Building a Cohesive Team

The concept of “cohesion” in groups or teams describes to what extent the individuals rely on each other for support and to achieve team goals.  In my assignment for class this week, the textbook explains that there are two types of cohesion: socio-emotional cohesion, which describes teams that genuinely like each other and enjoy working together; and instrumental cohesion, teams that rely on each team member to do their part to get the job done (Kreitner & Kinicki, pg. 314).  Typically, team leaders focus on managing each individual, and do not take into account how to create cohesion by managing at the team level.  With the right coaching and combination of skills, managers can guide individuals to work together and accomplish much more than they could on their own.

Who’s who?  Remember back in high school, when everyone cast their vote for “most likely to succeed,” and “biggest jock”?  You probably have some hidden talents on your team, and you never know when those talents might come in handy. Make an effort to look past the resume and the job history, and find out what else your team is up to. 
In a recent chat with one of my employees about their weekend plans, she mentioned that she was on her church budget planning committee – until that moment, I had no idea she had a knack for numbers and budgeting.  You can bet that next budget season, I am going to get her involved.  Some people might not be as willing to share in person, so you could always try an online survey to gather general background and skills.  If you don’t know the skills of the individuals on your team, you’re missing some great opportunities for delegation and collaboration.  In addition, you run the risk of alienating team members who could have done the job, but end up feeling slighted, because you never asked about their background.

Mix it up: Add a little variety to project assignments.  It’s easy for employees to get comfortable in one role, or working with their usual cohorts.  Allow time and opportunities for employees to cross-train and take on roles that are outside their normal purview.  If you mix up the project teams and assignments, employees will be exposed to different work styles and be forced to get out of their comfort zone.  This may be a challenge for some, but when you ask people to stretch their limits, they will be more likely to form a bond and work together to achieve the common goal.

Get out of the way.  Managers determine and assign the best combination of employees and skills to tackle a project or task.  Once you have assigned the tasks and the project teams are up and running, leave them alone.  It is natural to want to jump in to push things along, or pull from your arsenal of experience in the spirit of “helping the team,” but too many check-ins can give the perception that you are micro managing, or that you don’t trust your team to get the job done.  In most cases, employees will rise to the occasion if given the opportunity to “own” a project or assignment. Giving them the responsibility and authority shows them that you trust their judgment, and allows them to strengthen their own leadership skills.

As I was working on the last paragraph, I could not help but think of my current work environment and the changing landscape of our corporate project teams.  In many situations, the role of manager is evolving to be more of a “team lead” or “working manager.”  Managers are side by side with employees and working on assignments themselves. The lines between manager and employee are being blurred – which brings some positive implications to cohesive teambuilding, but also a few challenges.  If the manager is “part of the team,” he or she will be in tune with the daily struggles, can see weaknesses and shift assignments quickly, and can recognize strengths and give swift appreciation.  On the other hand, the presence of managers within a working team may cause employees to adjust their natural work-styles.  They may be afraid to voice a different opinion in fear of upsetting the manager.  In these cases, a manager has to be very aware and cognizant of team dynamics and perceptions.

Are any of you are seeing the “working manager” trend in your workplace or environment?  If so, how is that trend affecting team cohesiveness?

Resources:

Kreitner, Robert, and Kinicki, Angelo.  (2016). Theories of Organizational Behavior.  New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.