The Challenges of Teams and Team Working

by Duncan Brodie

Ask most leaders and managers and they will openly acknowledge that when a team of people work well together they can achieve some great things. While just about everyone gets this at a conceptual level, I notice that when it comes down to it there is often a huge gap between potential and performance.

So why is this and what can you do to change the situation?

Challenge: We Have All Been Conditioned To Look After Number One

In my experience we have all been conditioned to compete, do better than everyone else or do it all by ourselves to a greater or lesser extent. This applies in exams, applying for jobs, trying to get promoted or how we operate in the workplace.

Solution: Start to get people thinking about the potential of collaborating more and competing less to deliver results.

Challenge: We Assume People Are Being Difficult When They Disagree

We all have our views on particular issues, problems and challenges and how best to tackle them. Sometimes when other people have a different point of view from our own we jump to the conclusion that they are just being difficult. They may or may not be.

Solution: Next time you have a disagreement about the best way to tackle something, rather than just assuming the other person is being difficult, take time to really understand their perspective.

Challenge: Disconnects Between What Is Said and What Is Done

Organisations love to talk about values and how important people and teams are. They then proceed to create reward and recognition systems that actually do the opposite.

Solution: Make sure that your reward and recognition systems are aligned with what you say you value as an organisation or leadership team.

Challenge: Turf Wars

Ever noticed how often people get focused on what is in the interests of their function, team or department? This is what we refer to as turf wars where one part of the organisation is seen as the good guys while others are the bad guys. You often see this in organisations where there are turf wars between those in client facing roles and those in supporting functions.

Solution: Keep people focused on the fact that the organisation only exists because there is a demand for services and that to deliver any kind of service or product requires the contributions of many different people and functions.

The Bottom Line: Teams, we all know, have the potential to achieve great things. Often it is leaders, managers or organisational norms that get in the way of fully utilising the benefits of teams and team working.

About the author

If you are ready to become a highly effective manager, I invite you to sign up for my 10 part e-course at http://goalsandachievements.com/managers/

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements (G&A) works with professional people who want to excel as leaders and managers and achieve career success http://goalsandachievements.com/managers/