According to his words Phil Jackson“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” This makes it very important for every entrepreneur and business leader to have a very strong, dynamic and fully interdependent team.

It's not just about recruiting a pool of skilled people; it's about creating a team that makes each team member more effective. Here's how you can assemble such a team.

Related: Building High Performance Teams for Your Business: How to

My journey to understand interdependence

When I started my entrepreneurial career, I thought that the excellence of the individual mattered. When I became a manager, I believed that if I hired the most suitable people for various positions, success would be inevitable. But I realized that no matter how talented people are, they will still have problems if they can't combine their efforts. The going was hard and there were always some battles to fight. What was evident was that a team full of outstanding performers was not enough; you need one cohesion and interdependent team.

Creating a culture of trust and communication

1. Establish trust from day one

As we all know, trust is the backbone of any good team. Without it, cooperation remains on the surface. As a way to foster trust, it must begin with honesty. JOIN transparent with your team about your vision, objectives and problems.

In my company, we started organizing weekly meetings that would be based on the concept of transparency. In such meetings, people (including me) will share updates, difficulties and achievements. All this openness helped create a culture where trust was the norm.

2. Promote open and honest communication

It is essential to keep the lines of communication open. Encouraging the practice of open communication where team members can express opinions, provide feedback or raise issues. Use practices that make employees feel valued in the organization.

To encourage this, we have provided an opportunity for team members to share anonymous feedback and ideas. This ensured that even shy members could speak as and when they wanted.

Using individual strengths for collective success

1. Identify and use individual strengths

Each person on the team has certain qualities that other team members do not possess. Be aware of these strengths and make sure assignments are given that correspond to those strengths. This not only increases the efficiency of individual work, but also increases the overall productivity of the team.

StrengthsFinder was implemented in our company in order to identify the specific strengths of each team member. After establishing people's strengths, we proceeded to assign jobs and projects according to people's areas of brilliance so that everyone was working in their own “shine box”.

2. Encourage specialization and cross-training

To some extent, team members must specialize in some of their tasks, but cross-training is equally essential. It ensures that knowledge and skills are spread and allows the team to better manage tasks.

To address the lack of coordination, we introduced a monthly cross-training session where one could learn about the functions of other team members. He not only created an empathetic attitude, but also a more diverse and stable team at the same time.

Related: How to build a strengths-based culture by unlocking the power of employee potential

Building interdependence

1. Fostering a collaborative environment

cooperation it should be the center of all processes within the team. Organize situations in which group members can collaborate on projects and other tasks that require problem solving. This fosters the element of shared responsibility and team success.

Cross-functionalities were driven by the creation of cross-functional teams for specific tasks. Thus, performing the activities in parallel allowed the consideration of more ideas, thereby increasing the possibility of developing original solutions.

2. Develop a culture of mutual support

The main feature of interdependent teams is that they rely on the support of other members. Promote teamwork so that everyone on the team is motivated to help their colleagues and teach them what they know. Reward efforts and appreciate people for their support and cooperation.

Our company introduced the Team Player of the Month ceremony with the express purpose of applauding those who sought to help others. This recognition increased the need for solidarity and cooperation with each other.

Empowering team members for greater independence

1. Give autonomy and ownership

Forcing your team members to work in a certain way is counterproductive. Instead, encourage those who take responsibility for their tasks and results. When done effectively, it creates an environment of accountability and leads to improved employee engagement and productivity.

We introduced a concept known as ROWE, which stands for Results-Oriented Work Environment, and eliminated time-bound evaluation procedures. By giving them this change, they were able to continue down the path in which they felt most effective, improving both work rate and morale.

2. Invest in continuous learning and development

Promote it continuous staff training and development to ensure long-term success. Doing so ensures that a learning team is ready for change and able to meet the challenges that come with change.

For each team member, we offered the opportunity to spend the learning salary on courses, books or conferences that he or she wanted. These actions led to increased skills and knowledge for everyone in the organization, thus highlighting the value of investing in team growth.

Leading by example

1. Demonstrate interdependence

As a leader, you have to teach your team how to behave in the desired way and set the tone for proper behavior. When you show that you respect the importance of all team members and depend on them, you will find that they do the same to you.

While leading my team, I made sure to include the various team members in decision-making and made sure they were valued. It showed that I believed in them and emphasized our symbiotic relationship.

2. Give constructive feedback and celebrate successes

Feedback breaks down barriers and enables team members to develop. It also promotes team improvement. As you explain to your team members what they need to improve, be sure to also show them the good things they are doing. Always take time to look back and reflect on when a goal has been achieved or progress made to ensure motivation is kept high across the team.

We introduced a feedback meeting that involved the whole team, and it took place once every two weeks. We also congratulated the teams and provided additional support through team lunches and other motivational methods.

Related: 10 simple steps to build an outstanding and efficient team

Teamwork is one of the most rewarding investments because it helps build interdependence within the organization. Trust your colleagues, encourage equal communication, focus on strengths, facilitate group workand empower the team and you will create a solid and close-knit force that can only produce victory. Keep in mind that each team member brings a certain amount of strength and, at the same time, each team member receives strength from the team. That's why it's best to embrace this interdependence and strengthen the foundation for lasting success.