To foster a collaborative team culture, make goals that encourage team members to work together on selected goals. Ask 3 team members to come up with some team improvement ideas to share with their team. Ask 3 other team members to come up with some suggested improvements to the current software programs. Have some fun prize draws that each person can win, such as a Friday afternoon trip to the dairy Queen with another team member!

Leaders need to create an environment where all employees know that their thoughts and ideas will be heard and respected. Each person needs to have a place and know that their output is valued. Leaders should know their employees current skills and future career goals so they can delegate and pair up workers with the right skills to those who are wanting to grow in that area. Showing that you as a leader, also care about them and their future goes a long way to creating a supportive and collaborative team culture. When people believe they are valued and do not fear being put down they get creative.

Tying in increases and promotions to successes in projects gives employees a clear view of their future in your organization and de-mystifies what you as a leader values. When an employee sees opportunities for growth and improvement they are motivated to get creative and solve problems.

For team members to be truly collaborative, there needs to be an environment of respect and trust between the team and management and among team members. Provide team members with the opportunity to speak, be listened to, and to contribute, and also to participate in the discourse around ideas in a respectful manner. Acknowledge strengths and capabilities of team members and rely on their expertise. Give them opportunity to develop themselves. Being clear with expectations and consistently following through will also create an environment of trust and safety. The moment you say you are going to do something and you don’t, you have lost trust with your staff or with each other, especially if it becomes habitual. Working together toward goals also unifies a team. Team members and management need to acknowledge any attitudes or behaviours that are negatively impacting the team and hold each other accountable. Issues that are left untreated will poison morale and cause staff to mistrust each other and management.