Whether teams grow together or grow apart is subject to a combination of the leadership style of the manager, as well as the level of trust, mutual respect and common shared vision or its members.
There are many reasons why teams fail – the manager’s behaviour, an inability to deal with conflict, a lack of mutual accountability, lack of clarity or ineffective problem-solving skills. The list goes on and on.
Here are the top areas you need to look out for to ensure you team is not falling apart, but rather focusing on growing together:
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Lack of Trust. I’ve seen many talented people leave workplaces because of how their bosses micromanaged their every move, or received constant criticism by other team members. Trust is the foundation of all successful teams, and without it, teams simply cannot function. If you notice poor communication, low engagement, morale and productivity in your team, chances are there is a lack of trust, and you must act on it swiftly.
In order to build – or gain back – trust, give your teams the opportunity to make decisions, show you trust them by being transparent and keeping them informed about all aspects of the business, whilst giving them the autonomy they need to work things out by themselves. Encourage them to speak up and be open to their ideas and opinions. Create an equal playing-field where everyone is treated fairly and equally, praise across the board when things are done well, and act with integrity by always delivering on what you say you’ll do.
Bottom line, without trust, your team is destined to fall apart. Always set the right foundations with trust.
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Lack of Communication. Poor communication is frustrating for everyone and it has a very negative impact within a team. I often find we tend to over-communicate pointless information, and under-communicate on the critical information needed for teams to act effectively together. This leads to unclear roles and responsibilities, delays in projects completion, lost opportunities, high stress and low engagement, and missed overall results.
To combat this, you need to understand that there are different styles of communication and you must tailor your style to suit that of your team members. Some will prefer face to face, whereas others will do better in writing or over a quick call. You also need to help your people understand how their roles impact the bigger picture, so they can draw meaning from what they do. Help them also understand not just what needs to be done, but why, so there is no room for misinterpretation.
Communication is a two-way street, so don’t just dominate all conversations by being the most prominent voice in the room. Take time to really listen to your team’s feedback, encourage them to ask questions and bring their opinions forward.
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Unclear Roles and Responsibilities. If nobody is sure of who does what, don’t expect your people to work as one. I often find that most teams don’t really have an understanding of each other’s responsibilities, which makes things harder for everyone, with many things and decisions falling through the cracks, affecting productivity in a big way. Often it is this lack of clarity that sparks conflict among team members.
As a leader, you need to ensure that there is clear roles and responsibilities, and everyone knows what is expected of them and each other. Typically, when this is in place, there are fewer arguments, less work duplication and waste of time, energy and resources. When people are confident about what to do, everyone feels better about working together.
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Lack of purpose. If your team doesn’t understand the purpose of their work, they won’t know what to focus on or prioritize, which may make them loose motivation. If you want your team to do their best work, they have to know the bigger picture and where the team as well as the company are going. For that to happen, you must create a shared vision and common goals and milestones along the way so everyone can get a sense of direction, progress and achievement.
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Lack of Training and Development. I don’t know many employees who are able to jump into a new role or a promotion and be 100% equipped to thrive in their role. If you want your people to understand how to do their jobs correctly, both individually and as part of a team, you’ll need to train them. It’s really important that companies see training as an investment rather than an expense. In fact, it costs less to train an employee than to leave them to their own devices, because it leads to safer working environments, higher productivity and performance, lower turnover and happier employees. They also require less supervision, giving leaders more time to focus on more important tasks to help the business.
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