Think of the best team you've ever been on. What made this team work? Was that the plan? People? Interpersonal dynamics? Did you enjoy being part of it? Did he bring out the best in you?
Now think about the worst team you've ever had. What made it different?
Chances are you've been on more dysfunctional teams than seamlessly functioning teams. Collaborative teams ensure improved productivity and results. When teams work, they work the best way. But teamwork takes work, and the reality is that teams can fall apart, crumble, and experience disruption for a myriad of reasons.
Related: 3 steps to take when co-workers can't work together
Some teams operate as team in name only . It is a group of people who are declared as a team but do not work at the pace of one. Maybe the team has been dysfunctional for so long that members feel like it's too much work to change.
Weak leadership can also disrupt a team, allowing dominant personalities to derail the plan, and eventually team members will adapt their behavior accordingly, reacting to the fact that the person at the helm is not really leading.
Then , there is the "Lone Ranger “Team member, who disrupts the cadence of the team, leaving alone because he believes in his own ability more than the ability of the team to do the task. This causes a disconnect when other team members feel a lack of trust and collaboration.
There can also be general disrespect within a team. This happens when some team members devalue other members, either in their competence or in their diversity. This bills itself as "Clashing Personalities", when the truth is that different personalities can actually make a team stronger, as long as the respect is there.
A team can also fall apart when reacting to influences external , such as impossible deadlines, lack of resources or layoffs. When stress reaches peak levels in a team, people feel like they need to protect themselves before they protect the team. And in the end, everyone keeps trying to do things individually to preserve themselves.
Related: 7+ Traits of the Best Teammates
How do you handle situations where your team just doesn't get together? Here are eight tips for improving team collaboration:
1. Assess why it's not working.
It could be confidence, chemistry, competitiveness, or something else. But you can't solve the problem if you don't get to the heart of the matter. Start by asking team members – asking is the best way to get direct answers and make them feel that their perceptions and opinions matter. Then step back and observe the team in action in a particular setting and, as the leader, draw your own conclusion. If you're not directly involved in the conflict and can take an observer's opinion, it's usually not hard to see what the problem is.
2. Observe and model best practices.
If company culture dictates strong teams, take a look at the organization and see who else is doing it well. Talk with other managers about team dynamics, how they get people to collaborate, and what behaviors they encourage. And be sure to reciprocate by sharing your own best practices and lessons learned. Also, don't forget to look outside of your company, to chat with colleagues and mentors. You'd be surprised how similar situations seem to occur in different industries.
3. Understand the norms of a high-performing team in your culture.
There are probably some ground rules about what constitutes a great team in your company, and you need to identify those. If the team is all about working hard and playing hard, and yet you have team members who prefer not to play hard with the people they work with, it's going to upset the team dynamic. If a person regularly avoids this beer with co-workers at the end of the working day, try to assess why. Missing out on this little piece of team building actually affects a lot more than you might think. Make sure employees are not so focused on the job that they neglect to develop the cultural aspects of the team.
4. Consider the importance of a team.
If it's just for show, rethink why you even need to have a collaborative team. There are situations where teams can work freely and goals are still achieved, sometimes more efficiently than they would be without all the cooks in the kitchen. Not everything has to be team-oriented, and if a particular initiative doesn't need to be, don't try to force collaboration for the sake of it.
5. Get out of the office.
Companies engage in offsite team building activities all the time because they actually work. These types of situations allow people to experience their co-workers as human beings instead of just being co-workers, discovering details of life that are not revealed during a normal working day. . It gives teams a different way to connect and maybe create a bit more chemistry and relationships. And experiential learning exercises have a way of revealing team dynamics that can then be examined and discussed.
Related: The key to doing more:have fun
6. Nail the detractor.
If there is a particular cynic, take that person aside and find out why there is conflict, too much independent work, or a general derailment of teamwork. Depending on the personality, you can be very direct here or ask a series of “why” questions to get to the bottom of the situation.
7. Create accountability around team performance, not just individual performance.
It helps attract the lone ranger and forces the team to work collaboratively toward common goals. If one person does not participate as a member of the team, the others will not wear it and a change will begin to take place.
8. Check in regularly.
Check in regularly, once a month or once a quarter. If you're fixing a team, check in to make sure things are on track and to better understand what's working, what's not, and what needs adjusting. If you start rolling the ball as a team but then neglect the process, any progress you've made quickly evaporates.
If teams are important to your organization, you need to do what you can to facilitate their effectiveness. Make sure open communication exists. Create opportunities for all voices to be heard. Connect with the shared values that unite the team. Finally, instill pride in the members that a high performing team can be as powerful or more successful than an individual top performer.
Related: 5 Ways Leaders Can Build Team Spirit
