Teams can be found in many places or settings. Throughout our lives we often find ourselves being on a new team that has a cast of different players. In some instances, this may have been on an athletic field or through an extra circular activity. In our places of work, it continues to be a part of our lives. Thus in these new experiences or settings, you may find yourself wondering why previous teams you were a part of were able to be successful. Here I will touch on 5 different attributes that create a strong team!

Passion

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” In order for your team to be successful, you have to be around teammates that are excited to work towards your collective goals and passionate about what it is that you are trying to do. If you and the people around you do not have a passion for what you are taking on then you simply will just go through the motions and not dig in deep enough to go the extra mile.

Motivation

As a team, it is vital to stay motivated. To accomplish something together and to do that as a team is not easy, as a matter of fact, it is hard. At the same token, that is why accomplishing something with others feels so good; knowing that you did something with a group of people that you could not have accomplished without all of the parts working as one is an incredible feeling. Once your team has experienced that feeling together, you will want to experience that yet again.

Leadership

A key for any successful team is to have strong leadership. For some, being a new team member can be difficult. After all, combining different personalities that do not have the same ideas and perspectives can provide obstacles in allowing a team to move forward. This is where having strong leadership is vital. These leaders on your team help to keep each individual motivated (particularly when the road gets more difficult) and finds ways to funnel each individual’s talent into the broader framework that is the team. A leader can only do this if they are able to connect with their team member so that each person can understand how what they are doing is contributing to something that is bigger and greater than their individual self.

Communication

Any team that has ever achieved success also has strong communication. It is important that teammates be on the same page with one another. Additionally, the communication that often happens in a team setting allows for strong relationships and bonds to be built. Once you hear and see that the person next to you is working towards the same goals that you are it may change your perspective on what you are doing. Moreover, when you realize that your teammates are putting in the same effort you are, you will often find yourself not thinking of only yourself but of your team and how you can contribute to your team’s goals.

Goal Setting

When a group of individuals comes together, each person most likely is going to have slightly different ideas on what is important or what the best way is to accomplish something. It is vital that you and your teammates set your goals together and collectively determine how each individual working together will be able to best accomplish that. Not all people on a team are doing the same thing of course. But if each thing is not contributing to the broader team’s goals then the ultimate success that is hoped to be achieved will be made much more difficult.

When you are on a team that wins or finds success it is a fantastic feeling, one that outweighs what we often are striving for as individual selves. If you find yourself on a new team and feel a road to winning is not yet visible ask yourself if any of these attributes seem to be missing. We all have the ability to make any team that we are on better. After all, we can always pass on passion, goal setting, communication, leadership, or motivation to those around us!

 

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