Share a vision for success. Before the actual work begins, the manager should figure out what is the mission of the group. They must then share the mission and goals for the team with all members. If members are not aware of the goals for their work, they will likely not be highly invested in the success of the team.

Divide up the work. Just as it is important for team members to understand their mission, the manager must also confirm that all members clearly understand their roles in the group. Ideally the work will be divided up in a manner that complements each participant’s strengths. 

Cultivate open communication. All team members must feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions with the group, and open communication should be strongly encouraged from the beginning.

Create a culture of trust. Assume good intent of all team members. If a team member is assigned to carry out a role, their colleagues should assume that they will deliver on those obligations.

Appreciate difference. Not all team members are going to have the same viewpoints or skillsets. This is a good thing, because it leads to more creative and multi-faceted teams. Take time to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and assist them in realizing and welcoming these differences.

Accept and handle conflict. In any team scenario, it is likely that conflicts will arise. Rather than avoiding the issues, it is important that areas of conflict are addressed quickly and in a manner is not personal.

Get ahead of problems. In order to avoid the problem of “risky shift” in group projects, in which the team makes riskier decisions than an individual would make due to a lack of individual accountability, it can be helpful to assign someone’s name to each major decision. Another problem in teams is the concept of “group think”, in which the entire team begins to think the same way. One way to avoid this is to ask each member to reflect on the possible benefits and flaws in major decisions and to try to elevate the voices of quieter group members.