Strengths and Qualities of Resilient Teams

Resilient teams create effective visions of where they want to be.  They have the ability to achieve their goals even in the face of adversity.  They set clear goals associated with specific actions.  Let's look at some of the characteristics of these teams.

Characteristics of Resilient Teams
   
Assess Their Own Work
Resilient teams encourage members to assess their own work using constructive feedback rather than by applying standard auditing techniques. Constructive feedback enables employees to honestly consider the quality of their work, think about what has been learned, and understand how they performed in relation to their own expectations.  As this insight develops, employees can begin to evaluate their own work.  Supervisors can guide and encourage discussion.  Questions to ask might include, "What was easy or challenging? "What might be done differently next time?  What can be learned from this situation that can be applied across the organization?"  It is this sense of ownership that is the cornerstone of resilience and that resilient employees must practice.

Develop Their Own Standards
Resilient teams encourage members to develop their own standards.  This ownership helps to avoid statements such as, "I didn't know that was the quality you wanted."  It also means that teams won't be frustrated with mixed messages from management, and their efforts will be evaluated in a fully transparent way.

Stimulate A Culture Of Humor
Humor is a daily part of life in a working environment.  In times of great change, there might be a tendency to stop opportunities for humor with the view that it distracts from the seriousness of the change at hand.  However, being able to laugh within a team about mistakes, errors, and even change cuts tension and can lessen concern.  It may not lessen the fear that some employees may have, but restricting humor takes away a natural release mechanism or coping strategy for some.

Set Their Own Rules
Having open discussions on rules invites employees to determine consequences and reflect on concepts like the reasons for rules and the instances when they should apply.  Creating their own rules enables employees to develop responsibility and ownership for their own behavior, for one another, and for the team.

Opportunity To Make Choices
Facilitating choices encourages creativity within a team.  It also reinforces ownership and the consequences of decisions.

Opportunities For Self Discovery
Being resilient requires an ability to look inside ourselves and acknowledge our feelings and thoughts.  It also involves the capability to distance ourselves from these emotions and respond to the situation rather than the emotion.

Until next time...






Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
http://tools2succeed.com/