Leaders create an environment where people can operate effectively. When building an effective team, the key word is “effective.” To be truly effective, teams must be in sync, committed to shared, actionable goals — and confident about their contributions.

Employees are more likely to invest discretionary effort in daily activities when things are moving smoothly, business is good, and the whole team is engaged. This, in turn, boosts effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity.

So, what makes a successful team? Higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness. Efficient teams are successful teams. Building effective teams requires leaders to:

• Work collaboratively toward shared goals

• Use effective communication skills

• Understand shared roles and responsibilities

• Promote a positive workplace culture

• Encourage flexibility and overcome obstacles together

• Know the signs of a good leader, for themselves and those they manage To perform at a high level, organizations must be intentional about goals, communication, leadership, productivity, and incentives.

To operate as effectively as possible, follow these steps.

1. Set clear goals: Define precisely what you want to achieve and a timeline for getting it done. Clear, actionable goals and timelines make it easier for employees to understand company expectations and their contributions.

Plus, clarity makes it easier to celebrate and recognize achievements, big or small.

2. Define roles: Workers need to know their responsibilities — and how those responsibilities support their teammates’ goals and company vision.

Giving employees clearly defined roles makes it easier for people to understand their jobs. And it helps leaders identify opportunities for development and improvement.

3. Communicate effectively: Think about how your teams brainstorm, collaborate, and inform each other. Are workers familiar with their coworkers’ communication preferences? Do leaders consider those preferences when motivating and recognizing their workforce? These are all moments when communication has a direct impact on team effectiveness.

4. Encourage collaboration: Collaborating on projects saves time and nurtures innovation and a diversity of perspectives. Additionally, brainstorming and problem–solving boost team morale and connection.

All that makes teams operate more creatively, effectively, and organically.

5. Create a conflict management strategy: Whether problem-solving involves issues around communication, competition, or performance, you must know how to handle conflicts.

A strategy makes it easier for leaders to respond to conflicts quickly and efficiently. That way employees maintain a healthy relationship with their leaders and teams.

6. Choose effective leaders: Choosing and developing effective leaders sets the tone for everyone. A strong vision, motivation skills, and a knack for performance are contagious. Before you know it, effective leaders will get everything and everyone in check.

7. Review and adjust: Look at your performance data and ask employees for feedback on their productivity.

If opportunities for improvement emerge, jump on them and monitor for improvements. If none appear, keep iterating until you find the formula for peak performance.

8. Reward and recognize employees: Employee recognition makes people feel good and work harder, but it needs to be done right. Ask employees how they prefer to be recognized. Being intentional and asking for feedback maximizes results.

Bob Helbig is media partnerships director at Energage, a Philadelphia-based employee survey firm. Energage is The Denver Post’s survey partner for op Workplaces. To nominate your company as a Top Workplace, go to denverpost.com/nominate.