From Subpar to Superstar

Achieving exceptional performance goes beyond direct business process improvement. It’s about transforming team dynamics and uniting people across functions and borders with shared values, principles, goal alignment, and a sense of enjoyment.

One remarkable international business success story illustrates this perfectly.

“It was clear that the business needed to come together as a cohesive team, and apart from frequent online meetings, we introduced quarterly business gatherings “somewhere in Europe.” These sessions were about planning, alignment and progress but also included a lot of fun and team building. Off-roading in the desert, meetings in Milan, canoeing in the Dutch canals or camping in a “not-so-five-star” Bedouin tent in the North African desert, complete with a resident scorpion, will forever be a lasting memory.”

Balancing hard work with having fun is essential for exceptional team success, but there is a lot more to it than that.

Common Teamwork and Performance Challenges

Some of the most common problems related to teamwork and performance outcomes:

1. Lack of Alignment with Organisational Goals: Teams often work in silos, focusing on immediate tasks without understanding how their work contributes to broader objectives. This misalignment leads to inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and a lack of cohesive direction, ultimately affecting overall performance and goal achievement.
2. Poor Communication and Collaboration: Ineffective communication channels and collaboration practices can create misunderstandings, conflicts, and a breakdown in teamwork. This results in delayed projects, lower quality of work, and decreased team morale.
3. Low Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: When employees do not feel connected to their work or valued by their organisation, their engagement levels drop, leading to decreased productivity, higher absenteeism, and increased churn.
4. Inefficient Performance: The absence of clear goals, regular feedback, and efficient processes means projects take longer to complete, resources are wasted, and opportunities for innovation are missed.
5. Resistance to Change: Teams may resist new processes, tools, or changes in direction due to a lack of understanding or fear of the unknown. This resistance can stall progress and make implementing improvements and adapting to market demands difficult.
6. Lack of Continuous Improvement: Teams often fail to regularly assess and refine their processes, knowledge, skills, and performance, leading to stagnation and preventing growth and optimization of team capabilities.
7. Inadequate Leadership and Support: Without strong leadership and sufficient support from management, teams lack direction and motivation, leading to a lack of accountability, diminished team cohesion, and an inability to overcome challenges effectively.

Strategies for Overcoming Teamwork Challenges

Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach:

• Align Team Objectives with Strategic Goals: Ensuring that team objectives are closely tied to the company’s strategic goals promotes unity and focused efforts.
• Foster Open Communication and Teamwork: Implementing strategies and tools to foster effective communication and teamwork reduces misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Enhance Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: Creating a work environment where employees feel valued and connected to their work increases motivation and retention.
• Improve Performance Efficiency: Providing clear goals, regular feedback, and efficient processes enhances productivity and quality of work.
• Support Change: Helping teams embrace change with proper guidance and training ensures smooth transitions and continuous improvement.
• Promote Continuous Improvement: Incorporating regular assessments and feedback loops keeps teams evolving and improving over time.
• Develop Leadership Capabilities: Providing necessary support ensures teams have the direction and motivation they need to succeed.

Together with the New Level Results ‘Curve’ planning and platform, we help teams excel by aligning their objectives with company goals, fostering open communication, and creating a motivating work environment. Our approach includes clear goal-setting, regular feedback, and efficient processes to boost productivity and quality. We guide teams through change and continuous improvement, ensuring they evolve and succeed over time. We build high-performing, engaged, and collaborative teams by developing leadership capabilities and providing the necessary support.

We have helped thousands of others achieve more than they thought possible, so please get in touch if you want to help to take your team from subpar to rockstar and to create a legacy they only dreamed possible.