Building rapport with your team

This post came out from The Straits Times (4 July 2015)
Title - Succeeding at the workplace

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Understand your role
2. Know your team well
3. Stay open to learning

On Understand your role

• Need to be competent and productive in your role, and have a clear understanding of what is required of you now, as well as in the future.
• Working hard is not enough anymore, it is important that you are well informed about the impact the changing external environment has on your internal and external stakeholder's behavior, and the competition in the industry.
• Crucial to understand how relevant global issues affect your organisation, as well as how your capabilities are view in the fact-changing workplace.

On Know your team well

• Be sure to constantly let your team members know that they are valued through your words and actions. Remind them that they are contributing to something worthwhile, and constantly learning from being part of a creative team.
• Work with your team members to study ways of achieving collective energy and creativity so that they can respond efficiently to various demands. You must constantly motivate them.
• Create a vibrant team culture that embraces the concept of open learning. This will make talented individuals feel that they are gaining more value and able to use their talent more purposefully. 
• Remember, to be respected and accepted in a dynamic team, you need to be seen as someone who has the team's success at heart without any personal agenda. Above all, you need to practice what you preach. 

On Stay open to learning

• Constant learning will bring about new behaviors, actions, understanding and knowledge, which have all been proven to be highly beneficial for an employee and the organization's effectiveness.

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big