How Associations Can Overcome Team Building Challenges

How Associations Can Overcome Team Building Challenges

According to an article by Associations Now, team building faces significant challenges. Research by TED indicates that half of meeting attendees find them unproductive, with 90% daydreaming and 75% of leaders lacking formal training in conducting meetings. These figures, from around 2014, highlight persistent issues, which remote and hybrid work environments have exacerbated.

Effective team management requires tailored approaches, yet some fundamental principles are universal. Executive coach Luis Velasquez, writing in the Harvard Business Review, emphasizes the importance of understanding individual team members’ strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and fears. 

This individual attention fosters an inclusive environment. Velasquez notes that proximity bias—favoring input from physically closer members—can be a barrier. To counter this, leaders should engage with team members one-on-one to uncover concerns that might not arise in group settings.

Leaders must also manage team culture by creating environments where everyone feels safe to share ideas. This involves setting clear goals, showing empathy, and mitigating power struggles. Cultivating such an environment encourages team members to voice their opinions, even if they are contrarian. The remote and hybrid work settings further complicate this, as proximity bias can lead to remote workers being excluded from decision-making and career advancement opportunities.

To address these disparities, leaders can ensure all team members, whether in-person or virtual, follow the same communication protocols. They should also consider rethinking meetings—replacing them with pre-recorded video updates can give participants time to process information and contribute meaningfully. This approach, known as a “flipped meeting,” helps ensure equal opportunities for all team members to engage and share their ideas.

Ultimately, successful team building involves balancing group dynamics with individual needs, fostering an environment where everyone feels their voice matters. This approach helps mitigate common meeting pitfalls and enhances overall team productivity.