Teams that work together over a long period of time commonly develop an identity distinct from the organization’s culture. How team members see themselves in relation to others on the team usually reflects how they have overcome obstacles or solved problems consistently in the past.
For instance, teams might see themselves as scrappy, competitive, clever, versatile, creative, agile, innovative, or contrarian, among many other possible identities. A collective view of who they are as a team works to bind team members together. They then bring this identity to assignments, projects, and initiatives.
A strong identity breeds confidence and allows the team to stand strong when challenged. It often becomes a source of pride as team members attribute success to the collective identity they have come to recognize.
Over time, as the identity is reinforced through description, discussion, and a common label, team members begin to live up to the expectations the identity demands. This can have a profound effect on the connectedness team members share.
Not all teams create distinctive identities. The emergence of an identity often depends on a history of experiences between long-tenured team members. When team members consistently interpret the common experiences they share over time, an identity begins to take shape.
Good leaders listen for this emerging identity and reinforce it. With reinforcement, the team often begins to use a common label to describe themselves and their approach to achieving results. Hence, a team identity is born.
Because they believe in the positive power of a distinctive team identity, some leaders take a more strategic approach and promote an identity that doesn’t yet exist. They might articulate a pattern they see from the team in action and give a label they hope others will adopt. Or they might ask a team to embrace an identity they propose and to live up to the expectations it suggests.
While there is no right way to promote a team identity, as one emerges, either organically or strategically, good leaders see their role as reinforcing the identity to promote team pride and a more collaborative spirit. They see the role of a collective team view as essential in creating team chemistry.
The preferred identity of a team can exert a powerful influence on how team members show up and confront difficult issues and problems. Once a team views itself as having a common identity, it often becomes a resilient and highly collaborative group. That’s because team identities shape experience and create expectations. How does your team see itself?
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
