| Effective teamwork is the single most important | | | | autonomy. When you make assignments, identify |
| factor in having a successful event. Whether | | | | an individual who will report to you. After you've |
| you're planning a small, informal gathering of family | | | | made your requirements, preferences, and |
| and friends or a grand gala for hundreds of VIPs, | | | | schedule clear to them, let the team work out its |
| your event team will determine how much work | | | | own methods for achieving your goals. If the |
| you end up doing and whether or not you meet | | | | team seems to be falling behind schedule, check in |
| your goals. | | | | first with the leader to see if you can identify and |
| Selecting your event team is the first step. Base | | | | resolve problems. If delays or conflict become a |
| your decisions on their abilities, not your personal | | | | serious barrier, you may want to sit down with |
| feelings for them. Whether selecting from | | | | the whole team to talk through the issues that |
| co-workers, subordinates, or a set of willing | | | | are holding them back. |
| volunteers, your event team should have | | | | There are occasions when one negative person is |
| combined skills covering the full array of event | | | | sabotaging the event team's efforts. Don't be |
| activities and requirements. While individuals will | | | | afraid to let someone go if they are not |
| have their own unique skills and talents, every one | | | | contributing to a positive outcome. But be careful |
| of your event team should be goal-oriented, | | | | to explain your actions to both the person you let |
| energetic, positive, and flexible. | | | | go and the remaining team members. Continue to |
| You'll find very different responses and motivation | | | | stress how important effective teamwork is to |
| within a team that's being paid and volunteers. | | | | the event, and recognize team achievements and |
| Team-building will probably be more difficult with | | | | successes often. |
| volunteers who do not depend on you for their | | | | It's best to follow an "open door" policy with your |
| paycheck or performance evaluation. That's | | | | event team. Make yourself available to them to |
| where your interpersonal skills become important. | | | | talk about both individual and team problems. Be a |
| You need to know how to talk to people, get | | | | sympathetic ear or crying towel in times of great |
| them to talk to you, and maintain solid, respectful | | | | stress, but be a disciplinarian when your event |
| relationships, especially with volunteers. | | | | team loses focus. Keep their attention on a |
| Your first challenge will be bringing these individuals | | | | successful event outcome, and be sure to |
| together to form an effective team. Team | | | | acknowledge how important they are to success. |
| bonding is the order of the day. One way to | | | | Thank individuals for extra effort, and recognize |
| assess their skills is to give them a simple task | | | | their contributions. Refrain from discussing |
| and then observe how they complete it. | | | | problems with one person with the rest of the |
| Leadership qualities, personal conflicts, | | | | team. As far as possible, let your team resolve |
| decisiveness, and personal quirks will quickly | | | | problems without interference from "above." |
| surface to help you decide how to make | | | | Encourage your event team to be creative and |
| assignments and on whom to place your reliance. | | | | innovative. Let them know they are personally |
| Once you have a good sense of how you'll use | | | | responsible for failures and successes. Help them |
| individual event team members, it's a good idea to | | | | build strong personal relationships and encourage |
| involve them in some team-building exercises. You | | | | partnerships. Make sure your event team has |
| might have them pair off and then ask each pair | | | | opportunities to have fun together. Impromptu |
| to discuss a different aspect of the event to | | | | lunches, outings to the movie or a concert, or |
| come up with ideas and proposals. Or you could | | | | casual happy hours are great ways to bring them |
| divide the team into two groups to formulate two | | | | together away from the stresses and demands |
| different proposals for a particular aspect of the | | | | of event planning. |
| event. A little friendly competition will keep energy | | | | If your event team is effective, positive, and |
| and interest levels up and keep people involved. | | | | productive, your event will be a success. Your job |
| Building an effective team requires that you | | | | is to help them bond - to help them transform |
| relinquish some control to them. Your event team | | | | from a group of talented individuals to a cohesive, |
| should have a sense of independence and | | | | complementary team with a single mutual goal. |