Building a Collaborative Team: Approaches to composing and leading highly collaborative teams: Management Essay

Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
Date of Submission
BUILDING COLLABORATIVE TEAM
In an organization, collaboration is a crucial factor for a team to work efficiently and effectively. An individual can work better in an environment that allows them to communicate freely and function collaboratively. When collaboration is the primary focus of the work environment, team members can freely express themselves and realize that their contribution is a vital factor in the team. The feeling of being part of a whole would naturally come to them. Various strategies are employed to build a collaborative team with a central theme of equipping the members with a collaborative mindset by actively engaging in the group dynamic.
APPROACHES TO FOSTER TEAM COLLABORATION
Nowadays, it is not easy to find a workplace that illustrates teamwork. The majority of the current organizational structures implement reward systems that mostly revolve around the performances and contributions at the individual level, and thus collaborative teamwork is often overlooked. Along with individual growth within the workplace, a company must realize how important collaboration is in accelerating organizational growth.
In cultivating team cohesion, there should be a precise and exact cause for the team members. When members are given a convincing reason to become a part of the company’s mission, cohesion among the team is more comfortable to be created. Members will become more inspired to accomplish the company’s mission that is exciting and compelling. Like their team leaders, being passionate about their work would come naturally to them when given a meaningful cause. If goals and objectives are unclear, members would not bother to work together and would find various reasons and excuses to be unproductive (Bagshaw, Lepp, & Zorn).
Another strategy to build a collaboration mindset is to communicate expectations. To have a strong collaboration, each member’s roles and responsibilities should be defined individually and collectively. Team members will be able to work collaboratively when they have a clear perception of their duties. In this way, conflicts can be prevented since team members are more aware of their tasks without going beyond their boundaries, creating unforeseen disputes. In an environment where collaboration fosters, team members have the opportunity to experience being a part of the shared responsibility of results. With this mindset, an individual achievement would turn into a successful bonded group experience as the team members build morale and comrade (Bagshaw, Lepp, & Zorn).
Having measurable goals is a factor in driving the team’s success. These goals provide the team with a basis to measure their progress and what they have already achieved. Additionally, these goals should also be re-evaluated and are-assessed regularly to know which aspect needs improvement. Outcomes of the goals should be transparent to enable the team to see their accomplishment and celebrate even small successes. With this type of focus, throwing blame, confusion, and the breakdown of team cohesion are lessened (Holton).
A great strategy to encourage and empower each team member is to enhance their strengths instea...