Working together can be incredibly energising. When done well, you can achieve the most wonderful things together. But in practice, things do not always go smoothly. How do you recognise a failing team?
Poorly coordinated activities
Successful collaboration starts with a clear division of roles and tasks. Lack of clarity reduces efficiency. People then end up doing the same things without knowing it. And they don’t know what to expect from each other. As a result, a lot of valuable time is lost in endless meetings. Or there are projects that overlap. As a result, work is delivered (too) slowly.
In addition, changing priorities lead to poor performance, especially if no one understands why. Or the team loses sight of the organisation as a whole. Even if the team works extremely hard, the impact is small.
Unsafe team climate
A lack of trust between colleagues and teams is not conducive to team spirit. Nor does a lack of recognition and commitment. There may even be a culture of fear; you dare not speak up. The joy of working together then quickly fades… Many conflicts also create a bad atmosphere. Differences of opinion may escalate if team members are not open to dialogue.
How do you avoid this?
You want to obsess over mutual clarity. What is the mission, who does what? Is it clear to everyone?
You also want to build strong, trusting relationships with colleagues. Your communication is important in this. You connect with the other person and focus on their perspective. It is important to listen, engage others, understand, and gain their trust. Read more tips on the Influence Style Bridging.
