Page 12 - NWC Guide on Team Management_ English

others will also impact their mental health Keep this in mind especially during
positively by increasing their self-esteem and stressful periods. Practice how to
by feeling rewarded. Don’t forget that manage anxiety and how to play down
solidarity is a soft skill that requires to be circumstances. At the end of the day it
practiced daily, even more in the times we are is only work, and in very few cases it is
living in. a life or death situation.
7. Enhance the sharing capacity of your
Some useful tips:
team. Be the first one to show
1. Encourage comradeship and a openness to share knowledge but also
mutually supportive environment. The feelings. Do not be afraid to be human.
moment an individual understands Setting this example will make you a
and internalizes what his or her co- true leader and the rest will follow.
workers need in order to achieve the This would be a great contribution to
objectives, he or she will put solidarity the growth of your team.
in practice and it opens the way of
receiving help and being willing to give
it.
2. Start as soon as possible. Don’t leave
this for too late. The sooner you start
working on solidarity, the better your
position will be when the troubling
times arrive (if they do).
3. Support constructive criticism. During
meetings allow some time for
expressing opinions with the aim of
improving the situation or contributing
positive ideas. Recognize quickly those
comments that might be harmful or Activity 4: Waiting for the bus
destructive and minimize their impact.
4. Learn to listen and promote active For this activity you need to split the team in
listening. Sometimes we are only two groups: A and B. Ask group A to count the
concerned about what we have to say number of times you mention the word ‘a’ and
ask group B to count the number of times you
and how we are going to say it so that
other people’s input might go mention the word ‘the’. Next, start telling a
unheard. Once again, ask questions, short story. Once you have finished, ask both
intervene, show interest and avoid groups questions regarding the content of the
having monologues. Need ideas? story you have just told (‘What’s the name of
Check our activities section. the main character?’, ‘Where is he or she?’,
5. Respect each other’s space. Your team ‘What is his or her issue?’...). After listening to
might be homogeneous in terms of their answers tell the story again and this time
level of education, community ask different questions.
background, language and lifestyle, Suggestions:
but still be aware that not everyone
has the same concept of space. ● Don’t keep the story too long and
Respect personal, physical and mental don’t go into too many details.
space. ● Participants can take notes during the
6. This may sound extremely obvious, activity.
but don’t forget to be polite and kind.

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