Dysfunctionality among teams is far more commonplace than many business owners would like to admit. You only need to take a look at recent headlines to notice the levels of it which can be found even in the most prestigious global brands. And considering the ease with which negative and potentially damaging articles can be shared on social media these days, it pays business owners to be mindful of the risks and to develop coherent and effective strategies to alleviate these risks.
A recent study by a very well-known UK on-line recruitment site suggests that 40% of employees believe a positive working culture is the most important thing their employer can provide. This imposes a duty on business leaders to build a supportive team culture and to ensure that managers within their business have the tools necessary to build and manage cohesive teams.
Considering this, we here at Ology recommend a 5 stage strategy that all managers should follow to fix their dysfunctional teams:
Ownership
If you as a leader do not take ownership of a team and its potential problems, then things will never improve. Discuss the matter openly with your team so that they feel comfortable sharing any issues they might have and make sure you set the standard of how you expect them to work together.
Honesty
If you notice your team is slowly becoming more fragmented and less effective, do not be afraid to seek out the truth. To fully understand what is going on, `remain neutral and do not cast judgement when asking for feedback from team members. Once you discover what is causing the negativity, take action and try to counteract it.
Standards
As a team leader, it’s essential that you put in place a standard of performance you expect. Therefore, you can’t have different standards for different members as this will only upset team members and provide extra ammunition for the more disruptive members of the team. Do not ignore the negative behaviour of some staff members. Make sure your team understands the repercussions of such behaviour and that it cannot be tolerated.
Agreement
You may have a plan in place that you think will help stamp out negativity, but without the backing of the team the plan is simply futile. To combat this, ensure the team meets regularly, while also keeping them informed of the standards you need them to adhere to.
Persistence
It can be frustrating when you notice that all of your efforts are falling on deaf ears and that team members continue to be disruptive and toxic. Turning your team around can often be one of the toughest challenges team leaders will ever face. It takes time and commitment. Don’t give up, be intentional and persistent to your beliefs and eventually change will happen.
And finally, be assured that you can do this. With the help of Ology’s behavioural expertise and our bespoke solutions, along with the dedicated support of one of our professional coaches, you can fix your teamworking issues.
For more information, or to discuss how we might help, contact Ology Coach Dave Preston today. (e-mail: davepreston@ologycoaching.com; or call 07539 365747)