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3 Steps To Building An Effective Team

November 15, 2019

User Guides, Workplace Culture

Each day, Wundamail sends a question to the whole team, then compiles the responses into a single group email. Team activity is collated, condensed and circulated for all to see- no apps, usernames, or passwords needed. Just like that, a daily feedback report promotes accountability, unlocks insight, and keeps teamwork efficient.

Do you want to get the inside track on your business? Of course you do. If you’re leading a team, it’s crucial to understand how each tiny cog contributes to the machine as a whole. As teams grow larger, more varied and more remote, it can be tricky to track each person’s contribution to team success (or lack thereof). Of course, it’s unlikely that any CEO, director or team leader has time to sit down with each employee, and get an accurate snapshot of how things are progressing. Doing so would no doubt transform company culture and productivity.

Luckily, with Wundamail, getting the inside track on your employees takes less than ten minutes a day. Having an automated feedback loop gives each individual a platform to share their successes, stories and insight. If a problem arises, you can easily locate and catch the roadblock before it impacts.

 

Ask Meaningful Questions

Many of our customers simply ask their teams “What have you done today?". Team members can then respond with a quick sentence before closing their laptop, or tap out a response on their smartphone as they head home on the train.

This type of question takes only a moment to answer, and is perhaps the best method when it comes to monitoring precisely what each person has accomplished on any particular day. It’s blunt, to the point, and will swiftly weed out any team members not pulling their weight. Furthermore, inviting the group to consider, articulate and share what they have worked on every day serves to clarify each person's goals and priorities. It encourages a culture of ownership, whereby team members take pride in their actions.

Other Wundamail leaders prefer to ask more open questions, in order to instil a greater sense of personal responsibility. For example, offering support, education and encouragement can breed a more open, collaborative atmosphere, in which members feel able to share areas of success, and also setbacks and failure. This leads to an improved understanding of how the company functions as a whole, promoting better engagement as employees are united and focused on a clear, common goal for the future.



Be Transparent

Wundamail turns transparency into habit. Every day, the compilation provides an accurate snapshot of company activity- everyone from the CEO to the caretaker gets an update. The benefits are obvious. Who wouldn’t want to encourage a culture of open, honest feedback across all levels of an organisation? Aside from simply fostering a collaborative atmosphere, however,  Wundamail fundamentally alters your team’s daily habits.

Why? Because Wundmail reinforces a culture of peer-to-peer accountability. By circulating the compilation for all to see, team members teach, learn, and educate one another. Not only does this education happen organically, but individuals will naturally hold each other responsible for driving group progress. Teams quickly identify if someone isn’t pulling their weight, locate the weak spots and solve ongoing issues. This makes it much easier for leaders to pinpoint issues correctly, and reward hard work or good behaviour.

Naturally, this accountability works to encourage a little healthy competition within the group, motivating each person to perform well and take pride in their work. Understanding other team members projects, pressures and priorities cultivates a more understanding group culture. When everything is transparent across an organisation, individuals are more likely to empathise when others are under stress, or offer to share the workload. When you make a habit out of nurturing your team, support and kindness become woven into the very fabric of your company culture.

 

Allow Room For Initiative

One of the most challenging aspects as team leader is understanding when to let go. Face it- you are never going to be able to lead every project, micromanage every employee or sit in on every meeting, so giving responsibility to people you trust is vital. Empower your team to have their own creative vision and choose a clear communication channel to relay information and keep tabs on each subsection of your organisation.

Giving your team a sense of ownership over their actions will pay dividends. If you meticulously micro-manage each project within an inch of its life, you team are far less likely to become invested in its success. Having a clear, automated feedback loop will allow you to monitor project progress, while giving individuals the space to innovate, push projects forward and think for themselves.



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