Solidify Your Team and Become a Stronger Leader

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results." --Andrew Carnegie

Teamwork is extremely important in any position; especially when IT teams can be spread out due to multiple locations, telecommuting, international teams, etc. . .  When your IT team isn’t physically all in the same location, how do you develop a strong team bond?  Your ability to build and secure your team relationships is a direct reflection on your success as a leader.   Remember these four thoughts when working on building that all important teamwork.

• Include them - Alerting your integration team to decisions that affect them can have a positive impact and encourage them to take an active part in many areas
• Bring them together - Any chance to talk about something other than work can increase a sense of common interest. Remote team members aren't able to socialize face to face so set aside a slot of time at the end of a audio call to 'socialize' the team -- vacations, upcoming personal events, etc.
• Stretch your team outside of their comfort zone, make it difficult for them to fall into a coasting zone where tasks become so routine they become resistant to new thoughts/tasks
• Back your team - be willing to throw yourself under the bus with your team, don't leave them as fodder on the road to rise on their own. 

At the end of the day, a strong leader is reflected by the integration team. Think of it as a migration, unless both parts are in sync neither can be successful.