It is evident that teamwork encourages creativity and helps to increase the productivity of an organisation. While this might be true, there are still many challenges that the team will face, which can make the overall experience of working as a team very frustrating. A few organisations will use employee engagement software that helps them to deal with any teamwork related issues that arise.
Here are the common issues that arise in teamwork situations:
The absence of team identity
Members can feel like they are not mutually accountable when it comes to the team’s objectives. There may be a lack of effort or commitment and even some conflict between the team members due to poor collaboration.
Finding it hard to make decisions
Team members can be rigidly adhering to the hierarchy of positions during the decision making process. This can lead to repeated arguments instead of the ability to introduce new information.
Poor communication
Team members can interrupt each other and try to talk over one another. There can also be constant silence from several members during the team meetings. There may be several occurring problems, but they often fail to be addressed formally. A lot of the time, everyone will nod in agreement without really agreeing to it.
The inability to solve conflicts
Conflict cannot be resolved when there is intensified tension, and team members are making aggressive gestures and personal attacks. Teams must have a mediator to calm the situation and resolve any communication issues or differences.
Lack of participation
Team members sometimes fail to complete their assignments. You may be dealing with poor attendance at meetings and even low energy during team meetings. It is important to explain that lack of participation is not acceptable. A high-performance team revolves around accountability for tasks, performance and results.
Having a lack of creativity
The team is unable to come up with new ideas and generate fresh perspectives which can cause a shortage of potential opportunities. Having a lack of creativity can also have negative consequences when trying to overcome adversity and work problems.
Groupthink
The team may be unwilling to consider different approaches or ideas. There can be a decrease in the debate over ideas if team members don’t feel comfortable. This can be resolved with team building activities.
Long-term thinking is non-existent
Businesses leaders need to think beyond the day to day problems, and have a holistic view. For a work team, it means thinking beyond your area, how you fit into the organisation and how you are impacting the customer experience and value propositions. Everyone is busy; however, being busy is not enough. The long term success will require plenty of long-term thinking.
While a healthy and diverse debate can make an effective team, you need to have a team that is united in one aspect, which is achieving goals. You will come across bumps in the road, but getting through these is how the team grows.
Ensure you are spending time with your team. You will need to provide your team with a framework that can help to rally the group in working together. Visions need to be compelling and the purpose should be meaningful. You will find people will respond to the importance of both.
If your aim is to create a great team, then you need to pay attention to the behaviour of the group. How we are behaving has an impact on others and will affect other team members. Leadership development courses can help management to create and promote positive team interactions.
