Team building blocks and breakthroughs.(PERSPECTIVES)

Despite best team-building efforts, many organizations still operate on low power when it comes to producing desired results. Some managers express frustration that their team just is not delivering what it must. Customers complain. Feedback surveys reveal much room for improvement.

Some managers begin to question their own capability as leaders. Others like to point fingers at the "bad apple" on the team and try to find ways to remove it.

These executives have tried to bring the team together to clarify goals, roles, expectations, etc., and question whether they have the right talent to do the job. Competitive and organizational changes happen so fast, it is tough for even the most effective team to perform well consistently.

After investing time/money in events to help team members bond and function coherently, results are short-term at best.

So what is the problem? Every situation is unique, but here are a few possibilities:

1. Some or all members do not want to function as a team. Accustomed to operating independently, they see no value in operating as a whole.

2. Team building is not linked to business results. Instead the team experienced artificial feel-good exercises. Members learned about each other's behavioral styles, motivational profiles, individual strengths, etc., but failed to connect their efforts to desired business outcomes.

3. There is no follow-up beyond a onetime event. A successful team-building process should be approached strategically, not as a one-time event hoping for the best. It should result in actionable ideas to help the team and organization achieve their goals. Continued learning, action, and reinforcement are critical.

Here are some of the most common impediments to team success and ways to overcome them.

Fuzzy Focus

The team does not really know how to function. Either it has lost focus on results or members were never clear about their goals in the first place. Instead, they have become too internally fixated on other team members: judging what they are doing, making assumptions, backstabbing, finger pointing, etc. Without a clear focus, team members frequently react to events in their immediate environment. They become distracted by other team members or simply respond to whatever issue lands in their lap. There is no strategic team focus or energy to move forward.

Suggestion: As the leader, step in and clarify big picture goals and expectations. To complete this task effectively, communicate the goals in ways that appeal to a variety of team members. Some may need a visual representation (e.g., a roadmap); others may need to know the "why" behind the goals to buy in. Check for clarity. Ask the team to articulate their understanding of the overall goals in their own words. Then clarify or correct as needed.

Lack of Leadership

Leadership is critical to help the team succeed. Without it, team members resort to their own methods. Some run as far and fast as they can to prove themselves, pushing boundaries and taking on too much risk. Others perform as little as possible, yet complain about how much work needs to get done. Some leaders are too busy concentrating on their own political or career agenda. Other leaders just do not understand their role or possess good leadership skills.

Suggestion: Conduct regular strategic focus sessions. Strong leaders will help the team focus on the goal (the what) and key strategies (the how). Hold consistent informal one-on-one development meetings with direct reports to gain feedback, uncover trouble spots, and leverage opportunities. If you need to build leadership skills yourself, make that a priority. If you value your career, find a coach or mentor to help you. Remember, in order to develop others, you must first develop yourself.

Stuck in Sameness

The team is stuck in practices that may have been established years ago. They have gotten lazy or stopped trying new approaches. New team members may be frustrated by the apparent lack of openness to new ideas or ways of operating. Experienced team members defend the way things have always been done.

Suggestion: Identify one aspect of the team you would be excited to see change. Make sure everyone in your team agrees such change would be worthwhile. Determine the best possible outcome if the team made the change, adopted a new procedure, tried a new approach, or did whatever you are suggesting. Then call for ideas from the team on how to make it happen. Generating excitement about new possibilities makes it easier for the team to get unstuck.

The most effective teams can maintain best practices while adapting to new environments or organizational changes. They are not content with the status quo. Their best practices include constantly seeking new and better ways to perform their job. They are not content with going through the motions or frivolous exercises that may help increase awareness, but stop there.

Final Thoughts

Whether Bob is blue, green, or yellow does not matter if he cannot connect his self-awareness to results. The same applies at the team level. Team members may find it interesting to learn more about team members, but be sure to help translate learning into results.

Great team leaders spend time clarifying goals, cultivating their own leadership skills, and identifying new ways to achieve great results. Not to be confused with micromanaging, effective leaders check in from time to time to make sure the organization's goals and strategies remain clear. At the same time, they help build the capability of individual team members versus doing the work of the team themselves.

Simply opening productive and constructive communication to a greater degree will help leaders increase their effectiveness and their teams function most effectively. Leaders often feel unnecessary pressure to tell everyone on the team what to do. Focus on influencing versus doing.

Team building is a means to an end, not an end in itself. What do you want your team to achieve?

Gayle Lantz, President of WorkMatters, Inc.

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