learn, feel indebted
for the money being spent on them, which also adds to their resume, and are
obliged to perform better by applying all the knowledge gained in these
courses.
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