What goes wrong in teamwork?
What goes wrong in teamwork and how to get these right?
At the best of times, good working relationships can often be accompanied with conflicts when working closely with other professionals on a project. One cannot avoid encountering differing paradigms and this, most of the time, is the reason why teamwork fails.
Conflicts can arise from many sources, but most relate to interpersonal, gender and cultural differences.
By fostering an environment where teamwork is prioritized, teams can create a work environment where great things can be accomplished
Teams will get into arguments due to differences in working style, personality and sometimes the ability to take criticism. When working closely with one another, it is important to listen actively to everything that is said. If there is disagreement on a topic, seeking a polite way to tell others that you may not agree with what has been discussed can be vital to each other’s respect for one another. Finding points of agreement even though you may hold different views on the topic is paramount to a good working relationship as well.
By fostering an environment where teamwork is prioritized, and learning about these 7 reasons why teamwork fails, teams can create a work environment where great things can be accomplished, and project objectives are met.
✅ 1. Lack of leadership. The first reason why people often fail to work together as a team is a lack of leadership. Every team needs a leader. It is his responsibility to lead the team in establishing the objectives and strategizing the plans, set the expectations, and keep the group focused upon its goals.
It is the leader’s role to provide positive reinforcement to help keep every team members motivated and inspired. It is also the leader that needs to set clear standards of the team and expectations to every team member. It is through this discipline that the entire team can create the kind of positive environment where teamwork thrives and lift the team morale up.
✅ 2. Unclearly defined goals. Expectations for each of the team members shall be clearly outlined alongside with the goal of the team. Without a clearly defined goals, the direction of the team is nowhere to find. Talents are not efficiently utilized, and accomplishments are relatively low.
✅ 3. Lack of proper training. One of the common onslaughts of teamwork is the lack of proper training of the team members. Each team member has to be sufficient with the necessary skills needed to carry out tasks. Productive atmosphere of the team emanates from every member having proper trainings.
Trainings should be on a regular basis to help reinforce the team goals and objectives. Trainings are also a great way to make sure that all team members are aware of their responsibilities and feel a part of the team.
✅ 4. The presence of disruptive personalities. Another reason why there is often difficulty working as a team is the presence of disruptive personalities. There are some team members that are difficult to deal with. Sometimes some team members are pessimistic and disruptive, which can cause major negative impact on the team.
Perhaps the best approach in this kind of team problem is reformation. If replacing those team members is not an option, then consider giving them a minimal task. But be cautious not to make them feel unwanted. Talk to them and make them understand the details and nature of their functional area and how important they are in the team. Functions of teams are so critical that it cannot afford to have one member going away from the chain of dynamic functions.
✅ 5. Teammates strengths and weaknesses are not considered. Each of the team members possess unique set of skills. Taking into account what each team member does well can put them work on project areas that they are best suited for. On the other hand, team members who have a weakness in a certain area should be provided with help to bring their skill level up.
To run a successful team, it is important to regularly analyze the processes that the team is working with to ensure each team member is operating as efficiently as possible.
If you are working as the team leader, consider the strengths and weaknesses of your team members as this will help the team to overcome challenges and determine leads to pursue. It will further develop a full awareness of all the factors involved in the decision-making process.
✅ 6. Too much turnover. One of the challenges of any team is the frequent team member turnover. Team member turnover may be caused by quitting, termination or constant addition of new members to the team.
It can drastically affect the efficiency of the team because of the necessary adjustments working with new teammates. Having a high rate of team member turnover creates an environment of confusion and lowers team productivity. People can easily lose their sense of belonging when teams change — whether that’s due to colleagues leaving or joining.
You can remedy this by using team-building exercises to unite your people. Be open and honest with them, help them to find common ground with one another, and solidify these relationships by organizing team events or get-togethers — in person or online.
✅ 7. Insufficient team meetings. One of the common reasons why teamwork fails is that there are not enough meetings. In addition, open and honest communication is not encouraged during conducts of meeting. Sufficient team meetings are particularly important during implementation of projects to discourse its status and developments.
Team leaders should initiate during team meetings the discussion of progress or setbacks. Team members should also be encouraged to voice any concerns, suggestions and recommendations. This will further create strong team environment.
This article was excerpted from the author’s latest released book The Criteria and The Bottomline published on Amazon. Grab your copy now.
Subscribe here to get more of Ken Lubong’s article and stories.
P.S. If you feel inspired and motivated reading this blog, perhaps you may want to buy me a coffee. And in doing so, please accept my heartfelt gratitude.
