Everything in the end bottles down to teams. Every effort, every success, every setback, every achievement is one way or other connected to teams, though people not always see it that way in a competitive world. Why would many companies set aside considerable budget for just team building events? Strong, effective teams works in harmony to achieve specific goals than weak, ineffective teams who look for excuses for failures. What makes great teams? One of the hallmark features of a great team is Camaraderie, though it can often be overlooked. Merriam-Webster defines camaraderie as, “a feeling of good friendship among the people in a group.” Once the sense of belonging or feeling of ‘my other family’ enters to your work life, this can cultivate further and transform into an extremely powerful, positive energy that leads to major accomplishments.

The feeling of being inspired as a team to achieve bigger things together, is another feature of a great team. When all players are on the same page, know exactly what is expected of them and together what they contribute to, know they give their maximum effort, teams can enter into a new stage of confidence and maturity. Another hallmark feature of a great team is space for creativity. Great teams create the atmosphere to feel free to think creatively--to try out new things. Team members feel trusted that others will listen openly to their ideas, without judgement. They will be trusted adequately in their area of expertise to lead the way in new initiatives, increasing their ownership. They will feel ‘safe’ to bounce off ideas, be supported in bringing new ideas to realization. Last but not least, sense of being valued and appreciated is another hallmark feature of a great team. A big part of feeling valued occurs when employees are aware that they add something to the company that no one else can.

The more you recognize and appreciate your employees’ specific contributions to the team, the more irreplaceable they’ll feel, be more engaged they become in their work. “Truly dynamic teams will see dramatic increase in results through the long-lasting respect, admiration, friendship and loyalty earned from shared experiences’’ - Christopher D. Connors - In your quest to be undisputed leader in your chosen field, you need dedicated individuals who are driven by an irrepressible desire to work as one towards a common goal in the truest sense of the team spirit. Are all teams within your company delivering upon the goals you have set? Or have some fallen short due to disengagement, trust issues, lack of performance, efficiency and effectiveness? Is all your managers and team leaders have the needed skill set to ‘steady the boat’ when encountered with rough times? Does the middle management has the skills to get the best out of their already well performing teams? Coaching is the ‘glue’ that holds teams together.

Coaching helps all layers of a company work in sync, translate the vision into actions to generate the needed results. Coaching increases engagement, commitment and accountability in teams. Coaching help your managers and team leaders to lift their teams to high performing, efficient teams, in truest sense of the team spirit. In short, coaching aids in building outstanding teams. In coaching you take a personal interest in another person’s development, which increases commitment and results, allowing them to strive for success, and achieve greater heights, not just for themselves, but the whole team. IAMCasia has been offering coaching skill building workshops for managers and team leaders in corporates since 2017. We hold the only accredited professional coach/mentor training program in Sri Lanka. We work with international pool of coaches and mentors to provide organizations best possible solutions, with a flavor of both local and international expertise. Our accredited programs can raise international standards for coaches and mentors within organizations.

Qualified coaches and mentors can be accredited by International Authority for Professional Coaching and Mentoring (IAPCM) for their competence and credibility as industry professionals. All these efforts together, help us to sustain our efforts, and continue to roll out a coaching culture in companies, even after we withdraw from our interventions. Dr. Charuni Senanayake, Master Coach/Master Mentor (IAPCM). Director IAMCasia [email protected] www.IAMCasia.com