At any given time, you may serve on several teams that will consist of people from many different backgrounds. Each of your teammates will have a unique personality and skills.
To bring your group together and help it run smoothly, you should understand each individual. You must find out how to get the most out of each person’s talents and how you can work with them in a way that fits who they are.
For instance, this means that you may have to adjust how your team divides work or how you relate with each person. How well you make these adjustments will determine how much work your team can do, how well it gets work done and how fast the goals are accomplished. High output leads to a successful mission.
Most relationships develop through common activity and conversation. This is not a new concept. You have built and maintained relationships since you were a small child. Find a common ground and build on it.
Playing on a base sports team, helping with community welfare projects or working in youth programs are activities that can help boost morale. Whatever you choose to do, you should strive to actively make your team stronger.
Now that you are in the AF, it is important to speed up the process for getting to know your teammates. This will help you create a smooth running team in the fastest time possible. Here are some helpful tips to build better conversations:
Use Open-Ended Questions
These questions require someone to answer at length and invite conversation. An example is asking someone, “What was it like for you growing up?” At work, you can ask a question like, “How do you think we should get this task done?”
Questions that only ask for a short, specific piece of information such as “Where are you from?” or a “yes” or “no” response are closed-ended questions. Avoid asking these types of questions.
Give Extra Information
If someone asks you a question, try to answer it and then give a little more information. This gives the other person something new to talk about and keeps the conversation going. Try to give a little bit more information even if someone asks you a closed-ended question.
Use Questions to Find Out What Makes Someone Unique
To understand a person, you need to get to know their preferences and the way they think. Instead of asking if someone likes steak, ask them, “After we get out of Basic Military Training, what type of food are you going to eat first?” Then follow up with, “Why does that food appeal to you?”
At work you can ask questions like, “How can we make this process better?” Then you should follow-up with questions like, “Why do you think that will work?” This gives you more insight into your teammate than asking about a specific item.
Allow For Equal Speaking Time
Two of the quickest ways to shut down a conversation are to talk too much or not talk at all. Either way, you end up with one person speaking and that is not much of a conversation.
Additionally, it does not make the other person want to talk with you in the future. Try to strike a balance; if a person is not speaking much, ask them an open-ended question. If a person is speaking too much, try to jump in and provide a different perspective on the topic.
Be Interested in Other People’s Conversations
Remember, you are trying to get to know other people. Even if their interests or beliefs are different than yours, try saying, “Tell me more about that.” Then listen to what they say.
This will show that you have a genuine interest in them and you value their input. Besides, you just might learn something new.
Get everyone in your work group involved
For your team to perform effectively, everyone needs to give a solid effort. This means that everyone on your team gives input by asking questions, listening and getting involved. Seek to involve every team member when you can.