One of the best ways to ensure you are constantly moving a team forward is to debrief. The process of actively reflecting on the week just past, the good, not so great and the overall picture is essential to the health of any team dynamic.

There are many ways to ‘report’ and it doesn’t need to be rocket science. A simple verbal check-in might service, a test asking ‘how’d you go this week?’, could work or depending on the role and responsibility level a more structured report may be better. This could be in the form of an email, a set of questions, or a form stack style report.

The important thing to remember about reports is that your questions reveal your values and focus. There is no point in saying that as a team you value punctuality then each week be asking about the standard of excellence. Questions need to be intentional as they reveal values and can shift culture and direction.

It’s amazing how much momentum can be gained simply by addressing the small things week in and week out.

Regularly ask for team members and leaders for feedback.

Ask what’s working, what doesn’t, and make changes regularly. This shows:

a) you care

b) people’s opinions are valid and can be taken into consideration

*When the idea cannot be taken on board for whatever reason still listen and show that you have heard the idea. Explain why it can’t go ahead if possible or if this cannot be done still thank the person for their feedback and let them know you will keep it in mind for future.

Reports- questions reveal your values.

Other thoughts on team building:

• Celebrate the wins regularly.
• Continually remind people of the goal
• Thank people specifically both individually and as a team
• Celebrate specific circumstances where there is a win and people are demonstrating what you want to see more of.
• Try not to tackle everything at once. With all teams, there is room to grow. Focus on the next thing and doing that well. When you get ground on that then focus on the next thing. In my experience, I have found that after I say the same thing three weeks in a row people begin to remember it and take it on as their own. Building something significant that stands the test of time takes hard work and is often built slowly at first.

What are your thoughts? How do you help build momentum?