You pick the best people.  You organize
correctly.  But without the right level of participation from
everyone involved, even the best, most organized team may fail to
realize optimal productivity and performance.  That’s why every
manager and team leader must take every available step to maximize
participation.  Read on to learn how.

Participation is the key to team results. In practical reality, it
takes a team to complete a project, solve a problem and brainstorm strategic
decisions. Whether you lead an individual team or an entire department,
your ability to motivate that team to success is critical. Along the
way, you will have to provide encouragement, direction and inspiration.
You will also have to manage team relationships and smooth over the
inevitable bumps in the road.

Start with the Right Team Structure

Within any team environment, personality conflicts and territorial
disputes will arise, and you have to either overcome or eliminate any
potential roadblocks to team success. As a result, your first goal as
a team leader or manager is to minimize these potential conflicts by
ensuring that your team is structured for maximum participation and
collaboration.  (Also Read: 
Organizing for Team Success)

Team commitment and results are dependent upon active participation….
after all, the whole purpose of “teamwork” is to combine resources for
better results (i.e. “two heads are better than one….”). Ideas are
contagious, and the more ideas, the better, particularly in tough economic
times, when budgets are tight, and resources are limited. Team participation
can alleviate these burdens, leading to high quality, creative solutions. 
(Also Read:  How to
Motivate Your Team)

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Move on to Evaluate Team Participation Needs

To cultivate optimum team participation, you must have a good handle
on your goals and overall dynamic. As such, you should be prepared to
answer the following questions….

• Why has the team been formed … for a project, to solve a problem,
  or to brainstorm?
• How large is the team – should it be re-sized to improve participation
  and communication?
• Who has been assigned to your team … have they worked together
  in the past?
• Do you anticipate any internal conflicts or political situations?

Set the Stage for Team Participation

If you want to achieve optimum team participation, you need to let
your team members know what you expect, and what is expected from them.
With that in mind, you can lay the foundation for open participation
and communication through the following strategies and tactics:

• Participation Strategy #1 – Be direct – ask for
  participation. Define participation and set appropriate expectations
  – participation can come in many forms, depending on your team situation….
  i.e. in meetings, workshops, memos, written comments and suggestions,
  etc.
• Participation Strategy #2 – Set the ground rules
  to encourage active team participation Let everyone know that all ideas
  are welcome and every member is to be respected.
• Participation Strategy #3 – Push for active participation
  and engagement from the very start of the project, and even through
  lulls in the action.
• Participation Strategy #4 – Thank everyone for their
  contributions – often and visibly.

Above All Lead by Example

As a team leader, you job is to lead, and to get the team to function
as a cohesive unit. To meet this goal, you can follow a few simple steps
focusing on “leadership by example�?:

Tip #1 – Avoid team domination. Your job is to lead,
not to control. Even if you have all the answers, let the team dynamic
play out.

Tip #2 – Uphold the ground rules … participation
levels will rise when team members can see that all ideas are respected
and given due consideration.

Tip #3 – Be sure to ask probative, “out of the box�? questions
during all meetings and team interactions to stimulate creative thinking.

Tip #4 – Be sensitive to contentious situations.
Team conflicts are unavoidable, but at a team leader you can diffuse
tense situations as needed with a few strategic words and actions. For
example, depending on the circumstances, you may choose to handle a
conflict head-on, or you can table a difficult issue for a later time,
when emotions have subsided. In any case, you should avoid isolated,
off-side reactions to conflicts, and you should always be consistent
in how you react to team conflict.

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