Take a strong vision, add a dash of passion and a sprinkling of fun, then top it all off with thoughtful leadership. The recipe for a well-functioning team is simple, yet effective. Get the core ingredients right, mix them together in just the right way and you are on the way to enjoying the sweet taste of success.
The benefits of well-functioning teams are multifaceted. Improved productivity, higher retention rates and greater employee engagement are just a few of the advantages that can be gained when groups of individuals work together effectively as a single unit.
In the words of former American football player, coach and legend, Vince Lombardi, “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
The concept of team is the same whether it’s on the football field, in an office or a hotel. Football players are assigned to certain posts according to their strengths and weaknesses, just as employees are assigned to specific duties in a work environment.
But a team is more than just a sum of its parts. Regardless of their position, each member of the team has a specific purpose and success can only be achieved if each member performs their task.
For success in business, understanding these three basic ingredients of effective teams and how to use them is key.
In the hospitality sector, teams are particularly important due to the range of tasks involved in delivering a service. When a customer enters a hotel, a doorman opens the door as a porter handles the luggage, the receptionist takes down the guest’s details and the housekeeper makes a final check of the room. Each of these roles is integral to the delivery of the overall customer experience.
For success in business, understanding these three basic ingredients of effective teams and how to use them is key.
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1. Define your mission
A team only becomes a team when individuals come together for a common purpose and work towards a shared goal. It is therefore important to be clear about what your company stands for and what it is trying to achieve. Define your brand values and hire people who are able to identify with and help you achieve those values.
Finding the right team members can be a time-consuming task. Travel Daily spoke with travel industry executives who use various methods for recruiting new talent, from word of mouth, social media and personal networks. However one common theme among the recruitment efforts was the need to find a candidate who ‘fit in’ with the company and shared the same passion and goals.
The luxury hotel brand, W Hotels, for example, is defined by their chic, trendy vibe. The brand uses music, fashion and design to appeal to a younger generation of travellers as well as the LGBTQ+ community. In order to deliver their particular style of service, the hotel states, “W doesn’t recruit employees, we cast talent.” They select team members whose personal style aligns well with the brand vision.
2. Foster a culture of communication
In order for teams to be positive and productive, there needs to be mutual trust, understanding and respect amongst team members. Team members work well together when they have fun together. Build a culture of open communication and create situations that allow team members to form strong relationships with each other, both personally and professionally.
This can be achieved through team bonding activities and social events. Organise team outings and nights out. However, it is important to remember that team building is not just an annual event - a Christmas party once a year is not enough. Team building is a constant, daily exercise.
At Address Dubai Marina, for example, employees are seen as “Experience Designers” who design and deliver bespoke customer experiences.
Many of the top teams nominated for the Hotelier Middle East Awards’ Hotel Team of the Year in 2018 demonstrate bottom-up communication structures, where employees are involved in creating and innovating. At Address Dubai Marina, for example, employees are seen as “Experience Designers” who design and deliver bespoke customer experiences.
In these types of organisational cultures, team members are more engaged and empowered, which allows them to become more effective in achieving the company’s goals.
3. Lead by example
Effective teams do not happen overnight. They are developed over time and require careful planning and good leadership. Powerful team leaders provide direction, guidance and inspiration, giving their teams the best chance at success.
Be a leader, not a boss. Motivate employees, by setting a good example. A leader needs to embody the values of the organisation and encourage others to follow. This can be done by introducing mentoring and coaching programs so that team members can inspire each other.
Team members were given a platform to share their ideas and expertise through mentorship, which led to a dramatic increase in employee engagement.
Travel Daily spoke to an expert in leadership development and talent management, Sushma Panikker Ceasar, who described a style of leadership that empowered her to become a thought leader. Team members were given a platform to share their ideas and expertise through mentorship, which led to a dramatic increase in employee engagement. Individuals were able to develop new skills by partnering with a buddy in the mentorship program, and this ultimately benefitted the company.
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