For team members to feel appreciated, they need three psychological needs to be met: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these areas are realized, people tend to be happier, healthier and more productive. We can definitely see how this would play out in our personal lives but when colleagues experience the same at work, imagine the possibilities.
Members of an HPT practice most or all these five techniques:
a. Pick up the phone and talk to one another. We rely so much on written communication; we forget the importance of tone (vocality). They can strengthen relationships and prevent misunderstandings.
b. They use meetings effectively. People cringe after attending poorly run meetings which are unproductive and waste time that you cannot get back nor spare. Time together needs to be efficient and collaborative whether between 2 or 22 people.
c. Connect over non-work topics. As people, we cannot just turn a switch on/off between our personal and work lives. There are things that happen at home that may impact us while working and things from work that we often bring home. Getting to know each other only strengthens relationships which are so necessary for productivity.
d. Show appreciation. Regular words of appreciation can only enhance the effectiveness of teams. This can come from peers as well as managers, and you can give as well as you get. Share the love!
e. Feeling safe by being authentic allows team members to share positive as well as some less than positive feedback from time to time. Feeling safe enough to be honest is crucial.
“What sets apart high-performance teams is the degree of commitment, particularly how deeply committed the members are to one another.” - Jon Katzenbach