The “gel as a team” process – how to build a cohesive, high-performing team

What is the “gel as a team” process?

“Gel as a team” refers to the phase when a group begins to work like a single organism: members understand roles, coordinate smoothly and move toward shared goals. This doesn’t happen by chance. It requires deliberate work on relationships and trust. Tuckman’s model—forming, storming, norming, performing—helps explain the shift. Moving from storming to norming is vital because conflicts stop paralysing progress and start driving improvement. A shared vision and clear rules speed this transition. Teams that openly share knowledge reach results faster while learning each other’s strengths. Daily rituals, short standups and status check-ins keep everyone aligned and reduce misunderstandings. Establishing collaboration guidelines early shortens adaptation time and builds trust so the team starts delivering faster.

Key behaviours of cohesive teams

Research published in Harvard Business Review highlights five behaviours common to top teams. First, set collaboration rules from day one: talk about goals and communication preferences to create safe working boundaries. Second, share information proactively instead of waiting for a manager to ask. This increases mutual trust and reduces surprises. Third, acknowledge others’ contributions—simple recognition reinforces cooperation. Fourth, treat disagreements as opportunities for better decisions; teams that handle conflict constructively learn faster. Fifth, address tensions quickly and repair relationships before problems grow. High-performing teams spot sources of friction early and turn feedback into learning. Leaders should model these behaviours and encourage the team to practise them regularly, not just in crises.

Role of diversity and team size

Diversity often leads to richer knowledge exchange and better outcomes because different perspectives accelerate learning. Research by Jonathon N. Cummings shows that diverse teams learn more intensively, which benefits overall performance. But diversity requires strong coordination; without it, differing views can become sources of friction. Aim for a complementary mix of skills and clear role definitions so diversity becomes an asset. Team size matters too: groups of about four to nine people tend to be most effective. Smaller teams move faster and keep accountability clear, while larger teams can slow down coordination and dilute responsibility. For distributed teams, invest in communication rituals and tools to keep connection and clarity. Thoughtful composition and process design let diversity drive creativity and results.

Practical methods to build cohesion

Cohesion starts with structured onboarding so new members quickly learn roles and expectations. A strategic onboarding reduces ramp-up time and prevents misunderstandings. Team-building activities—like a guided “minefield” exercise or coordinated problem-solving games—help build trust and reveal working styles under pressure. For remote teams, short social check-ins such as virtual coffee or lunch create informal bonds. Michael Bungay Stanier’s Keystone Conversations are useful for setting team norms and surfacing expectations early. Regular rituals—daily standups, weekly reviews and rapid feedback loops—keep momentum and surface blockers. Celebrate small wins and provide frequent feedback to reinforce positive behaviours. Offer practical manager training (szkolenie dla managerów) focused on communication, conflict management and team development so leaders can support the team effectively. Micro-lessons, targeted coaching and easily executable checklists help translate practices into daily habits.

Challenges and practical tips

Gel-ing a team isn’t always smooth. Strong individualists may clash with collective norms; their talents should be channelled in ways that benefit the group. Remote work raises the bar for creating connection, so experiment with short social formats and structured knowledge-sharing. Lack of role clarity and blurred responsibilities lead to confusion—define roles quickly and revisit them as work evolves. Leaders must respond to tensions early, model constructive behaviour and promote a culture of regular feedback and rapid repair. In times of restructuring or mergers, plan intensive integration activities and small experiments to test what works. Invest in manager development programs to strengthen skills in communication and conflict resolution. Consistency and patience are essential: building lasting cohesion takes time, but systematic practice delivers reliable gains.

The “gel as a team” process is about consciously building trust, roles and collaboration norms. Core elements include early agreements, proactive information sharing and recognition of contributions. Diversity and an optimal team size enhance learning and outcomes when paired with clear roles and routines. Onboarding, team building and ongoing rituals help teams align faster, while targeted szkolenie dla managerów equips leaders to guide the change. Deliberate actions accelerate the team’s move to norming and improve everyday performance.

Empatyzer in the “gel as a team” process

Empatyzer supports the transition from storming to norming with targeted interventions. As a 24/7 chat AI it offers personalised advice tuned to personalities and organisational context, helping managers prepare restorative conversations or set collaboration rules. It can generate phrasing for feedback, onboarding agendas and short standup scripts to lower escalation risk. Twice weekly micro-lessons focus on practical communication and teamwork techniques that teams can apply immediately. Personality and cultural preference diagnostics help match roles to strengths, turning diversity into an advantage. In tense moments managers can consult Empatyzer for tailored conversation plans, recommended wording and closing steps. The tool also supplies communication rituals and onboarding checklists that shorten adaptation. For remote teams it suggests short online exercises to keep connection and clarity. Quick deployment without deep system integrations and privacy-forward policies make Empatyzer low-overhead and instantly useful, helping teams reach norming faster and with fewer misunderstandings.