A few days ago we told you about the jewel in the crown of staff management: cohesion. Today we continue to expand our knowledge on this important challenge. In particular, we will see what and how various factors have an influence when trying to achieve it.
Factors that influence cohesion
We must start from the premise that there is no universally applicable recipe. Let’s say we are going to give you the ingredients, but you should be the one who determines the quantities and the seasoning.
People
If you are used to working in people management you will know that team member profiles are of vital importance. Who hasn’t dealt with the proverbial rotten apple?! We all know that a single person is enough to destroy the morale of a team. That is why it is of vital importance:
A. To try to identify those “subjects” at the time of creating the team and if we have overlooked them,
B. To act with force and try to correct their behavior or dispense with the “subject” in question. It will always be preferable to lose a squad member than having one that works against it.
Another aspect related to cohesion is the size of the group. The smaller the team, the greater the tendency for it to achieve cohesion. However, a large team should not make us throw in the towel. We will, of course, need many more other ingredients.
The leader
Without a doubt, the person who assumes the leadership of the team will become crucial. Never, never choose a leader that belongs to the group that we talked about in the previous point. If you have seen the video that we proposed in our previous post, you will have seen by yourself that leadership is something that is rightfully earned by the team, and not by imposition or by a plaque on the office door. A good leader is going to be the best compass to reach our goal: cohesion.
The environment
The leader is going to have a lot to do at this point. Achieving a pleasant, participative work environment, where communication flows and respect is fostered, will be a facilitating ingredient.
The project
The characteristics of the project will also influence the degree of cohesion within our team. An attractive, motivating project that involves a challenge will help us solidify the team around us. On the other hand, if the project lacks these characteristics, again, it will be more difficult for us to achieve the desired cohesion.
If it’s in your hands, try to get the project to manage an achievement —even if it’s small— at the moment of startup. This will motivate the team and help improve their self-perception.
This was our take on cohesion’s friends. Very soon we will tell you about its enemies.
If you want us to supply more information, if you wish to suggest a topic for future posts, or if you want to tell us about your experiences, please do leave us a comment.