Management Tip of the Day: Start Your Team on the Right Path

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |    THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile JULY 23, 2012 Start Your Team on the Right Path Any manager who has put together a team — be it large or small, in-person or virtual — knows how difficult it is to get a group started off right. Next time you have to launch a team, try these three things to improve your chances of success: Foster Trust. People who trust one another tend to get work done quickly. Encourage an environment where people feel free to speak their minds. Quickly acknowledge mistakes. No group can succeed without correcting itself along the way. Candid and timely conversations are essential. Be clear about expectations. The clearer the mission, the better the team performance. Everyone must know what is expected of them, in as granular a way as is practical. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Building Effective Teams Isn't Rocket Science, But It's Just as Hard" by Douglas R. Conant. Watch the video and join the discussion: » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become? HBR Single According to MIT innovation expert Michael Schrage, if you aren't asking this question, your marketing and innovation efforts will fail. In this latest HBR Single, Schrage provides a powerful new lens for getting more value out of innovation investment. He argues that asking customers to do something different doesn't go far enough — you must ask them to become something different instead. With practical tips and real-world examples from Google, Facebook, Starbucks and Apple, Who Do You Want Your Customers To Become? will liberate you and your team — and turn your innovation efforts on their head. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Conduct an Informal 360° Maintain Momentum for Your Change Effort Manage Your Team Indirectly Know What Your Customers (Really) Do Best Consider Your Employees' Career Paths Get the Salary You Want Help Your Team Embrace Change Turn to Frontline Employees for Customer Insight The Right Way to Ask for a New Assignment Take Care of Your Most Reliable People All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's Must Reads Library Set Guide to Persuasive Presentations Guide to Better Business Writing Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing HBR's Morning Advantage The Harvard Business Review Morning Advantage delivers the latest business ideas from beyond HBR.org directly to your inbox every morning — and it is free! Sign up today >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2012 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)