8 ways to improve team collaboration

It is safe to say that every group of friends has this one annoying person that nobody likes but they are still friends with them. You can’t talk to them as they tend to overtalk people, don’t listen, and focus on themselves. Even if you try to agree on something with them, it usually does not work and unleashes hell. Although there is a slight chance you eventually find a common ground with them, it will cost a lot of time and frustrate everybody.

Sadly, you can probably encounter this type of interaction in your teams. Is it infuriating? Yes. Is it disruptive to your workflow? Unfortunately, yes.

Why is good team cooperation so important?

As Luis E. Romero said in an article on Forbes What Everyone Should Know About Teamwork

Teamwork is the key to success in most realms of life and business but it is a challenge in itself. It requires that people manage their egos, develop humility, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts and above all, commit to one another and to a common goal.”

Good team cooperation makes working together a lot easier. Not only inside your company but also with clients. Team(s) that can and like to work with each other are more:

  • effective,
       
  • productive,
       
  • happy to come to the workplace (we all know how much a good     environment is beneficial to you and your employees).

What can you do to improve your team’s cooperation?

Below you will find 8 great tips to help you and your team. Let’s get it on!

1. Define your team’s goals early on

Clear and defined goals will help your team split their roles and plan their work. If possible, divide their goals into smaller ones. Working on small tasks and finishing them quickly is a lot better than struggling with a huge definitive goal.

2. Assign a specific role to every team member

When everyone has a dedicated role, no one has to wonder what they are supposed to do. Let the roles be clear for everyone, so they don’t have to wonder “What the hell does Matt from accounting do here?”.

Try to choose people that complement each other’s skills and designate a leader. This way, you would not have to oversee their work daily. Set up weekly meetings with a leader to report on the progress. This way, you will worry less about your team’s work and focus on other tasks.

3. Gather regularly to report on the progress

As it was previously mentioned, set up meetings with a leader. These do not have to be weekly, but definitely regular meetings. Such meetings are a great opportunity to discuss what was done and to solve any potential problems. They will keep the team going forward.

4. Use suitable tools to manage tasks

Your team can use online or offline tools. Honestly, it doesn’t matter as long as everything is clear and they can easily communicate and navigate through tasks. Kinds of tools that your team can use are:

  • Trello,    
  • Slack,    
  • Jira,    
  • Asana,    
  • stick-it notes,    
  • your own tools (we use our own program, Project Manager).

These tools are great to communicate and track the progress of each task. Team members can easily see how other members are doing and if there are any delays.

5. Micromanagement is a no

No matter if it is you or a project leader, micromanaging won’t bring anything good, it’s quite the opposite. It will only annoy and deprive your team members of creativity. Let your people shine and work at their own pace. React only if it is necessary.

6. Honest and open communication is a key

If your team members don’t know how to talk to each other like civilized human beings, you will have a problem. And rather a big one. Encourage an open and honest exchange of opinions. You can be honest and polite at the same time, yelling and getting angry won’t lead your team anywhere.

7. Identify communication problems and address them

When you receive a signal that your team is not doing well in terms of communication, react. Maybe it is a coworker who doesn’t listen or maybe it is a language barrier. Whatever it is, it better be fixed sooner than later.

8. Gather feedback from your staff and listen to them

Ask your team a few questions:

  • how are they feeling,
  • are there any problems,
  • are they happy while working with other members,
  • and every other question that will come to your mind.

Another important aspect would be to listen to your team. Especially if they inform you about recurring problems.

Did you find our tips helpful? Do you have your own ways to improve your team’s cooperation? Let us know!