You're leading a team that's struggling to meet its goals. What can you do to get them back on track?

Alibis You give her the mktg campaign since she makes a diversity tick. You make him head of sales as he’s worked for you before (though he never really sold anything ). You pick him for the critical overseas role as he has a strong passport & speaks Mandarin. You give her the M&A lead coz she’s Italian & your boss in Milan will be pleased. You have an alibi for every hiring. Not reflecting if something's right because it’s safe or it's safe because it’s right. And conclude the non-tested to be non-existent. It takes effort & courage to reach for the non-obvious, un-rated & inconspicuous. You have no idea of the treasures there. History is seldom backed by alibis. Take a chance. Examine your default choices. And change them. Today!

One thing that has been a key in every team I have seen, led and been a part of is establishing psychological safety. Before and during the phase where you identify the root cause, make it a point to create an environment where it is clear that it is not about the person, it’s about the process. Establish ground rules that we are all in this together and that there will be no finger pointing. Approach everything with a curious mindset and ask questions to understand, not to judge. This will help create the contribution and help from your team to really identify the problem to be tackled.

To help a team struggling to meet goals, clarify roles, assess skills, provide emotional support, encourage learning from failure, promote clear communication, offer leadership support, and build resilience. These strategies can guide the team in overcoming setbacks, fostering growth, and working towards successful goal achievement.

I would recommend to focus on solutions rather than blame game. Pinpointing issues is crucial but we should shift the conversation from identifying culprits to brainstorming solutions collaboratively. We can frame discussions with questions like "How can we overcome this obstacle?" or "What resources or adjustments would empower us to achieve our goals?" By fostering a solution-oriented mindset, we'll be able to encourage team members to take ownership and invest their creativity in improvement. This fosters a more positive and productive team environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing their ideas without fear of recrimination. Additionally, focusing on solutions together builds trust and strengthens team spirit.

Stephen Covey's habit, seek to understand before being understood comes in handy here. It's good to know why we failed, the how do we move from here is better. Patience and listening skills are very important. Then do not be afraid to ask the difficult questions or hear the unpleasant things. Look at the goal, getting results.

Stay with the team, show them that you have their back. Do check if you can unblock some of their time currently being spent in meetings that may be considered as optional for them. Also, if this is a persistent issue that the team is facing, it may be worthwhile to re-calibrate expectations and check if the targets being set are really attainable with the resources your team has.

Stay positive: It is important to reassure your team isn’t getting afraid. Inspire confidence in the team’ s ability to overcome challenges and succeed. Encourage collaboration: put additional team / bandwidth to support each other to achieve common goals (shared). Identify obstacle and offer support: brainstorm solutions where there are obstacles. It can be as simple as downstream issue, not able to communicate to get some interview panels. Offer support. It is important. Monitor progress: Governance calls to make sure team is coming together and share feedback on time. Celebrate progress: appreciate people and give them recognition in front of large audience. You can call people , when they are low because the work could be taxing.

First of all you have to understand the reasons behind the struggle that the team faces . Call out the reasons and encourage the team to identify the measures or ideas that they can implement to minimize/ avoid the struggle. Coach and mentor the team till they come to speed. Work with them closely to further understand any pain points in resolving the challenges Don’t shy away in giving constructive feedback to the team member/s who are not able to cope up with the situation.

Manager should encourage open feedback from team members about their experiences, concerns, and suggestions for improvement. Actively listen to their input and incorporate constructive feedback into your strategies for enhancing team performance. Anticipate potential challenges or roadblocks and take proactive measures to mitigate your team members. You can effectively guide your team through challenges and empower them to regain momentum towards achieving their goals.

As a Leader, you would have assessed your team's pain points. Work on them to ensure you get the results expected out of your team. Support them in all ways. Sometimes, you might have taken your team for granted. It's not just the team you need to understand but also analyse your own skills. See if you have missed out on your own upscaling. Check if you have yourself become complacent or ineffective. Be honest with your assessment. Dont let your ego stop you from evaluating your self. You will then be able to handle your team's issues professionally and efficiently.

Tengo asignado equipo que el mes anterior no logró sus objetivos, iban a despedir. Antes de que sucediera el ceo llegó con la situación, entrevisté a la persona identificando perfil, cualidades, motivaciones y situación actual; alguien muy insegura de sí misma y con un perfil donde el seguimiento la lleva a resultados, comenzamos diariamente encuentros de 30-60min max donde vemos victorias diarias, agradecimientos y entramos a un espacio de reflexión de temas y recursos aplicables a su trabajo, reforcé retroalimentación con comunicación/cultura, acercamiento e inspiración; luego de una una semana ella logró su meta. Ese es el verdadero trabajo con la persona, ella está creciendo personalmente y esto le genera valor financiero a la empresa

Revitalizing a non-performing team requires a holistic approach: analysis, communication, collaboration, and adaptation. Start by understanding root causes through open dialogue, then agree on KPIs, resources, and timelines. Periodic reviews ensure we stay on track, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collective success.