Most teams are made up of a diversity of individuals, each with unique talents and perspectives. Though having this variety is usually a good thing, it can also create tension when those individuals don’t see eye to eye.

But in the past few months I’ve had two experiences that have reinforced my belief in the unifying power of forced collaboration. Yep, I said forced!

The first was a brainstorming session involving several highly opinionated members of our team. Put us in a room and we will disagree on everything from the weather report to the right way to wear navy blue. But here we were, gathered around a small table, facing a blank white board, obliged to emerge with nothing short of a genius solution. We really had no choice but to play nice.  
 
The second occurred outside of work, when I had the opportunity to serve on a jury. This time I was staring at 11 others, every one somehow more different from me than the next. Here we not only had to come to complete agreement, we also had to decide another person’s fate.

Challenging to say the least, right?

Well, maybe not. In the case of the trial, our jury was handed explicit instructions by the judge, which were essentially:

• Respect other people’s viewpoints and opinions. They are valuable and they may present perspectives you don’t see yourself.
• Listen to one another and do not have independent conversations. Discuss every element as a group. 
• Don’t bully anyone or allow yourself to be bullied.
• Keep an open mind, and remember you have the right to change it.
• Give every detail thoughtful and careful consideration. Don’t rush to conclusions.

When we finally did deliberate, it was just a few hours later that the 12 of us emerged confident and content with our verdict. How about that?

And that’s when I realized the obvious correlation between this experience and the way that a common goal at work can also bring a team together, foster mutual respect, and bring about results.

As with the trial judge, when our managers hold us responsible for working together as a team, amazing, sometimes hard to believe, results happen. And the way they happen is by requiring the same respect, resilience, cooperation, confidence, and determination that are expected of a jury. It is these experiences, even if they are forced, that strengthen us individually and as a team, which means it is vital to our growth that we be required to participate in exercises that challenge us in these ways.  

I highly recommend it!

(Don’t forget to reward your team’s successful collaboration. These Pocket Praise^® are right on the mark!) 

We recently inaugurated two of our employees into a new leadership training program at Baudville. Both employees have a solid performance history at Baudville and have earned the respect and admiration of their peers. They also already shoulder significant responsibility. Yet they chose to pursue further development opportunities that will inevitably lead to more responsibility., which leads one to ask a perfectly reasonable question:

WHY?

The acceptance into this program requires weekly out-of-work class attendance, sitting in on additional meetings, and doing homework (it’s all very tempting, I know). But the program also acts as recognition of the employees as two of our brightest up-and-coming stars. It’s an honor well worth the extra effort.

This situation is an example of how intrinsic motivation can be a powerful motivator. Professional development is a desired form of recognition, especially among Millennial and Gen X employees, and it serves multiple purposes.

1. Powerful recognition. Like I’ve said, giving an employee a chance to further develop her skills and talents is powerful recognition. The professional development opportunity lets the employee know you recognize and believe in her potential.

2. Valuable training. You’ve identified your top performers, and you’re investing in them. When they come out of their training, they’ll be better equipped to take up the next big thing. You can expect better performances in the near future and a definite return on your investment.

3. Improved loyalty. In exchange for the investment in your employee’s future, you’ll gain their loyalty. Professional development is a great opportunity for mentoring that often leads to a strong bond between the employee and an individual manager or organization. This is important because once you invest in top talent, you want to make sure you keep it.

What professional development opportunities does your organization offer top talent? Invest your time in the up-and-coming talent at your organization to help secure your organization’s future and future leadership.

And don’t forget to make the “big moment” memorable for those recipients. If you’re making a public presentation about the professional development opportunity, present the employee with an award certificate or letter of acknowledgement or both. While the skills and knowledge they’ll gain will be invaluable intangibles for your organization, the symbolic award will be an invaluable motivator for your employee.

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her daily recognition tips by following Baudville on Twitter at Twitter.com/Baudville.