Each employee has a special skill about them, a skill other employees may or may not have. The use of teamwork has dated back to the late 1920s, it’s the process of a group of individuals using their unique skills to collaborate with one another to complete a goal. Teamwork is expressed across all fields for example sports teams, academics, business, even as simple as figuring out what the family wants for dinner. These are all examples of times and places teamwork is incorporated; in this article we are going to focus on how to build the most effective team. Here are five steps to create your all-star team:

1. Emphasize Team Culture:
Allow the team to set their own leadership and timelines. Doing so will show members that you trust in their work ethics and capabilities to stay on track and hold each other accountable for responsibilities.

2. Go Beyond the Status Quo:
As much fun as planning a company picnic or lunch may be, assign all team members important tasks. The fun part of teamwork is that everyone’s visions can be materialized. With that, allow for new leaders to head projects, this keeps the company fresh and constantly evolving past the status quo.

3. Cross-Train Employees:
Typically, employees are only trained for one area of work that they oversee. While it’s good to have specific employees trained for each role in a department, it’s also useful to cross-train them for other roles. Providing an opportunity to gain experience in other roles will give them a broader scope of decision-making for existing roles.

4. Not Everything has to be Formal:
To operate as a formal team means higher level management (you the supervisor) would oversee and make decisions for the team. You would assign specific work goals and management. It’s also been proven that more work is completed with the use of informal teams. These teams typically form as individuals find their own needs to collaborate with others on specific tasks. As a supervisor it’s good to be aware of informal work groups to understand how you can use them to benefit the company.

5. Provide the right conditions:
It’s especially important to provide a reliable meeting space for the team to work in. Somewhere quiet and away from the public or other employees. Time is money, allow members to devote time for team meetings will help ensure projects are being completed. Also, setting the appropriate budget is key. With the proper budget the team can manage materials and spending to accomplish team goals. Lastly, the most valuable resource you can provide the team is your support and appreciation.