Communicating one-on-one with members.

You've formed a task force to work together to complete a major project. One way to keep the free flow of ideas going is for you, as team leader, to establish a one-on-one rapport with individual members. This doesn't mean you have to become close friends with each member of the team, nor does it mean that you have to accept every comment with equal weight. What it does mean is that you have to make sure that you, as team leader, value each person's contribution and let team members know it.

Encouraging Shrinking Violets

Just because a shy person is part of a team doesn't mean that he or she will automatically develop a politician's gregarious nature. This is true even if the person has volunteered to be on the team. Some people, mistakenly believing that working with a small group will give them confidence to speak up, wind up instead freezing up and becoming even more frustrated.

This is precisely the kind of person who can benefit from your one-on-one encouragement. You have to convince shy or quiet people that their input is important. (Often they'll claim that "someoe else already said what I was going to say.") Each person's comments are important in a team setting, and it's important when someone makes a point to hear from the rest of the team. What if no one agrees with what's been said but everyone except the speaker is too shy to speak up?

Often, the shy person fears being ridiculed by the rest of the group. If you've set up the team properly, this shouldn't be an issue. But to some, even simple disagreement is looked upon as ridicule. By letting these people know that the goal of the team is to discuss a variety of ideas--and by showing them that they have your support--you can give them the confidence to speak up. In addition, by going to them one-on-one instead of, for example, surprising them by asking for their input during a team meeting, you let them know that you respect their feelings.

What About Those Politicians?

But what about those team members who act as though they're running for public office? These people turn brief comments into full-blown speeches.