Authority Magazine: 5 Things You Need to Know to Successfully Manage a Team

With much of the world still working at a distance, teams are, understandably, struggling. But if you’re counting on returning to the office to return your team to high performance, think again. Even under the best circumstances, many teams of talented individuals fail to reach their potential.

In an interview with Authority Magazine, Dr. Jonathan Kirschner shared, along with his personal backstory and thoughts on the future of talent management, 5 Things You Need to Know to Successfully Manage a Team.

1. Keep Your Team Focused

From email and messaging apps to video conferencing, technology is an essential part of staying connected to your team right now. But it’s also a distraction, and teams are struggling to stay focused. To minimize distractions during video calls, for example, put your phone away and pause your desktop notifications.

2. State Your Purpose

Don’t take for granted that your team understands its purpose. Alignment on goals and objectives is foundational to team effectiveness. But because purpose is so fundamental, it is easy to overlook. State and restate your team’s purpose. Connect it to the larger organization. Create slogans and catchphrases people can use to test their actions and decisions.

3. Build Cohesion

Cohesion is the difference between a group of talented individuals and a team. And, it’s something you have to actively build. Incorporate the little rituals and activities that help your team coalesce.

4. Keep It Real

Be genuine in your relationships with team members. As a leader, it is important to form a real connection with every person on your team. But if you aren’t feeling the connection, then neither are they.

5. Listen To Your People

Psychological safety enables team members to speak their mind and exchange honest feedback with each other, and with their leaders. Teams that are able to openly and honestly discuss their strengths and areas for optimization are more capable of identifying and removing obstacles in the way of future success.