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Employee Development

Why Language Learning Is the Key to Successful Team Development

Anika Wegner
Published: 12th July 2023
Updated: 23rd January 2024

In this post, we will explain what team development and its stages are, with what activities you can achieve it, and why language learning is important for its success.

All around the world, the past years have proven to be some of the most chaotic and unstable years in recent memory — and companies and individuals alike are more than ready to bid them farewell and look towards 2023.

Though every new year brings new opportunities to re-evaluate the old ways of doing things, the volatility and rapid social and technological changes of the past years have valuable lessons to teach us about the future. The rules of life and business are changing, and we may need to change to keep up. You can help your team with that by using language learning as a team development activity.

Table of Contents

preview download ebook The Ultimate Guide to Language Learning in Your Company Babbel for Business

Start now with language learning!

Download our free guide to language learning to find the right learning strategy for your team. Use the included roadmap to set up a language learning plan in your company.

What is team development? A definition

Team development refers to the process of improving the effectiveness and cohesiveness of a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. It involves enhancing teamwork, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills within the team, ultimately leading to improved performance and productivity.

Team development typically includes activities such as team building exercises, training programs, leadership development, and fostering a positive team culture. The aim is to create a strong, supportive, and high-performing team that can overcome challenges and achieve success together.

What are the four stages of team development?

The stages of team development are typically described using the Tuckman’s model, which includes four stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing.

  1. Forming: In the forming stage, team members come together, become acquainted with each other, and establish the purpose and objectives of the team. There is a sense of excitement and anticipation, but roles and responsibilities may not be clear yet.
  2. Storming: During the storming stage, conflicts and disagreements arise as individuals express their opinions and push for their ideas. This stage is characterized by power struggles and a need to establish a hierarchy. It is important for the team to effectively manage conflicts to move forward.
  3. Norming: In the norming stage, team members start to overcome differences and develop a sense of collaboration. They establish norms and values, understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and begin to work together more cohesively. Trust and mutual respect start to build.
  4. Performing: The performing stage is characterized by high productivity and an effective working dynamic. Team members are fully committed to the team’s goals and work together seamlessly. They trust each other’s abilities and can effectively solve problems and make decisions. This stage is the ultimate achievement of a high-performing team.

It’s important to note that team development is not always linear, and teams may cycle through these stages multiple times as new members join or as the team faces new challenges or changes.

📢  Have you heard?
Did you know that intergenerational communication is also important for successful team development? In Episode 11 of our Podcast, we discuss this special kind of communication. Listen now:

What are team development activities?

Team development activities are designed to enhance group collaboration, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. They help teams build trust, develop strong relationships, and improve overall performance. Here are some examples of team development activities:

  1. Icebreakers: These activities are used to break the ice, create a positive atmosphere, and help team members get to know each other better. They can include games, sharing personal stories, or engaging in team-building exercises.
  2. Trust-building activities: These activities are aimed at fostering trust and building strong relationships among team members. They can include trust falls, blindfolded activities, or team-building games that require trust and cooperation.
  3. Problem-solving activities: These activities focus on improving the team’s problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities. They can involve solving puzzles, riddles, or engaging in group problem-solving exercises.
  4. Communication exercises: These activities are focused on improving communication skills within the team. They can include activities like active listening exercises, role-playing scenarios, or practicing effective communication techniques.
  5. Team-building games: These games are designed to enhance teamwork, cooperation, and collaboration. They can include activities like building a tower with limited resources, organizing a scavenger hunt, or solving a mystery together.
  6. Leadership development activities: These activities aim to strengthen leadership skills within the team. They can include simulations, role-playing exercises, or leadership workshops.

It’s important to choose team development activities based on the specific needs and dynamics of the team. Activities should be engaging, interactive, and promote active participation from all team members.

2 smiling co-workers are giving each other a high five.

Why language learning is so important in 2023

There are countless companies out there that have wanted to change their approach to business and prepare for an increasingly remote and freelance workforce and an increasingly global marketplace. For those companies, that change means putting language learning firmly on the agenda in 2023.

Although many businesses may want to make these changes, there’s still uncertainty about how to implement corporate language learning programs that will be effective and pay off in the long run. While using Babbel for Business’s scientifically proven approach is a great start, ensuring that companies get the most out of language learning depends on clear development strategies and clear goals and milestones.

💡 More about this topic
In another blog post, learn more about the benefits of language learning for companies.

How to use language learning for team development

Team leaders can use these four tips to integrate language learning as a team development activity:

1. Use SMART goals

Though it’s great to set goals, some goal-setting methods are better than others. One of the best ways to set goals your entire team can achieve is by setting SMART goals, meaning goals that are

  • Specific,
  • Measurable,
  • Achievable,
  • Realistic and
  • Time-bound.

This means rather than setting a goal that all employees will speak better Spanish by the end of the year, a goal could be to hold a full work meeting in Spanish at the end of a quarter by scheduling 10-15 minutes of Spanish practice time each daythe latter will be much more effective!

💡 More about this topic
In another blog post, learn more about the SMART method and how you can use it to set sustainable development goals with your employees.

2. Use routines and environment to your advantage

While Babbel for Business’s products have been proven to effectively strengthen language skills in just 15 minutes a day, routine and regularity is what makes this approach work — and you can strengthen it by being specific about what you’re learning and anchoring it into your environment.

To take the goal above of having a work meeting in Spanish, team leaders can both schedule time every day to let employees learn and put notes on objects around the office labeling them in Spanish. With a little creativity, you can accelerate learning throughout the day with little additional effort!

💡 Tip from Babbel
Do you want to set up a language learning plan in your company? Watch our webinar for hands-on tips to overcome problems and help your team to succeed:

3. Use competition and games to increase motivation

Choosing a program that lets users direct their own learning is critical to long-term success in language learning, but it can be helpful to offer additional incentives as well. As a study from the Universidad del Este in Puerto Rico showed, using games can be a good way to increase motivation and retention in second language learning.

In addition to the other strategies mentioned, companies can track how often employees spend time learning a second language and give small prizes or awards to employees who show the most engagement over time.

4. Reinforce your language learning with an innovative work culture

As explained by Gary P. Pisano in the Harvard Business Review, the most innovative cultures contain many contradictions. They are experimental, but highly disciplined; they create psychological safety, but also encourage brutally honest feedback — and effective language learning mirrors these contradictions almost perfectly!

To use the first example again, to run an end-of-quarter meeting in a second language, all employees will need to be technically competent enough in the language with relevant vocabulary by a certain time — but they will also need to feel psychologically safe and trusting enough to fully express themselves and experiment in this new language, even if it means making mistakes. Companies that can strike this balance will be perfectly poised for the future.

💡 More about this topic
Find out in other blog posts, why company culture matters and how to change your company culture for the better.

The takeaway

As the past years have shown us, the business world may still be dealing with COVID-19 difficulties for some time. In light of that change, the world has seen an accelerated shift to more remote and international teams — and though that brings plenty of opportunity, it also adds new managerial and communication challenges.

Fortunately, organizations that add a robust language learning program into their corporate culture can solve many organizational issues all at once — all while expanding business opportunities, improving the bottom line, and increasing employee fulfillment for a more vibrant 2023.

preview download ebook The Ultimate Guide to Language Learning in Your Company Babbel for Business

Start now with language learning!

Download our free guide to language learning to find the right learning strategy for your team. Use the included roadmap to set up a language learning plan in your company.

Anika Wegner

Anika Wegner

SEO Content & Blog Manager — Exploring other cultures through language is particularly important to her. That's why she loves writing for Babbel about topics, how companies can benefit from language-learning solutions.

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