What Makes a Great Team?
I have been working with a leader and her team through their leadership development program, providing emotional intelligence training and one-on-one coaching. These sessions have given me a front-row view of their dynamics. While no team is perfect, this group demonstrates several qualities that signal the makings of a great team. Let me explain.
Openness
Through this program, the leader is introducing her team to new concepts and tools and expects them to apply what they learn in practice. By offering professional development coaching throughout the process, she signals that openness is not optional; it is a shared expectation. This willingness to explore new ideas keeps the team fresh and encourages constructive questioning of why and how they do things.
It is not just openness to new material that stands out. Team members share their opinions freely and receive feedback without defensiveness. No one appears to be holding back in any significant way. This indicates to me that there is meaningful trust between the leader and her team, and among team members.
Openness is a genuine hallmark of a great team. How do you cultivate it as a leader? I believe it begins with trust.
Trust
Team members need to know that making a mistake is not career-ending. They must believe that if something goes wrong, their leader and colleagues will support them in finding a solution. Of course, this does not mean careless errors are brushed aside, but it does reinforce that honest effort and learning are valued. This team has repeatedly shared examples of how their leader responds without judgment when mistakes occur and willingly helps them develop a solution when needed.
Trust also grows when a leader shares how she feels. When leaders acknowledge their disappointment, frustration, relief, or joy, they make the workplace more human. It can be as simple as voicing frustration about a stalled project or celebrating a new client. Once a leader models emotional expression, she permits her team to do the same.
Everyone has encountered a work issue that triggered emotions and left them feeling isolated in their experience. That isolation can weigh us down, but once those feelings are shared, there is often a welcome sense of ease.
Resiliency
Great teams are resilient. They recover when things do not unfold as expected. They acknowledge setbacks, talk about them, and then find a path forward. Because they trust each other, when one person faces disappointment, the rest of the team shows up in support, helping to restore momentum and collective confidence.
Watching this team grow reminds me that greatness is never accidental. It is nurtured through openness, trust, and the courage to develop together. If you see opportunities within your own team to deepen these qualities, coaching can be the catalyst. I would welcome a conversation about how one-on-one or group coaching can help you build the kind of team where people and performance thrive. I’d love to work with you!