5 Characteristics Of Highly Functional Teams At Work

A team is like a clock, and each team member is a cog in the mechanics that makes the clock tick. To ensure that the clock is always on time, the cogs have to work in tandem and seamlessly. 

In order to do that, you, the manager, along with the executive management team, need to create an environment that encourages a highly functioning team. 

But, how do you know what a highly functioning team looks like? You may think your team is functioning well, but read about these 5 characteristics below to see if your team checks all the boxes. 

Characteristic 1: Communication

If you lack communication skills, your team is going to struggle no matter how talented they are or how many years of experience they have. 

Have you ever played a game of telephone? You start with a sentence, and by the time it gets back to you, it’s completely different. For a team to function well, you need to KEEP communicating and be open with one another. 

Check-ins and weekly team meetings will help your team stay on track.

Characteristic 2: Delegation

Everyone on your team is there for a reason. Each member has a specific set of skills that make up a well-rounded, functioning system (like that of a clock). It is your job as manager to become an expert at coordinating roles and responsibilities so that each team member knows what part they play in the bigger picture. 

Characteristic 3: Accountability

Along with the knowledge of each role, every team member needs to understand the value of accountability. This ties back into communication. If a member of your team is assigned a certain task, they are accountable for that task being done. If they lack accountability, it will fall to the other team members to pick up the slack and thus slow down the entire process and system. 

Characteristic 4: Respect

Respect for one another personally and professionally can help a team operate smoothly. In today’s world, you can be working with people on the other side of the country or the globe. With cross-national teamwork (or even if you work with people in the same town) comes understanding and respect for each other. In addition, cultural sensitivity at work can take your team to a new level because there is now a complete understanding of everyone’s differences in terms of nationality, ethnicity, and religion. 

By respecting everyone’s differences, you open the lines of communication and thus build a stronger bond and trust between your team. 

Characteristic 5: Trust

Speaking of trust, it is crucial to your team’s synergy to create trust among one another and with you, their leader. Build trust by utilizing the four characteristics above and ensure that they are held to the highest standards. 

When issues arise, tackle them head on instead of sweeping it under the rug or allowing gossip to work its way through the team. 

Your team needs to trust you, themselves, and each other to reach the goals and tasks they have been assigned. 

Want To Know More Than 5 Characteristics Of A Highly Functional Team At Work? Connect With MVision Consulting

If you’d like to learn how to build a team that emulates the 5 characteristics of highly functional teams at work, we can help. 

Here at MVision Consulting, we offer team coaching and building workshops to help take your team and business to the next level. Our founder, Dr. Marc Camras, spent decades working with Fortune 500 and 1000 companies as well as some of the largest non-profit organizations in the world. 
Schedule a discovery call today to learn more about our services and how we can help you strive for more!