I am interested in team leadership, so when I came across this article on team building, I was excited. This article talks about some different ways to build relationships and strengthen the team at the beginning of the formation of the team. One thing that it lists is coming up with a mission statement as a team. This creates buy-in and ownership of the mission by the entire team. It also suggests taking the team away for a day or two. I think a weekend retreat would be perfect to have time bonding as a team and this would also be a great setting to cast vision and create that mission statement together. It would also incorporate another one of the article’s suggestions, having fun. When people play together, they start to see how much fun it is being on the team, and the atmosphere of the team begins to lighten. To go beyond the surface level the team will need time to get to know each other. Since it is important for ministry teams to go beyond the surface level, praying together regularly is going to help the team on so many levels. First, it will invite God into the team, and invite Him to lead the team. It will also aid in deepening the relationships through spiritual connection. The Holy Spirit in me can touch the Holy Spirit in you as we pray together. I think that it is vital for leaders to create a unified team that loves and cares for each other as they lead.
I will comment on this post.
ReplyDeleteOften, in developing teams, we are so focused on the goal that the building part can be neglected. I liked your post in that you focused on the building of the team – through retreats, having fun and praying together. In a sense, this is building a community that is focused on the mission of the team rather than just assembling a group of people who possess certain skills and trying to get them to work cohesively just because they are part of a defined group. Certainly, skills are important, but relationships are the basis of effective teams. As someone who tends to think organizationally first and relationally second, this was a good reminder of how critical it is to incorporate the type of activities listed in the article into the structure of the team.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated the other suggestions listed on the website. Affirming each other is another excellent suggestion. I think that builds trust and helps individuals to understand how they are perceived and to feel valued within the group. Also, sharing personal experiences and expectations serves the same purpose in a different way. It also has the benefit of clarifying what someone brings to the team and what they expect.