What’s derailing your team? What’s hindering collective performance and success?
In my work and research with teams over the past 20 years, some of the common derailers that I have observed and supported leaders to address are:
1. 🤝Lack of clarity in purpose can lead to misalignment and confusion with personal agendas hindering the pursuit of collective goals.
Clearly articulate the team’s purpose and goals to ensure alignment and a shared sense of direction. Ensure team members understand their role in achieving common goals and foster a culture that prioritises collective objectives over individual interests.
2. 💙 Conflicts left unaddressed, a lack of psychological safety and cliques forming within the team can erode trust and collaboration.
Encourage open communication, create a safe space for expressing concerns and actively address conflicts as they arise. Foster a culture where every team members feel valued, supported, and encouraged to share responsibility for collective performance.
3. 📈 Unclear roles, ambiguous performance criteria and inefficient decision-making processes can impede progress.
Establish clear expectations for tasks and roles, define criteria for high performance and streamline decision-making processes. Ensure stakeholder expectations are clear and engage in effective communication at a systemic level so everyone is on the same page.
4. 👥Ineffective leadership can have a domino effect on a team’s direction and motivation.
Provide clear direction, encourage collaborative decision-making, coach and develop your team, offering support and feedback. Partner with a coach to leverage your strengths, identify and work on blind spots and areas for development
5. 🚀 Lack of agility and adaptability can be seen in teams which are reluctant to embrace change or try new ways of doing things.
Set aside time for and engage in reflection and collective learning. Encourage team members to set goals that will stretch and develop them and offer support through coaching and mentoring. This will help to create a resilient team that can adapt to internal and external dynamics.
6. 🌈 Issues like insufficient diversity, unconscious bias, skill imbalances and workload challenges can affect overall team performance.
Mitigate by promoting diversity and inclusion, addressing unconscious bias, balancing team skills, and ensuring well-being by managing workloads effectively.
What challenges have you faced in your teams, and what strategies have you found effective?
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