KJ

An old cliché has it that there is no “I” in team. Like many well-worn phrases, that one holds a certain amount of truth—and not just in the literal spelling. In effect, a strong team emphasizes the group, not just one individual. The thinking is, when the team advances as a whole, so, too, does everyone within it.       That begs a question: How do you build a team that is characterized by strong, coordinated teamwork? It’s not as difficult as you might assume—particularly if you adopt an anticipatory mindset. Break Down the Challenges The obstacles that organizations face in fostering teamwork can be highly specific, depending on the particulars of the industry, the culture of the organization and the individuals involved. However, Harvard Business Review’s Answer Exchange offers a useful list of eight challenges that teams often encounter: Absence of team identity Difficulty making decisions Poor communication Inability to resolve conflicts Lack of participation