Building Teams Through Teamwork

BY HELEN TSOTSOS

One of the most challenging aspects of operating a fast paced spa today is finding the right people to do the right job. As if finding one person wasn’t challenging enough, how will you ever build your dream team? Bringing a group of skilled and competent individuals together can be one of two things: incredibly inspiring or disappointingly disastrous. What does it take to create the experience of a high functioning team?

According to the Smith and Katzenbach in The Wisdom of Teams (1993), “a team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they are mutually accountable”. Spa leadership doesn’t have to be about micro managing; moving toward self-managing, cross-functional and multi-skilled teams is no longer a distant fantasy.

Setting the value of teamwork in motion requires powerful actions. In our modern culture, where individual glory seems to prevail, building an environment of collaboration may seem daunting. There are, however, variables that connect individuals into a greater, more productive whole.

Engaging leaders rally together their team members through a common vision and purpose. A compelling vision and purpose provides a context and direction that will guide the team’s actions. Having clear and specific goals focuses and unifies team constituents. Modeling and maintaining teamwork is crucial, especially when things go wrong. While the temptation to revert back to old behaviors may be overwhelming, remember positive change happens through repetition, positive reinforcement and a steady focus on what you want to achieve.

Creating a collaborative culture begins with the attitudes and actions of your spa’s leaders. It is vital that the expectations of teamwork and cooperation are communicated clearly and frequently. This is not just about giving lip service to these values. They must translate into actions. Clarifying individual roles, core values, as well as behaviors that support these values, illustrates what is expected of individuals.

The other half of this equation includes the expectations, apprehensions and desires of team members. Soliciting input from your employees ensures they feel like valued, contributing members of a team.

Dialogue provides opportunities for recognition, creative problem solving and personal responsibility. Open discussion is critical for team members to move beyond their individual concerns towards mutuality and goal achievement.

Teams form and develop as unique entities. Just as no two individuals are alike, neither are any two teams. Their evolution is dynamic and generally undergoes five stages of development. These are: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning.

Depending on forces within each group, teams may move through all stages relatively smoothly, become stuck in one phase or ebb and flow between stages.

In the forming stage, individual group members need to feel included. At times they may feel the need to conform. Here there may be an uncertainty regarding rules or expectations.

In the next phase, the storming phase, team members may engage in conflicts. Often at this stage authority is challenged and individuals tend to assert their individual will. Team members may test each other’s limits or resist the group dynamic altogether.

The norming phase is where the group begins to focus on common goals and results; there is more sharing, trust develops and harmony sets in. At this stage members are open to and welcome feedback.

At the performing phase, the team functions in terms of common tasks. There is a risk at this phase of members losing their motivation or giving into group thinking, excluding contributions of outsiders.

Finally, the adjourning phase happens when the team disbands. Feelings of loss or separation may be experienced in this final phase. It is important at this final stage to not end team meetings abruptly.

Discussing and analyzing what a teamwork culture is all about may further the building of strong work teams. What is the value of a teamwork culture? What are the benefits of operating from a teamwork agenda? What’s holding you back from achieving your teamwork objectives? These and other questions help identify significant, meaningful variables of well-functioning teams. Through coaching and the exploration of these and other concepts, an understanding and acceptance of what constitutes a winning team is formed.

Formal structures that support a teamwork culture may be designed to enhance the developmental process. Some of these structures could be as simple as writing down and sharing behaviors that demonstrate teamwork. Some may even delve into accountability structures for team members. Individual members, for instance, can determine how they would like to be encouraged and supported by one another, or how they would like to be held accountable.

As each team member becomes more aware of and competent in his or her skills, expertise and knowledge, he or she begins to appreciate the value and contribution of others. Information and learning is shared among the group. Communication must be encouraged to be timely, clear and focused. When contributing members are in sync with each other’s strengths and able to support each other’s weaknesses, they can function as a complete whole.

Throughout the evolutionary process of team development, trust is ultimately what seals the team together. Team members recognize the resources of the collective whole outweigh the resources of the individual. Individuals learn that collaboration, rather than competition, provides effectiveness for work teams.

High performing teams contribute to the success and satisfaction of everyone involved—the business, customers, management and individual team members. In an environment that values teamwork, there is an understanding and belief that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when everyone cooperates. Then, everyone’s a winner!


Helen understands the needs and challenges of spa professionals and uses her practical wisdom, experience and education to motivate and inspire her clients through change and growth. She has worked with business leaders, managers and executives to support and enhance personal and professional success through powerful visioning, creative strategies and effective action plans. For more information on individual and group coaching, customized training programs and workshops, please contact Helen at (416) 466-1541 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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