Your Team's Not Working: Why?

Let’s face it not all teams are high performing and not all teams are actually teams.

These were a couple of the ideas that I explored recently with my good friend and colleague Richard Hurd in the latest episode of my GOBO – Glimpses Of the Blindingly Obvious – podcast. We dived into what makes a team tick – and why some teams perform better than others.

You can listen to the latest episode of GOBO here >> "Your Teams Not Working: Why?"

A good starting point is defining what we mean by a high performing team.

We particularly like the Katzenback and Smith definition:

". . a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable."

Not all teams meet this definition and sometimes even good teams seem to hit a wall. They’re not moving forward, and the energy isn’t there. You expect high performance, and yet, it’s as if something’s holding them back.

Let's start with the basics. We know that a team isn’t just a group of people with a shared title or reporting line. As Richard noted, a real team has a shared purpose, common goals, and a sense of accountability among all members. So, what’s the magic ingredient that keeps a team from being just a “working group”?

Purpose isn’t just a buzzword

Purpose is a word thrown around so often that it can start to feel empty. But real purpose isn’t about a job title or project assignment. It’s about why your team exists in the first place. Very often teams (particularly senior ones), confuse the teams purpose with what they do. i.e, we are the Exec team, so our purpose is to lead the business. But teams should consciously and intentionally define their purpose. Why do they exist?? What’s their high aspiration or legacy?? Without purpose, teams can lack direction and motivation – leading to stagnation.

And it’s not just a box to tick. Having a clear, shared purpose acts like fuel for the team. It gives everyone something to rally around. Without it, your team may work independently, reporting to the leader rather than collaborating to achieve something greater together. As Richard and I discussed, “pseudo-teams” – groups that mimic teams but don’t have true cohesion – often exist in name only. They go through the motions without delivering the collective results they’re capable of.

The Role of mutual accountability

In strong teams, accountability doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of the leader. True teams hold each other mutually accountable for reaching goals and delivering expected results. They follow agreed processes and showing up for each other. This isn’t something that happens by accident; it requires intentional design and effort.?

Richard gave an example from his experience leading a temporary project team where members didn’t know each other beforehand. They were clear on their purpose and approach, and crucially, they held one another accountable.

It wasn’t a top-down directive; it was a culture they created together. This kind of mutual agreed accountability fosters relationship trust and can even defy traditional hierarchical boundaries. Your teams agreed purpose acts like a north start against which their performance can be measured.

Avoiding the pitfalls of ‘Working Group’ syndrome?

One common trap is assuming that every group of people working together should function like a high-performing team. ?The reality is that some groups don’t need to be tightly knit teams.

Take a call centre team, for example.? There aren’t sufficient interdependencies in the team and they don’t fully satisfy our definition of a high performance team.? Sometimes it’s more efficient to operate as a “working group,” where people contribute individually rather than striving for collective synergy. Not every organisational group needs to strive for the “team” label.? It’s about aligning structure with the purpose and needs of the task.? But you will know for your own experience that truly cohesive teams meeting our definition do out-perform mediocre teams.

The importance of process: Not just meetings

Many teams fall into a rhythm where meetings become routine. The purpose of these meetings isn’t always clear, and they can quickly devolve into each member reporting back to the leader in isolation. These are just one-to-one report outs held in a group situation.

It’s best to think about how a meeting could be structured to foster deeper discussion and collaboration. Shifting the focus from merely reporting to genuine dialogue, means meetings become powerful opportunities to think, problem-solve, and build cohesion.

An example restructuring of meetings is to eliminate reports from meeting agendas and shifting them to pre-meeting written updates. This allowed the actual meeting to focus on collective problem-solving. This leads to more engagement, and time they spent together becoming more valuable.? A good question to ask is “What’s this meeting really for?”

Given the sheer number of back-to-back meeting people experience nowadays, it’s not a bad question to ask.

Embracing diversity within the team

While cohesion is crucial, it doesn’t mean that individual strengths and weaknesses should be ignored. In fact, teams work best when they recognise and consciously utilise the diverse skills each person brings to the table. A high-performing team is often one where members understand both their own contributions and those of their colleagues. Richard called this “the internal supply chain” – knowing who is best suited for each part of the journey toward the team’s shared goals.

A common mistake does seem to prevail, however. Focusing only on the strengths and ignoring potential gaps. By openly acknowledging areas where the team needs to improve, members can work together to minimise weaknesses that could impact overall performance.

A willing ness to openly discuss weaknesses is an excellent sign of the teams psychological safety.? While weaknesses are often not discussed, it’s practically a certainty that team members will have perceived view of what those weaknesses are.? Open dialogue can become a healthy check-in for teams over time.

High performance is an iterative discipline

The discipline of revisiting purpose and process regularly can keep a team’s engine running smoothly. Purpose and process aren’t “set and forget” elements. Teams that excel know the importance of regular check-ins to recalibrate and make sure everyone is still aligned. This might mean going back to basics – re-examining the shared purpose or refining accountability practices.

Every high-performing teams benefits from an “iterative discipline” where they revisit these elements, to stay sharp and cohesive. This creates a rhythm where team members remain invested in one another’s success and the overall goals they are working toward.? Seeking ways of improving things and how the team actually works together is critical to high performance.

Setting teams up for success

Ultimately, a high performing team is one that operates with purpose, utilising all their resources and capabilities, applying ways of working that supports genuine collaboration and team spirit. When these elements are in place, teams don’t just move forward – they thrive.

Whether you’re a team leader or a member, take time to pause and re-evaluate whether the team is actually operating at its optimum is a worthwhile exercise. After all, high performing teams don’t happen by chance. They’re built with intentionality and a bit of discipline – one step at a time.

If you would like to gauge if your team is truly firing on all cylinders, contribute to our on-going research around the characteristics of high performing teams.? You can participate here >>.? It take roughly 2 minutes and you get an individualised report.