You’re an engineering manager and your team is struggling. What can you do to turn things around?

Collect as much objective and subjective data that you can from both your team as well as all the stakeholders that your team works with. This way you can get both an inside and an outside-in perspective. Then communicate the problem statement to everyone you talked to and ensure alignment. Then solicit input from your team on solutions and then tap into your own expertise to pick the solutions that you think have a greater chance of success. Then go implement the solutions and go back to step 1, rinse and repeat.

Define the scope and identify the resources with the right skill set. Have one to one conversation with the key stakeholders and identify the bottlenecks. Once the bottleneck is identified, work on the solutions to clear the issues identified.

In addition to addressing the root causes of the struggles, it is crucial to establish an important practice within the team. This involves creating an environment where team members feel comfortable openly discussing the challenges they encounter (excluding personal matters that members may prefer not to share). Fostering a culture where everyone collaborates to support one another is key. It's important to note that building such a culture is a gradual process that demands ongoing dedication. A positive work culture, one where everyone contributes to mutual support, is not something that can be developed hastily.

Leveraging your team for insights and expertise is crucial in understanding where potential problems are coming from. Become more hands-on and involved in daily functions to ensure you're properly informed. Work alongside stakeholders and individuals to ensure you are taking ownership of the outcomes and show your team that you are showing up not to only fix the issue, but help solve the problems. Keep a clean, unbiased head and stay true to the end goal, which is the result you're looking for.

Communication is the key for all projects. Clearly define the expectation from the fellow colleagues and make yourself available for them to tell their concerns on the project. Having regular team building section and standup meeting will help on this

After identifying root causes, spend time understanding them fully and filling in any gaps that might be left. After you have a solidified understanding, get yourself organized, and find a solution to the problem. Evangelize the solution and get feedback before proposing solutions; being a leader is more than just telling people how to fix things. When feedback is gathered and teams align, start executing by breaking down the expectations and goals into small, digestable pieces. This makes sure people start seeing measurable success over a long-term goal and can make quick wins feel empowering. Continue to strive for feedback and improvement and let people know that you are taking ownership of the direct outcomes.

When communicating and aligning expectations with the team, it is critical that there is a regular scheduled time after the initial discussion to follow up (it can be weekly or more frequently depending on the severity of the issue). It is important to note that this is not for the manager to check-in the status, micromanage and hold a rope on the necks of the members. This allocated time is for the team to share what is and what isn't working after changes were made and to raise additional blockers in achieving the desired outcomes. For example, if a new process that was agreed upon ends up causing more overhead than actually solving a problem, this should be discussed during that time so that the team can think of a new solution together.

I will share my learning from when I have been assigned a new team that has been struggling for a while. The first step is to bring back the lost confidence in the team members regarding their capabilities by giving some highly challenging but low risk assignments. the next step is to rebuild the sense of achievement for the team to align their contribution to actual outcomes. This helps with motivation and helps team work towards a common goal. Final step is to enable them to take decision on their own by having a culture of reflecting ideas and thoughts. this may require some trainings and mentoring but once the trust is built up you can provide more autonomy and sense of ownership as individual and as a team.

A significant challenge I've observed pertains to the deeply rooted bureaucratic structures within the organization, often causing teams to resign themselves to the status quo and refrain from striving for excellence. These challenges, often unspoken, can result in even the most intelligent and motivated team members losing momentum, putting them at risk of settling for mediocrity. While certain issues may be beyond the direct influence of the Engineering Manager, it is imperative to make concerted efforts to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, to the extent feasible, allowing teams to consistently deliver their best. A few examples of such obstacles include: - Engagement with Cross-Functional teams - Resource Access and Procurement etc.

Here's your turnaround plan: 1. Diagnose the problem: Listen to your team, gather data, and identify the root causes impacting performance. 2. Foster open communication: Encourage honest feedback, address concerns, and build trust. 3. Empower your team: Delegate tasks, provide clear goals, and offer support, fostering ownership and accountability. 4. Invest in development: Identify skill gaps and provide training, mentoring, or resources for continuous growth. 5. Celebrate successes (big & small): Recognize achievements, boost morale, and keep the team motivated. Remember, a supportive, transparent, and empowering environment is key to team growth and success.

Most often, I've seen engineering teams struggle because of a lack of clear vision, targets, and purpose. Set some time to sit and re-hash the purpose of the project or operation, identify where the struggle is coming from, lay out a clear vision to revitalize the team's purpose, then put goals in place to help drive a sense of urgency and accomplishment. In finding the root cause of the problem, it's also incredibly important to show the team that you're willing to deal with the problem and not just sweep it under the rug. Engineering teams are smart, treat them like they are.