ENCOURAGE TEAM PROBLEM SOLVING.THE KEY TO GETTING EMPLOYEES TO WOR...

4. Encourage team problem solving.

The key to getting employees to work like a team is

There is no limit to

getting them to think like a team, with team goals … team

how much good

communication … team recognition. The best way to start

you can do if you

building this team thinking is to set goals that can be met

don’t care who

only through teamwork. You might set goals for

gets the credit.

increasing group output or designing new procedures that

will make everyone’s jobs easier. As much as possible, let

the team participate in the goal-setting process.

Ask everyone to take part in a brainstorming session. As

with the problem-solving steps noted earlier, ground rules

should be a) everyone is encouraged to contribute and

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Coaching, Mentoring and Managing

b) there’s no such thing as a “bad” idea — at this phase.

Later, after all ideas have been listed, the group can select

the idea most likely to succeed. This approach helps team

members listen for one another’s good ideas and gives

everyone a chance to contribute to a team solution without

fear of criticism.

When it comes to facilitating the team’s ability to handle

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its own problems, the best way is to simply do that:

facilitate, don’t solve. Instead of suggesting or telling a

solution, revert to your StaffCoach™ questioning ability:

How do you see it? What could you do? Think about what

you just said. Do this enough and they get the idea: It

really is their problem.

A good team always can accomplish more than any one

individual. Once employees learn the benefits and ways of

working together, they’ll integrate their strengths and

talents to accomplish results.