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​“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

– Henry Ford

This inspiring quote leaves us wondering: if success is found in working together, what is the key to building a great team? While there’s no straightforward blueprint for success given the resource constraints and competing priorities that SAP teams face, we thought we’d offer a few pointers on how to build a successful team.

For SAP implementations, a cohesive team firing on all cylinders can be the difference between an SAP project coming in on time and under budget and a less-than-positive outcome.

Team building requires a keen understanding of people, which means knowing the strengths they bring to the team, as well as what motivates them to do their best. Select a team with diverse knowledge and skills so that as a whole your team is well rounded and prepared to deal with any complications that may arise.

When selecting members for your dream SAP Squad, ensure you cover a range of skills sets for the key areas of:

• Analysis

• Listening

• Strategic thinking

• Logistics

• Conflict resolution

• Negotiation

• Problem solving

• Creativity

• Facilitating

• Understanding the organisation at is core

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A clear pathway to success

In order to ensure smooth sailing towards a positive outcome, a plan with clear and unambiguous terms needs to be communicated to all members of the team. A good action plan will state who needs to do what and when, as well as measuring the success of both individual and collaborative efforts.

Everyone in the right place

Good teams are efficient because tasks are assigned in accordance with each team member’s skills and how they can contribute to the team and wider organisation’s goals.

The team should be a blend of both technical and business-focused members. At its core, SAP is a business solution, which means that collaboration between technical whizzkids and business-minded experts gives your team the best shot at success.

Take the initiative

An SAP project is usually about process change, so individuals as well as the entire team needs to take initiative wherever possible. Members need to have the ability to solve unique business problems requiring unique and specific fixes – not templated responses. This requires thinking outside of the box. To ensure your best chance at success, all members of your team should feel free to express their thoughts, opinions, and potential solutions to problems.

Get everyone’s heart in the right place

In order to achieve true success, every member needs to be genuinely interested in the overall objective of the team (which includes each individual being accountable for their own contribution to the team, too). By understanding their own personal responsibility, team members can see where they factor in to the team’s overall strategy – allowing them to own a successful outcome just as much as project leaders.

Rally the troops

A successful team leader allows members to take ownership of their individual contributions, but also gives clear boundaries to work around. Encouraging employees to make suggestions about changes in what they do and how they do it, based on their direct and daily experience of what works, what doesn’t work, and what could work better boosts morale and improves processes.

Ultimately, no team can win every single game but you can certainly give it your best go! Having realistic expectations, a strong game plan and a team made up of passionate and diverse players all gives you the best possible chance to be the reigning champions of SAP – so choose your squad wisely.