What Makes An "Effective" Team?
It’s rare to find the “perfect” (or “most ineffective”) team, as often you find some characteristics mixed up in both. What counts more is your ability as a manager to understand what’s going on and how to handle it.
I’ve been lucky enough to work in different parts of the world and observe different teams in action. Here’s what I’ve seen in terms of “effective” and “ineffective” teams; it applies to every country I’ve or worked in. Generally, “effective Teams demonstrate:
Leadership:
Leader sets boundaries and directs efforts. Knows when to adopt different leadership styles based on the situation. Communicates his/her vision to the team. Trusted and respected.
Understanding of Limits & Boundaries:
Team members know how far they can/cannot go to complete their jobs. Leader doesn’t need to “micromanage” but delegates effectively.
Focus & Priorities:
Team members know what they should be focused on at any time. When priorities change, they adapt quickly. Again, leader doesn’t need to “micromanage”.
Learning:
Team members learn from courses or each other as they go along. Each supports the other, not withholding useful information or skills training to gain an advantage.
Confidence & Continuous Improvement:
Team members are not afraid of making mistakes as they know they will be supported, not criticized. Teams improve, review and refine their performance continuously. They learn from mistakes and don’t let them happen again.
Balance:
Team members are selected deliberately for the different approaches and skills that they bring to the team, resulting in effective distribution of tasks and workload for the accomplishment of tasks.
Team Spirit:
Members see themselves as a unit, and also as individuals. No single team member is considered “above” the others in terms of treatment or preference (excluding performance management). No “egos” amongst the members – the team comes first.
“Attitude”:
A willingness to make life easy for each other, customers and other colleagues outside the team. Cooperation default is set to “yes” rather than “no”. A willingness to be “part of the solution” rather than “part of the problem”.
Energy:
Team members are energised and energise each other.
Empathy & Awareness:
For team members and others. The ability to understand where others are coming from. Sensitivity to others and how they may react differently to the same stimuli. Vital in today’s “global market”.
Accountability:
Team members take accountability for their actions and results. No “buck passing” or “blame-gaming”.
In answer to the question “What do ineffective teams look like?” the simple answer is “the opposite of the above”. In other words, ineffective teams” demonstrate:
No Clear Leadership Or Common Purpose:
No clear vision or guidance from anyone. Members either apathetic or jockeying for power amongst themselves.
Lack of Trust & Communication:
Team members communicate only when they have to , and mostly through formal channels. Problems aren’t dealt with, leading to further friction. Information is power. Trust has broken down.
Conformity & Compliance:
Team members scared to take any initiatives or think “outside the box”. Conformity and compliance rule. Leader probably micromanages.
Lack of Focus:
Team members jump from one task to another without any focus or priorities. Ineffective output is the result.
Inability/Unwillingness To Share/Learn:
Team members guard their knowledge jealously to preserve their “patch”. Mutual support is unknown and most spend more time watching their own backs than moving forward.
Lack of Confidence:
Team members afraid of making mistakes. When this happens, the resulting investigations and sanctions only further demoralize an already fragmented team. Mistakes often repeated because lessons learnt aren’t shared.
Homogeneity:
Team members all similar in outlook or skills resulting in a group of “yes men/women” unable to produce imaginative or well-considered solutions.
Individual Triumphs Over Team:
Members prioritise their own needs and desires above all others, even where this is clearly not in the common interest. Jealousy and back-stabbing prevail.
Poor Attitude/Lack of Cooperation:
“It’s someone else’s problem, let them take the risk”. Cooperation default is set to “no(unless there’s something in it for me)”.
Inward Focus:
No idea of nor interest in what’s going on outside their own sphere.
Unwillingness To Be Held Accountable:
Team members “pass the buck” and avoid taking any accountability for actions or results.
The teams in which I’ve worked or which I’ve observed have displayed all the characteristics and weaknesses in different measures – none has been perfect, but some have definitely been more effective than others.
I have spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in the world financial services industry running different service, operations and lending businesses, I started my own Performance Management Consultancy to offer solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management. I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email . My website provides a full picture of my portfolio of services. For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.
Labels: Productivity, Social, Strategy, Teamwork
posted by William Martin @ 15:45
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