How I Turned a Struggling Team into a High-Performing One

I understand how challenging it can be to lead a team that’s struggling to meet expectations. Early in my leadership journey, I was hired to manage a team that struggling to complete a major project. The actions I used then are just as important today, maybe even more so.

The team was behind on all deadlines and far from achieving their goals. In addition we were preparing for a critical audit, and while originally they had 12 months to get ready for it, four months were lost before I stepped in. We now had 8 months to deliver on a plan that really needed those extra 4 months.

Here’s what I did to turn things around:

1. Stopped the Action & Reassessed: I paused the ongoing work, gathered senior staff, and together we realigned the priorities and due dates based on critical requirements.
2. Updated Plans with Team Input: Then we shared the revised plan with all team members, creating space for questions and feedback. After incorporating what came out of the team input, we regrouped to ensure that everyone was aligned on the new plan and timeline.
3. Frequent Check-ins: I held regular meetings with leaders and team members to track progress and address concerns proactively. I made sure I spoke to everyone multiple times a week.
4. One-on-One Conversations: To ensure clarity and alignment, I also met individually with leaders and team members, ensuring they had the resources and support needed to succeed.

By being in regular communication, staying focused, fostering transparency, and maintaining alignment across the team, we accomplished in 8 months what was initially planned for 12. Not only did we successfully complete everything, we were also ready for the auditors, and even more important the process strengthened the team's collaboration and trust.

If you’re a leader facing challenges with organizational & team alignment, project delays, or shifting priorities, you don’t have to navigate it alone. I’d love to share more about the strategies I’ve used to build high-performing teams and organizations and how they can help you communicate powerfully and lead with confidence and clarity.

What would your organization be able to accomplish with communication, confidence and clarity?