How Well is Your Team Functioning?

There’s an old African proverb - If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

And, in 21st century business, with the emphasis on shared vision and values, culture and teamwork you’re probably trying to go together and make your business more profitable, increase your sales and keep your customers happy…

but what happens if your team is simply not working...

do you ever wish you had a team of “A players” instead of struggling to avoid relegation?

If you’re experiencing difficulty and frustration in leading your team and struggling to identify what is causing the underlying problem, you may find ‘the five dysfunctions of a team’ by Patrick M. Lencioni useful to find out exactly where and why teamwork is going wrong.

1. Absence of trust. This leads to team members who are unwilling to be vulnerable within the group. A good team is built of individuals who know they can rely on others to listen and trust them.
2. Fear of conflict. Seeking artificial harmony over constructive passionate debate is a short-term solution – it doesn’t make for a successful atmosphere. So long as team members are respectful of each other, the occurrence of productive, ideological conflict will drive the group forwards.
3. Lack of commitment. When there is a lack of clarity within the team, it can prevent members from making commitments that they are prepared to stick to. When some members of a team are less committed than others, tension arises and moving forward becomes difficult.
4. Avoidance of accountability. This happens when team members do not hold others accountable for their behaviours or performance, as they believe it will jeopardise personal relationships.
5. Inattention to results. Focusing on personal success, status and ego before the team is counterproductive – it stops us paying attention to the collective outcomes or results of the team.

Realising that the dysfunctions of a team are no longer something to ignore, but something to be addressed will help you move forward.

Do any of these dysfunctions apply to your team?

In my work with teams I can usually pinpoint where the problem is quickly and put a programme together to help you restore balance and harmony, get your team working together again freeing up your time to focus on the operational side of your business.

Book a call here https://bit.ly/2OVQSgT to learn more about my team coaching or conflict resolution coaching and see if we’re a good fit, avoid banging your head against a brick wall and lead your team to the top of the league in your business.