What does it take to build the perfect team? This is the question that Google had in mind last 2012 when they set out on a mission to find out the main characteristics in building a good team.
This is a matter of great importance especially with a company with a large number of people wherein you want to foster a harmonious working environment. Here are the top five traits of a successful team that they have concluded in their research.
One is feeling safe in the workplace. It’s important that team members feel comfortable doing whatever action they deem necessary, especially when it comes to their work.
Everyone should have a feeling of openness and acceptance in the group and are not afraid to show their ideas. The second trait is dependability, the team members must be able to turn in quality work with efficiency.
The third is the structure. Every member should be aware of their role and what is expected of them, these expectations should also pose and challenge but is still feasible. Everyone should also find purpose and meaning in their work. And finally, members should see that what they are doing is actually contributing to the overall success of the company.
These traits are what Google found to be the most important factors in building a team. However, not all researchers seem to agree with the results of this study. Some find that the results are too skills-based and do not take into account the importance of a team member’s personality and their attitude towards their work and their workmates.
Another study looked at the problem from a different perspective. This one looked into left-brained compared to right-brained personalities and looked at what each type’s strengths and weaknesses were. It is said that right-brained people tend to be more creative, intuitive, free-thinking, and have higher cooperation skills.
They are the ones who play a big part in relationship-building within the team. Left-brained people are the ones whose mindsets are more on the objective side. They tend to focus on logic and facts and are more pragmatic.
While pragmatism is important, it is certainly not the only thing that matters for every person. While a lot of professions would rely on technical skills, the EQ (Emotional Intelligence) should also be considered aside from the IQ (Intelligence Quotient).
Adapting a more subjective approach to work allows us to develop traits that go beyond the knowledge gained from a textbook. And this is important because what matters in a workplace is not just how much we know about the work itself, but also how we deal with other people.
It’s not enough to excel in the work but failing to have the proper work etiquette and attitude towards your co-workers, because it is not just you alone doing the work. Success depends on teamwork and cooperation between each employee, once everyone is able to come together with a united goal, then it is only expected for progress to follow.