Warning: Limit your team size to the fewest possible number of people who each bring critical expertise or experience to the group. Don't overload a team with hangers-on who lack a clear role. And don't invite extras to join a team for fear of hurting their feelings if you leave them off. Teams perform best when there are no extraneous members.
THE EAP CAN HELP: Many employee assistance professionals offer team building services or referral to helpful resources for team building.
It's True! The highest performing teams share five common traits. They are small (so that everyone plays a vital role); the participants possess complementary skills (no overlap); they exist for a common purpose that everyone cares about; the participants have clear performance goals; and everyone is mutually accountable for producing results.
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Tip Have everyone complete a confidential form in which they rate each of their teammates on areas such as helpfulness, creativity and work ethic. Ask a third party, such as a human resources representative, to collect the forms and meet privately with each team member to analyze his or her ratings. As a result of this peer-evaluation exercise, employees can test if their self-perception fits with how their teammates perceive them.
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