Many people hate team projects, and understandably so. When you bring individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, ethical values, ethnicities and religions together, conflict is bound to occur. Some people are pushy and some apathetic. Some stubbornly cling to their own agendas, while some lazy free-riders think they can skip out on the work and show up for the results.

Which one of these are you? Are you the person who comes to meetings prepared and ready to contribute? Do you speak up when you should or sit quietly rather than have attention focused on you? Do you keep your attitude positive and display a willingness to hear other ideas or even assume the harder task of listening to colleagues tear your great idea apart? Do you volunteer for hard jobs or look for the quick and easy way out?

Building a strong, productive team doesn’t happen by accident. But when a team functions well, it can accomplish amazing things. When a team clicks, the natural conflicts create a positive energy that can be channeled into results that speak for themselves.

There are many things that could be discussed that are essential for building strong teams.  Trust and accountability are critical. Learning to collaborate with others and relate to team members on a personal level are essential. But other things are instrumental in building great teams.

Create a shared vision. If you want team members to follow you, get them to believe in the vision. Talk openly about goals, obstacles and successes. Get them to dream with you and talk about it. This means brainstorming sessions where team members are encouraged to dream out loud. Don’t shoot anything down, just go with it during the session. You can decide if things are realistic or unrealistic later. Dream big and do it together.

Ask for input and then actually listen to it. Use active listening skills and pay attention to what others say. Make eye contact, smile, nod, ask questions and provide both physical and verbal feedback. Don’t just pretend to listen, actually do it.

Include everyone. Some people like to fade into the background in a team environment, and they’re really good at doing so. Don’t let them. Some of your most valuable assets are the thinkers who sit in the back, making observations about everything. Don’t go to the same people over and over to get things done. It will burn out those upon whom you depend too much and discourage those you don’t ask.

Develop your people. When you provide opportunities for team members to expand their skills, two things happen. People learn new skills and feel fulfilled. You get a more competent, skilled team. It’s a win-win.

Be a mediator, not a dictator. Conflicts arise, but that’s OK. Not all conflict is bad, When you have a team of passionate, knowledgeable and talented people, that passion will sometimes boil over. It’s not your job to dictate solutions to problems or conflicts, but help team members reach solutions together. Establish ground rules for dealing with conflicts, then stick to them.

Encourage healthy debate. Brainstorming and debating offer two excellent methods of coming up with solutions. During these sessions, don’t monopolize the floor just because you can. Get the ball rolling, then shut up and listen. Ask questions to clarify issues, but let team members do most of the talking. Remain cognizant of the talents of your team and let experts be experts. Finally, ask open-ended questions as often as possible to provide more opportunities for discussion.

Use praise liberally and publicly, but criticism sparingly and privately. We shouldn’t need to be reminded of this, but we do. Praise your team as often as possible. Sing their praises when things go well. Remain supportive, even when you’re frustrated. When corrections are required, make them quietly and move on. Don’t bring up failures over and over. Believe me, they’re not forgotten.

Communicate. A lot. Team members don’t like it when they feel like they don’t know what’s going on.  Because knowledge is power, some team members might hoard information rather than sharing it. Discernment is needed here.  Occasionally, it might be necessary to shield team members from some information — particularly if that information is protected by law. But most of the time, if it concerns the team, project or individual, share information as soon as possible.

Building successful teams doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t expect it to. It takes time to build trust and learn to communicate. Give your team the tools it needs to be successful. Assemble teams that are diversely populated to take advantage of the beautiful array of abilities, education, knowledge, skills and talents your team members bring to the table. Recognize and appreciate the talents of others by giving them the opportunity to shine.